Wine and Cheese go hand in hand, there are so many classic combinations like Sancerre and creamy goats cheese, Pinot Noir and ripe camembert as well as Port and tangy blue cheese. However, not every cheese goes with every wine. Here is a simple guide of the most popular types of cheese and what wine to pair with them, along with some useful tips to create your own delicious pairings.
Top Tips
- Cheese and wine produced in the same region work perfectly together: ‘what grows together, goes together’.
- The wine should complement, rather than dominate your cheese. Therefore, consider the intensity of the cheese and pair with a wine of similar intensity so that one does not overpower the other.
- Pair salty cheeses with sweet wines. Salty food is enhanced by a touch of sweetness, for example Roquefort and Sauternes, or Port and Stilton are perfect combinations. Salt also enhances flavour and body in the wine and softens the tannin and acidity.
- Food that is high in protein, such as mature hard cheese soften the effects of tannin. This is why tannic wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon pair so well.
The Perfect Pairings
Mature hard cheese (Cheddar, Manchego, Comte)
Pair with medium bodied red wine with high acidity and firm tannins such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja (Tempranillo). A full-bodied white Burgundy works particularly well with Comte or Gruyere.
We recommend:
Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard Pernand-Vergelesse Blanc Les Belles Filles, France 2021
Soft cheese (Camembert, Brie)
Pair with lighter, fruity wines with high acidity like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais (Gamay). Or consider a Champagne or other traditional method sparkling wine.
We recommend:
Jacques Boncoeur Brut Reserve Champagne, France NV
Goats cheese
A lot of goats’ cheese is produced in the Loire Valley and this is a classic match for Loire Sauvignon Blanc, such as Sancerre or Pouilly fume, Sauvignon Blanc which is light in body but full in flavour, similar to the cheese. The high acidity in the wine is also moderated by the acidity in the cheese.
We recommend:
Domaine Chatelain Pouilly Fume Harmonie, France 2018
Washed rind cheese (Vacherin Mont D’Or, Reblochon, Taleggio)
These are the most intense and distinctive type of cheeses and develop most of their flavour during the maturation process where they are washed with a brine solution. These pair best with aromatic, fruity whites such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, and Sauternes which also have notable acidity to cut through any creaminess.
We recommend:
Chateau Petit Vedrines, Sauternes 2016
Blue cheese (Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort)
Pair with sweet wines like Sauternes or Port. The veining in blue cheeses has a touch of bitterness that can be deliciously offset by a dessert or fortified wine.
We recommend:
Zuccardi, Malamado Fortified Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina NV
For more cheese and wine pairings, please get in touch, this is one of our specialist subjects!
