Wine And Cheese Platter: The Perfect Pairing

Wine and cheese are a classic pairing, but with so many varieties of each, it can be a daunting task to find the perfect match. The key to a successful pairing is to match the intensity of the cheese with the intensity of the wine. Young, fresh cheeses with high moisture content and delicate textures pair well with young wines like sparkling, crisp white, rosé, or fruity reds. Aged, rich cheeses with lower moisture content and more intense flavours pair well with older, more complex wines with more body. Texture is also an important factor, with creamy cheeses pairing well with buttery, oaky wines, and sparkling wines offering a nice contrast to rich cheeses. When in doubt, sparkling wines are a safe bet, as their high carbonation levels make them an excellent palate cleanser.

Soft cheese: Rosé, Champagne, or Sauvignon Blanc

Soft cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, and Chaource, pair well with a glass of rosé, Champagne, or Sauvignon Blanc. The crisp, refreshing, and acidic nature of these wines cuts through the rich and creamy texture of soft cheeses.

Rosé wines, with their dry and crisp profile, provide a nice counterpoint to the richness of soft cheeses. The bubbles in sparkling wines like Champagne scrub your tongue clean, making you want another bite of cheese. This is why Camembert and Champagne are a classic combination.

Champagne, with its acidity, effervescence, and subtle aromas, can also provide a harmonious contrast to the diversity of flavours found in soft cheeses. The fine bubbles and fruity notes of Champagne complement and balance the characteristics of the cheese, creating a pleasant and interesting taste experience.

Sauvignon Blanc, with its herbaceous green notes, is usually perfect with soft cheeses like brick, Cheddar, and Gouda. Its crisp, refreshing nature, substantial acidity, and notes of lime and green leafy herbs make it an excellent pairing for soft cheeses.

Hard cheese: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Malbec

Hard cheeses, such as aged cheddar, aged Gruyère, Pecorino, Asiago, and Parmigiano Reggiano, are best paired with full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Malbec. The stronger and more intense the cheese, the stronger the wine should be. For example, a very mature hard cheese with a complex flavour profile would pair well with a full-bodied wine that has been aged in a cask or bottle, allowing it to develop a more nuanced flavour.

When it comes to hard cheeses, consider the saltiness and nuttiness that they bring to the table. Salt loves sweet, so a sweet wine can beautifully balance the saltiness of hard cheeses. Harder cheeses also go well with oxidative wines, like Sherry, and full-bodied whites. Their nuttiness is complemented by the oxidative notes in these wines, while their saltiness is enhanced by the sweetness of the wines.

Additionally, the tannins in red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz bind with the protein and fat in rich, aged cheeses, cleansing your palate after each bite. The stronger flavours of these wines also won't be overpowered by the intensity of hard cheeses.

Blue cheese: Aged Port, Zinfandel, or Sauternes

Blue cheese is a very polarising food among cheese lovers, but when paired with the right wine, it can make even the stubborn nay-sayer backtrack. Here are three excellent wine pairings for blue cheese:

Aged Port

Aged Ports are often the go-to choice for festive moments. Their aromatic and tannic power means they need a powerful cheese to match. Aged, hard and spicy cheeses, such as aged pecorino, aged Cheddar, Lincolnshire Poacher, aged Comté, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, are perfect contenders. Intense, non-creamy blue cheeses, such as Stilton or matured Roquefort, will also have a great match in the deep juicy fruit and balsamic nuances of Aged Port. The saltiness of these cheeses is key: the strong, salty flavours will balance the tannins of the Aged Port.

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is a versatile wine that can be both dark and brooding, and fresh and buoyant. It is an excellent counterpart for all things cheese. Blue cheese can be paired with a zinfandel "port", a fortified sweet wine made in the fashion of Portugal's well-known dessert wine. Aromas of cocoa, candied red fruit, and sweet spice in the wine settle down the saltiness of the blue cheese, generating an illustrious balance.

Sauternes

Sauternes is a famously luscious sweet wine from the Bordeaux region of France. The French would immediately pair Sauternes with either foie gras or Roquefort, two savoury pairings that may or may not appeal to you. There is also a history in the region of pairing Sauternes with poultry. Sauternes producers often match their wines with Chinese and other Asian dishes such as lacquered pork to broaden its appeal.

Washed-rind cheese: Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc

Washed-rind cheeses are periodically cured in a solution of saltwater brine or mold-bearing agents, which may include beer, wine, brandy, and spices. This process encourages the growth of certain bacteria on the surface of the cheese, giving it a distinctive flavour and a firm, flavoursome rind. Washed-rind cheeses can be soft, semi-hard, or hard. The softer ones are sometimes distinguished as "smear-ripened", while the term "washed rind" is sometimes reserved for the hard ones.

Washed-rind cheeses have a funky, bacon-y flavour that you will either love or hate. They pair well with mild, dry white wines such as Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc. Muscadet is a French wine that is typically high in acidity with a crisp, dry taste. Sauvignon Blanc is also a dry white wine with high acidity and can have citrusy notes. When paired with washed-rind cheese, these wines complement the subtle, mild yeast notes of the cheese.

If you are looking for a wine to pair with a mixed cheese platter, Riesling or Alsatian Gewürztraminer are good choices. Riesling is low in alcohol but high in acidity and sweetness, with tropical fruit and mineral flavours. Gewürztraminer is dry with a delicate body and floral aromas. Sparkling wines are also a safe bet when pairing with cheese, as their ample acidity and toasty, nutty flavours complement both fresh and aged cheeses.

Goats cheese: Sauvignon Blanc or Spanish Albariño

Goat's cheese is a versatile food that can be paired with a variety of wines. The most classic pairing is a fresh goat's cheese with a Sauvignon Blanc, a combination that is fresh and invigorating. The zippy acidity in the wine matches the acidity in the cheese, creating a harmonious pairing. This is also a natural pairing, as France's Loire Valley is famous for both goat's cheese and the Sauvignon Blanc-based wine Sancerre. A Crottin de Chavignol from the same area is said to be a perfect match for a Sancerre. A young, moussey goat's cheese also pairs well with an unoaked New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Other wines similar to Sauvignon Blanc that pair well with goat's cheese include citrussy whites such as Bacchus, Côtes de Gascogne, Rueda, and Godello, and other crisp whites such as Albarino, Alvarinho, Chablis, and Picpoul de Pinet. A Spanish Albarino, in particular, is known for its bold acidity and citrusy flavor, providing a crisp, clean wine that can stand up to the tangiest of fresh goat cheeses.

If you are looking for a red wine to pair with goat's cheese, a crisp dry rosé, especially a Provençal rosé, is a great choice.

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