Wine and Cheese Combinations
With countless varieties of both cheese and wine, the possibilities are endless. Yet certain rules apple.
Often, pairing the regional wines with local cheeses makes an ideal combination, such as Muenster with Alsatian Gewurztraminer, chevres with Sancerre, or Roquefort with Sauternes.
Consider other beverages, too: tart cider or Calvados has a natural affinity for soft-ripened cheeses such as Camembert, and beer is a good partner for strong cheeses. Good combinations include:
- Asiago with lively Piedmontese reds or Cabernet Sauvignon
- Brie or Camembert with Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux reds
- Cheddar with many reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Burgundies, pair the quality of the cheese with a similar-quality wine, or beer
- Chevre: soft types with Merlot, French country reds, and dry whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre, aged chevre, such as taupiere or Fourmes, with Cabernet Sauvignon
- Emmentaler, Gruyere, Edam, Jarlsberg, and Gouda with fruity reds or whites, Pinot Noir
- Feta with dry Greek whites, retsina, ouzo
- Fontina with Merlot, Pinot Grigio
- Gorgonzola with Barbera, Provencal reds
- Mascarpone with Moselle, light sweet whites
- Monterey Jack with Sauvignon Blanc
- Mozzarella with a light Chianti
- Parmigiano Reggiano with wines of the Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco, Chianti, Pinot Noir
- Roquefort with late-harvest Zinfandel, minor sauternes, Rhone reds
- Stilton with tawny port, red Rioja, Barolo
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