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Fermentations - Wine pairings for cheese
A favorite food combination is wine and cheese. While wine tasters always like to taste wine while clearing their palate with bread or soda crackers, people who routinely sell wine like to offer their wine while serving cheese to the wine buyer. Cheese has the ability to blind your taste buds so careful consideration has to be made for great cheese and wine pairings.
For those of us who just want to enjoy the wonderful combination of wine and cheese, I offer the following list of suggested cheese and wine pairings. Experiment as you will with all of the cheeses of the world. This list is just a guideline for enjoyment of some famous cheeses of the world and the suggested wines to make your flavor buds sing. As a general rule, it is best to pair cheese with wines produced in the same region or country… but not always!
I have listed the most likely cheeses you will encounter as Americans. You can contact me (CBlethen@IQ-Services.com) if you need specific wine pairings for cheeses from Denmark, Mexico, Spain, Greece, Holland, Germany, Norway, Belgium or Sweden. You may find it helpful to make a copy of the tables below and carry them in your wallet or purse. The next time you have a chance to pick up some cheese and wine for a few friends, you will be prepared to make a wise choice. Enjoy!
American Cheese |
Type |
Best Wine Paring |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Swiss | Semi-soft | American sparkling wines |
| Blue | Hard | Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry |
| Brick | Semi-hard | Chardonnay |
| Colby | Semi-soft | Riesling and American sparkling wines |
| Cream Cheese | Soft | White Zinfindel |
| Dry Jack | Hard | Sancerre |
| Goat Cheese | Soft | Sancerre, Vouvray |
| Grafton Village Cheddar | Hard | Cabernet, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Humboldt Fog (Goat) | Natural Rind | California Chardonnay |
| Maytag Blue | Semi-hard | Any American Light Red or White |
| Monterey Jack | Semi-hard | Riesling |
| Mini Babybel | Semi-hard | American Whites |
| Neufchatel | Soft | Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre |
| Sonoma Jack | Semi-hard | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Swiss | Hard | Gewürztraminer |
| Teleme cheese | Soft | Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, |
| Tillamook Cheddar | Hard | Fruity wines, dark beer |
| English Cheese | Type | Best Wine Pairing |
| Blue | Hard | Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry |
| Cheddar, mild | Semi-hard | Champagne, Chardonnay |
| Cheddar, sharp | Semi-hard | Cabernet, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Cheshire | Semi-hard | Riesling |
| Derby | Hard | Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Double Gloucester | Semi-hard | Sancerre |
| Stilton | Semi-hard | Port |
| Wensleydale | Hard | Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay |
| French Cheese | Type | Best Wine Pairing |
| Blue | Hard | Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry |
| Boursin | Soft | Gewürztraminer |
| Brie | Soft | Champagne, sweet Sherry |
| Bucheron | Soft | Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Camembert | Soft | Cabernet, Chenin Blanc |
| Mini Babybel | Semi-soft | Any French White wines |
| Neufchatel | Soft | Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre |
| Chevre | Semi-hard | Gewürztraminer, Champagne |
| Crème fraiche | Soft | Any dessert wine |
| Goat Cheese | Soft | Sancerre, Vouvray |
| Madrigal Baby Swiss | Semi-soft | Fruity Reds & Whites |
| Morbier | Semi-soft | Fleurie, Beaujolais |
| Muenster | Soft | Beaujolais, Zinfandel |
| Pavé d'Affinois | Soft | Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre |
| Port Salut | Semi-Soft | Chinon, Bourgueil |
| Raclette | Hard | Beaujolais |
| Roquefort | Semi-hard | Tawny Port |
| Italian Cheese | Type | Best Wine Pairing |
| Asiago | Hard | Bardolino |
| Bel Paese | Semi-soft | Chardonnay |
| Blue | Hard | Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry |
| Fresh Mozzarella | Soft | Any light Italian Reds, or Whites |
| Gorgonzola | Soft | Any sweet or heavy red Italian wines |
| Fontina | Semi-soft | Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo |
| Grana Padano | Hard | Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino |
| Mascarpone | Soft | Any sweet dessert wines |
| Mozzarella di Bufala | Soft | Chianti |
| Parmigiano-Reggiano | Hard | Chardonnay |
| Pecorino | Hard | Chianti Riserva |
| Pecorino Romano | Hard | Chianti Riserva |
| Provolone | Semi-hard | Chardonnay, Chianti Riserva, Barolo |
| Swiss Cheese | Type | Best Wine Pairing |
| Blue | Hard | Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry |
| Edam | Hard | Riesling, Dry Champagne, Pinot Noir |
| Emmentaler | Hard | Beaujolais, Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Gruyere | Hard | Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc |
Next time: Wine pairing with Chocolate
Chuck Blethen, Vigneron in Residence, Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard, Marshall NC
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