Wine And Swiss Cheese: A Perfect Pairing Guide

Wine and cheese are two of life's greatest culinary pleasures, and finding the perfect match can be a delicious endeavour. Swiss cheese is a common ingredient in French, American, and Cuban food. It is often paired with other ingredients such as bacon, thousand island dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and Monterey Jack cheese. To find the perfect wine to complement Swiss cheese, it is essential to consider factors such as texture, acidity, fat, and tannin.

Wine and cheese pairings: fresh, bloomy, washed rind, semi-soft, hard, and blue

Fresh

Fresh cheeses are typically soft and rindless, made with cow, goat, or sheep milk. They are not aged and have a mild, slightly tangy flavour. When pairing wine with fresh cheeses, opt for crisp, dry, and young bottlings such as Albariño, Soave, Pinot Blanc, Muscadet, Vermentino, or young Chardonnay. For salty cheeses like feta, choose off-dry wines like Gewürztraminer or Riesling.

Bloomy

Bloomy cheeses are named for the bloom of white mould on their exterior and tend to be rich and creamy with a soft, spreadable texture. The rind is edible and contributes to a stronger, funkier flavour. When pairing wine with bloomy cheeses, look for dry, traditional-method sparkling wines like brut Champagne or Franciacorta, or light-bodied, dry, unoaked Chardonnays like Chablis.

Washed Rind

Washed rind cheeses are bathed in brine, beer, or wine, resulting in a distinct orange rind. They are rich and creamy and can range from soft to semi-soft in texture. Washed rind cheeses are funkier than bloomy cheeses, with gamy and pungent notes. When pairing wine with washed rind cheeses, consider dry, traditional-method sparkling wines like brut Franciacorta or dry, off-dry, unoaked white wines like Gewürztraminer or Pinot Gris.

Semi-Soft

Semi-soft cheeses are not spreadable, but they also don't break into shards like hard cheeses. They tend to be creamy and mild in flavour, melting easily and slicing well. Some semi-soft cheeses, like Gouda, become harder with age. When pairing wine with semi-soft cheeses, choose dry white wines with a touch of oak, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, or rustic reds like Côtes de Rhône or Chianti.

Hard

Hard cheeses are the product of aging, resulting in firm textures that break into crumbles or shards. They often have nutty and complex savoury notes, with some being pungent and salty. When pairing wine with hard cheeses, opt for vintage traditional-method sparkling wines like Champagne or Franciacorta, or bold wines with some age, such as Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, or Rioja.

Blue

Blue cheeses are characterised by veins of blue mould running through them. They can range from soft and creamy to semi-soft and crumbly, with varying levels of sweetness, mildness, sharpness, and tang. When pairing wine with blue cheeses, look for sweet wines like Sauternes, Barsac, or Monbazillac, or dessert wines made from dried grapes, such as Vin Santo or Jurançon.

Swiss cheese with bacon

Swiss cheese is a hard cheese with a nutty flavor, a firm texture, and large shiny holes. When paired with bacon, a meat with a salty and savoury taste, the right wine can bring out the best in both.

A good tip to remember is that salty and savoury foods pair well with wines that have a fruity profile. This is because the sweetness in the wine helps to balance out the saltiness of the food.

With this in mind, a good wine to pair with Swiss cheese and bacon would be a white Zinfandel. This is a wine that is known for its fruity characteristics, with flavours of red berries and a hint of sweetness. The sweetness in the wine will help to balance out the saltiness of the bacon, while the fruity notes will complement the nutty flavour of the Swiss cheese.

Another option is a Gamay Beaujolais, which is a light-bodied red wine with bright, fruity flavours of strawberries and raspberries, and a hint of earthiness. Again, the fruitiness of this wine will complement the nuttiness of the Swiss cheese, while its light body and bright flavours will not overpower the more subtle flavours of the bacon.

If you are looking for a bolder red wine to pair with Swiss cheese and bacon, a Pinot Noir would be a good choice. This wine has more robust fruit flavours, often leaning towards darker berries, plums, and cherries. It also has a hint of spice, which can help to enhance the savoury notes in the bacon.

For those who prefer white wine, a Californian or Australian Chardonnay would be a good choice, as the oaky and dry characteristics of these wines will complement the saltiness of the bacon and the nuttiness of the Swiss cheese.

Avoid nutmeg with Swiss cheese

Swiss cheese is a common ingredient in French, American, and Cuban cuisine. It is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of dishes, from grilled cheese sandwiches to casseroles and salads.

When it comes to wine and cheese pairings, there are many factors to consider, such as texture, acidity, fat, and tannin. While there is no definitive rule, as taste is subjective, there are some general guidelines that can help enhance your culinary experience.

