The Perfect Cheese And Rosé Wine Pairing

Rosé wine and cheese is a classic combination, and for good reason. The two complement each other beautifully, with the wine's acidity and subtle berry flavours cutting through the richness of the cheese. When pairing rosé with cheese, it's best to avoid anything too strong or funky, which can overpower the delicate wine. Instead, opt for fresh, bloomy, and less intense aged cheeses. Lighter-bodied rosés with a delicate flavour go well with milder, less intense cheeses, while darker rosés can stand up to salty cheeses like feta or halloumi, as well as semi-soft to semi-firm aged varieties. Dry, crisp, and tart rosés are generally the best choice for bringing out the savoury richness of cheese, although sweeter rosés can also work with subtle, mild cheeses. Sparkling rosé is an excellent choice for pairing with lush, creamy cheeses, as the bubbles add a festive touch and help to cleanse the palate.

Fresh cheeses, like burrata, chèvre, fromage blanc, and mozzarella

Chèvre, or goat's cheese, has an acidic, tangy flavour that pairs well with the bright, acidic, and subtly berry-flavoured notes of a dry rosé. Soft goat cheese is the best match, but aged varieties can also work well. In the spring, fresh goat cheese is a must with a good rosé.

Fromage blanc and fresh mozzarella are also good matches for pale pink wines. These fresh cheeses are mild and less intense, allowing the delicate flavours of the rosé to shine through.

Burrata, a sweet and milky cheese, pairs beautifully with the fruity strawberry notes found in some rosés. The wine's acidity cuts through the creamy centre of the cheese, refreshing the palate for another bite.

Salty fresh cheeses, like feta or halloumi

Salty fresh cheeses like feta and halloumi are a perfect match for rosé. The zippy acidity in rosé pairs well with the tanginess and saltiness of these cheeses. The wine's crispy, clean flavour also helps to refresh the palate, making it ready for more salty cheese.

Feta and rosé can be turned into a simple and delicious meal. Top the feta with extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and serve it with good bread. On the side, you can serve olives, hummus, or cured meats.

Halloumi is a semi-soft to semi-firm cheese that can stand up to darker rosés. It is an earthy sheep's milk cheese. You can also serve it with Pecora Nocciola from Landmark Creamery.

When choosing a rosé to pair with salty fresh cheeses, look for dry, tart, and/or bubbly varieties, as these are the easiest to pair with cheese.

Aged cheeses, like Humboldt Fog, Comte, and Ossau-Iraty

When it comes to pairing rosé wine with cheese, a good rule of thumb is to match intensities: lighter-bodied wines with milder cheeses, and vice versa. Rosé's signature bright, citrusy flavours and mineral notes can be complemented by the right aged cheese.

Aged chèvre, like Humboldt Fog, is dense and cakey, and its bright, clean flavour teases out the wine's mineral nuances. This is a clean and elegant pairing.

For a summery feel, try a raw milk Alpine cheese like Comte, especially one made with milk from cows that grazed on summer herbs and flowers. The gentle floral notes of the cheese will combine with the fruity notes of the rosé to create a seasonal bouquet on the palate.

Aged sheep's milk cheese, like Ossau-Iraty, is naturally buttery with lots of herbaceous flavours. These flavours blossom next to mineral-driven rosés. Pair these two with a plate of prosciutto, olives, and a hot, crusty baguette.

Creamy blues, like Cambozola

Rosé and cheese are a great pairing—the wine's acidity and gentle tannins cut through the richness of the cheese and refresh the palate. While rosé is a versatile wine that goes with almost any cheese, it's best to avoid anything too strong or funky, which can overpower its delicate profile.

Creamy blues like Cambozola are a great choice to pair with rosé. Cambozola is a pasteurised cow's milk cheese, a combination of French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola. It's a mild, spreadable blue cheese with a rich, creamy texture and a hint of blue flavour. The name is a portmanteau of Camembert and Gorgonzola, reflecting its blend of creaminess and blue tanginess.

Cambozola is made from a combination of Penicillium camemberti and the blue Penicillium roqueforti mould used to make Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton. Extra cream is added to the milk, giving it a rich consistency characteristic of triple-crème cheeses. It also has an edible, bloomy rind similar to that of Camembert.

Cambozola is a great choice for those who don't usually enjoy blue cheese, as it's creamy and tangy yet mild enough to be approachable. It pairs well with fresh fruit, especially dried figs, and a glass of rosé on a patio.

Seasonality: spring, summer, autumn, and winter

Seasonality plays a significant role in the cheese and rosé wine pairing experience. The rhythm of the seasons helps guide the selection of rosé wine to complement the cheese of choice. Here is a guide to enhance your cheese and rosé journey throughout the year:

Spring

In the spring, fresh and young goat cheeses are a delightful pairing with rosé wine. The high fat and protein levels in the milk during this season impart a lush, green pasture flavour to the cheese. Soft-ripened cheeses, such as bloomy rinds, are also a wonderful choice as they age for a month or less, allowing you to savour the flavours of spring milk. Look for dry, tart, and/or bubbly rosés to complement these cheeses.

Summer

During the summer months, opt for soft cheeses with washed and bloomy rinds. These cheeses will harmonise beautifully with a fruity rosé, creating a seasonal bouquet on your palate. The floral notes of the wine will flirt with the gentle flavours of the cheese.

Autumn and Winter

As the weather cools down, it's time to indulge in more mature cheeses, such as Brie de Meaux or Munster. These cheeses pair exquisitely with a rosé wine made by bleeding, which offers structured aromas while remaining quite light. The combination of mature cheese and rosé de saignée wine will be a delightful sensory experience.

Additionally, the autumn and winter seasons call for bubbly drinks and triple-creme bloomy cheeses. The crisp, high-acidity, and sparkling wines elegantly cut through the richness of the cheese, refreshing your palate for the next bite.

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