Wine and Cheese

Are wine and cheese natural companions? For many in life, pairing great wine with a fabulous cheese is the incomparable ending to a great meal. A light cheese board is the natural finish to a meal and far better on the digestive system than a sickly sweet dessert. The enjoyment of cheese has extended, bringing it from the finish of the meal to the forefront and replacing the out-dated cocktail parties with cheese-and-wine pairing parties.

While simply slicing a bite of cheese with a knife and tasting it au naturel is perfectly acceptable, a few contrasts to the tasting is always beneficial. Consider:

• A few slices of home-made or rustic bread
• Nuts
• Dried fruit
• Cornichons
• Olives

These are cheeses that often have to be sought-out although some of the finer restaurants may produce their own. Light, fresh, crispy white wines are perfect. Consider Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc from California and France, Moscato D’Asti, Frascati, or Soave from Italy, or Vino Verdhe from Portugal. In general, German Rieslings and Gewürztraminers tend towards the slightly sweet and might fight with the freshness of the cheese. Red wines are generally not recommended because they will completely overpower the delicate complexity and freshness of these cheeses.

These cheeses can be both mild and sharp; slightly salty or delicately sweet. The richer and sweeter the cheese, the fruitier the wine should be; Vouvray or Riesling. Care should be taken – and there is no way to predict this – against overly oaked, buttery California Chardonnays. The buttery component in highly malo-fermented Chardonnay accentuates and fights with the actual malo components in a cheese and can make it taste bitter or rancid. The bigger Brie cheeses can also easily pair well with a well-balanced Pinot Noir from California or France. The bright fruitiness of the Pinot as well as its potential earthy characteristic can be a great match for supple soft-white cheese.

Hard cheeses can range in flavors from very mild and sweet to over-the-top sharp and tangy. Regardless, it is usually with hard cheeses that bigger, robust wines are served. For the mildest of hard cheeses consider a Merlot or French Pomerol. Côtes du Rhône and Tempranillo stand up well with medium-bodied cheeses. The stronger the cheese, the heftier your wine can be; California Cabernets, Syrah, and Zinfandels will work well with those extra-strong hard cheeses.

Like creamy and hard cheeses, blue cheeses come in a variety of styles; from creamy and mild to hard and downright burn-worthy in the mouth. Contrary to popular belief, this is where a red wine should probably be avoided. Complement the strength and voracity of a good stinky blue cheese with a light fruity white or a Rosé wine. This is also the best time to pull out those special dessert wines. A classic Sauterne or late-harvest has enough heightened acidity without being overly sticky to stand up to the bite of a blue cheese.

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