Pairing Wine with Cheese
Wine and cheese is a glorious combination and one we think should be celebrated all the time! But with so many varieties of cheese and wine out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. To simplify proceedings, we’ve grouped everyone’s favourite cheeses into key categories and come up with a few classic must-try pairings, along with some handy tips on why these pairings work.
Cheese Pairing House Rules
- Wine and cheese from the same country tend to work well together
- It doesn’t always have to be red – white wine and sparkling can be great options too
- It’s sensible to pair wines with cheese of similar intensity and complexity – a full and complex wine could overpower delicate cheese
- The more acidic the wine, the more it cuts through fattiness in food
- The saltier the cheese, the more it enhances the body of the wine (think texture) and decreases bitterness and acidity
- Sweet wines work very well with strong and salty cheese
Types of Cheese
Soft Cheese
Think South of France, a crunchy baguette and spreadable cheese to match – that’s what we’re talking about when we refer to soft cheese. Brie, ricotta and camembert are classic examples (and you could even throw Boursin and Philadelphia in the mix!)
Soft Cheese House Rules
- These are generally quite creamy and fatty, so wines with a good level of acidity work nicely
- A cool climate dry white wine from Germany or France would be the best bet
- Grape varieties with naturally high acidity would also work well
- Full-bodied complex reds are probably best left alone
- Ultra-brut sparkling on the other hand is a match made in heaven!
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Light to medium-bodied
Pinot Noir, Barbera, Cabernet Franc
Whites — Dry
Chardonnay, Reisling, Chenin Blanc, Sémillon
Sparkling — Ultra brut
Crémant, Champagne, English Sparkling
Reds — Light, fruity
Ruby Port, Sauternes
Classic Wine Pairings
Chardonnay and Camembert
The rich texture, fruity and nutty flavours and high acidity of Chardonnay mean it blends beautifully with a number of different cheeses, from mild cheddars to tangy goat cheeses. Chardonnay is really at its best though when enjoyed with a creamy camembert, as the balance of acidity in the wine with the buttery cheese is just right.
Pinot Noir and Brie
Being a lighter red, Pinot Noir has the right balance of flavours to complement the delicate taste of brie and not overpower it. It also packs a red fruit punch which works really well. This wine is also an ideal match with semi-soft and medium-firm cheeses with subtle flavours, like gruyere and taleggio.
Hard Cheese
This is probably the easiest category of cheese to pair wine with. When we think of hard cheese the likes of Parmigiana-Reggiano, Manchego, cheddar, pecorino and Comte come to mind. These tend to be tangy, nutty with firm texture and subtle elements of sweetness.
Hard Cheese House Rules
- It would be harder to find a red wine that doesn’t work than one that does!
- Just remember to think about the complexity and strength of the cheese versus the wine you’re choosing
- Fortified wines are also a winner here with Sherry in particularly a well-suited match
- Medium-bodied reds are the best (and safest) options
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Medium to full-bodied
Sangiovese, Merlot, Montepulciano, Zinfandel
Whites — Medium-bodied
Chardonnay, White Rioja, Trebbiano
Fortified — Bold, pronounced
Port, Sherry
Classic Wine Pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Cheddar
A bold, full-bodied red like Cabernet Sauvignon matches very well with the rich nutty flavours of an aged gouda, and packs enough of a punch to match a sharp, well-matured cheddar. Think big flavours stick together, and you can’t go wrong!
Rioja and Manchego
A great rule to remember when pairing wine is that food flavours from a certain country or region will work beautifully with wines produced in the same area. Which is exactly why a fruity Spanish Rioja is the perfect match for the caramel and nutty Spanish Manchego.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese is where things get a little interesting. Often flavours here are big and bold, sometimes even funky, which needs careful consideration and appropriate pairing. Classic examples to pair with include Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort and Bleu d’Auvergne – think smelly with big blue veins!