Now, when it comes to Swiss cheese, it is important to note that nutmeg is considered a poor pairing. While the reason for this is not immediately clear, it could be that the strong, distinctive flavour of nutmeg clashes with the subtle, nutty, and savoury notes of Swiss cheese.

In general, when creating flavour combinations, it is important to consider the weight and intensity of each ingredient. Lighter, more delicate flavours can be overpowered by stronger, more pungent ones. Swiss cheese, with its mild, nutty character, may not be able to stand up to the bold, sweet, and slightly woody flavour of nutmeg.

Additionally, nutmeg is often associated with sweet dishes, such as baked goods and desserts, while Swiss cheese is more commonly used in savoury applications. This inherent contrast in flavour profiles could be another reason why nutmeg and Swiss cheese may not be the most harmonious combination.

In conclusion, while there may be exceptions to the rule, it is generally advisable to avoid pairing nutmeg with Swiss cheese. This is especially true if you are aiming for a more traditional or classic flavour profile. However, if you are feeling adventurous in the kitchen, you may choose to experiment with this combination and discover unique flavour pairings that work for your palate.

Wine and food pairings: texture, acidity, fat, and tannin

The art of wine and food pairing involves serving particular foods with particular wines to bring out the best characteristics of each. The perfect pairing enhances the dining experience by elevating the flavours of both the food and the wine. The wine softens the food, and neither overwhelms the other.

Acidity

Acidity is a dominant player in any food and wine pairing. In wine tasting, acidity is perceived by a mouth-watering response from the salivary glands. In dishes that are fatty, oily, rich or salty, acidity in wine can "cut" through the heaviness and be a refreshing change of pace on the palate.

High-acid wines such as Sauvignon Blanc act as a foil to the richness of fatty foods, and hit the palate with a bright, cleansing sensation. This is great for wines that go well with dishes such as fried chicken or creamy risotto.

Fat

Fatty foods need either an acidic or high-alcohol wine. Otherwise, the wine will taste flabby. A high-alcohol drink should not be used as a palate cleanser, but rather to mitigate high-speed food consumption.

Tannin

Tannins give structure and backbone to the wine. They react with proteins, such as those found in saliva, and can be sensed by a puckering sensation in the mouth. Tannic wines can be balanced with sweet food.

Tannins can also overwhelm many food dishes, especially those without protein. When paired with dishes that are high in protein and fat (such as red meat and hard cheeses), the tannins will bind to the proteins and come across as softer.

Texture

The body of the wine should be similar to the weight of the food. Light-bodied wines, like Pinot Gris, go better with lighter food, such as salads and seafood, while fuller-bodied wines, such as Syrah, go better with heavier food, like beef stew.

The synergy between wine and food is the ultimate objective of pairing—the wine and food combine to create a totally new and superior gastronomic effect. The main objective is to enhance the dining experience.

Swiss cheese in French, American, and Cuban food

Swiss cheese is a term used for any variety of cheese that resembles Emmental, a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in Switzerland. It is now produced in many countries, including the US, Finland, Estonia, and Ireland. Swiss cheese is a key ingredient in many dishes across various cuisines, including French, American, and Cuban food.

French Cuisine

In French, Swiss-type cheeses are known as "fromages à pâte pressée cuite". This type of cheese is typically "cooked" using thermophilic lactic fermentation starters and then pressed to expel excess moisture, resulting in a firm yet elastic texture. Some well-known French Swiss-type cheeses include Gruyère and Appenzeller. These cheeses are often melted in cooking, resulting in a gooey, slick, stretchy, and runny consistency.

American Cuisine

In the United States, Swiss cheese is commonly used in sandwiches and other dishes. One of the most popular uses of Swiss cheese in American cuisine is in the classic Cuban sandwich. The Cuban sandwich, also known as "Cuban mix" or "Cubano", originated in cafes catering to Cuban immigrants in Florida. It is made with ham, mojo, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. The sandwich is then toasted in a sandwich press until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted.

Another popular use of Swiss cheese in American cuisine is in grilled cheese sandwiches. Swiss cheese can be used on its own or combined with other cheeses, such as cheddar or mozzarella, to create a unique flavour profile.

Cuban Cuisine

While the Cuban sandwich is often associated with Cuban exiles and expatriates in the United States, it is worth noting that it likely originated in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Tampa or Key West, Florida. The sandwich combines ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. The inclusion of salami is a regional variation, with Tampa-style Cuban sandwiches typically including Genoa salami due to the influence of Italian immigrants in the area.

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