Blue Cheese House Rules
- The classic rule to remember is that sweet wines work really well with blue cheese
- Sweetness in wine helps balance the groovy flavours whilst adding a sense of creaminess
- The contrast of salty flavours paired with sweet notes of cheese can be very appealing
- Fortified red wines are also a very good bet
Best Wines to Try
Whites — Sweet
Sauternes, Reisling, Gewürztraminer, Moscato
Fortified — Sweet, full-bodied
Sherry, Port
Classic Wine Pairings
Vintage Port and Stilton
A thick-bodied vintage port packs enough sweetness and flavour to work in harmony with pungent, stinky blue cheeses like Stilton and Roquefort. The key rule to remember here is that the deep fruity and spicy flavours of a vintage port need to be matched with a strong and equally powerful cheese.
Sauternes and Roquefort
Strong aromatic cheeses like Epoisses and Roquefort work very well with dessert wines like sauternes because their saltiness is offset perfectly by the sugary sweetness of the wine. Pungent cheeses can be overpowering (the smell can even take over your entire fridge!), but a sweet wine with honey and fruit notes can take off the edge and give a nice balance of flavours.
Washed Rind Cheese
Think big, think smelly! These cheeses are typically aged for longer periods of time and develop very distinct odours during the process, which usually entails rinds (cheese skin) being frequently washed in brine water. Tastes however can be far subtler and delicate than the smell. Popular varieties include Epoisses, Stinking Bishop, Langres, Reblochon and Taleggio.
Washed Rind Cheese House Rules
- Subtlety in wine can be easily overpowered – be warned
- Dry, structured whites are a good option, particularly for softer creamier styles
- Sparkling wines are definitely worth a bash
- Fruit-laden reds will also complement this type of cheese, especially when regionally paired
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Medium-bodied
Pinot Noir, Gamay, Merlot, Malbec
Whites — Dry
Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Sauternes
Sparkling — Brut
Crémant, Champagne, Cava
Classic Wine Pairings
Vintage Cava and Aged Taleggio
High quality sparkling wines like vintage Cava and Champagne can often have bread-like notes, making them pretty ideal for enjoying with cheese! The aging process enables complex flavours to develop in vintage sparkling wine, which is also the case for cheese which has been aged. Pair a vintage bottle of bubbly with a mature cheese and you won’t be disappointed.
Sauternes and Epoisses
Strong aromatic cheeses like epoisses work very well with a dessert wine like Sauternes because their saltiness is offset perfectly by the natural sweetness of the wine. This pungent cheese can be very overpowering, but a sweet wine with honey and fruit notes will take the edge off and give a lovely balance of flavours.
Fresh Cheese
We’re talking soft, mild cheeses that are enjoyed young and fresh! Super squidgy and completely rindless, these tangy, salty cheeses are popular in salads (feta, goat cheese) and a key ingredients in one of the nation’s favourite fast foods… pizza!
Fresh Cheese House Rules
- Mild and fresh cheese needs a mild and fresh wine
- For this cheese group, white is always a winner
- Crisp sparkling wines can be a wonderful texture contrast with a soft, creamy cheese
- The tangier the cheese (think goat cheese), the bolder you can go with the wine!
Best wines to try
Whites — Dry, medium-bodied
Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, White Burgundy
Reds — Light-bodied, low tannins, unoaked
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais
Sparkling — Brut, pink
Sparkling Rosé
Classic pairings
Pinot Grigio and Mozzarella
An earthy, mineral white wine often pairs well with a mild, soft cheese that allows the delicate flavours of both parties to come through. Pinot Grigio and mozzarella is a classic example of this, especially if you’re eating a Margherita pizza.
Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese
A crisp, dry, and refreshing white like Sauvignon Blanc has all the right characteristics to pair with a tangy goat cheese. Its tropical fruitiness and bright acidity blend incredibly well with the distinct taste of cheeses that have been made from goat’s milk. Give it a try!