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Cheese and wine. To many, the power couple of the dining table. But why do they work so well together? And how do you pick your perfect cheese and wine match to bring out the best in both? Should you only serve red? Do white wines pair better? Or should you to stick to Port? Read on…
Let’s start with a quick test. What type of wine goes best with a slab of cheddar?
A) A Pinot Noir
B) A white Burgundy
C) A California Cabernet Sauvignon
D) An Alsatian Riesling
E) A fine English sparkling
F) Fine vintage Port
Some might rule out B, D and E instantly. After all, just as you serve white wine with fish, surely you pair red wines with cheese?
Isn’t a rich, fruity red the very best wine for cheese? Which is why answer C would be many people’s first choice. Californian Cabernet Sauvignon ticks rich and fruity. Plus, it's long finish is perfect for a cheese with equally long-lingering flavours.
Well, let me tell you right away. There is no right or wrong answer.
A gentler Pinot Noir might not be everyone’s first choice. But with its acidity, low tannins and red fruit, it, too, will pair well with a young cheddar. Likewise, an Alsatian Riesling. Yes, it’s a white wine. But you will find its dry sweetness complements the saltiness and protein in the cheese.
However, if the cheddar is mature, you should change tack again. The umami tang of a cave-aged cheddar might work better with the citrus zing of a white Burgundy. And what if you follow the old adage of “what grows together, goes together”? Think English bubbles with English cheese. The crisp acidity of an English sparkling wine will cut through the creaminess of the cheese.
Then there's vintage port. Like Cabernet Sauvignon, this full-bodied wine also needs a strong cheese. Cheddar will stand up and embrace its deep flavours of fruit, spice, and chocolate.
Whatever you decide, cheese and wine go together like bread and butter or beef and gravy. They can deliver a taste sensation that is the absolute highlight of a meal. But getting it right can take a little bit of insider know-how.
When was cheese first paired with wine?
No one knows exactly!
But cheese and wine parties weren’t only a phenomenon of 1970s Britain. Menus for Tudor and Stuart banquets show that wine and cheese have long had a place at the royal table. And historians believe we have been pairing wine and cheese for thousands of years.
So much so, that buying the best wine for cheese has long been a consideration of the wine trade. Records show British wine merchants would “buy on an apple and sell on cheese”. If a wine tasted good with a raw, uncooked apple it must be good. Then pairing any wine with cheese will make it more palatable to the average consumer and easier to sell.
But why do wine and cheese go so well together?
There’s a saying that opposites attract. That is very true of wine and cheese.
Salt, sugar, acid, tannin, fat, and spice are the building blocks of a well-suited marriage of wine and cheese. Cheese has a high fat content, while wine is generally quite acidic. Balance between these two flavours and textures is key. You don’t want one to overpower the other.
The fats in the cheese bond beautifully with the grape tannins in the wine. Think of it as a ‘creaming’ process. It allows all the other flavours in the wine to shine through, giving you a much fuller taste experience.
Matching the best wine with your cheese is all about a marriage of flavours. Don't simply taste your favourite cheese with your favourite wine. Find the sweet spot where both enhance each other!
So, what’s the best cheese for wine?
Did you know there are up to 2,000 types of cheese world-wide?
They range from blue, hard, processed and semi-hard to soft and fresh, young and mature. And while all cheeses have a wine they’ll match well with, there is no one size fits all.
Pairing wine and cheese is all about finding new flavour combinations and having fun. But there are guidelines you might find helpful:
Use these 4 wine and cheese matching ‘rules of thumb’:
Pair full-bodied wines with mature hard cheeses; and lighter wines with younger, creamier cheeses. The stronger the wine, the stronger the cheese.
If you’re drinking a powerful red with intense flavours, you’ll want a stronger, stinkier cheese. If you’re drinking a light red, you’ll want something with a creamier, softer flavour.
Light-bodied reds and crisp, light whites go best with young cheeses. Think soft varieties like mozzarella, goat’s cheese and of course, Cheshire.
Take account of “what grows together, goes together”. This true of Rioja and Manchego, Roquefort and Sauternes and goat’s cheese and Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. Also, Albariño with Manchego cheese from Galicia, Spain – and Parmesan with Prosecco.
Best red wines for cheese
Some – like wine writer Joanna Simon – believe that red wines are seldom, if ever, the best wines to pair with cheese. One food writer even says tea is by far the best tipple. Others will argue for beer and cider.
Nevertheless, get it right and red wine and cheese is dynamite. Take the time to get it match perfect as the two really do bring out the best in each other.
When you drink a bold, full-bodied red wine, you want to add sharp, heavily flavoured cheese on top. The combination highlights the rich notes of both to deliver a magical burst of flavour.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Syrah all pair beautifully with intense cheeses. Mature cheddar is one of your best options. The saltiness of the cheese accentuates the subtler, earthier flavours of the wine. This fortifies your taste buds to help you to get the most from the wine.
For a Cabernet Sauvignon, try adding an aged cheddar or hard cheese with chilli pepper.
For a Syrah, mix in smoked cheese to bring out the tobacco notes of the wine.
For a Grenache, serve an aged Spanish Manchego for subtler flavours.
For a Merlot, offer aged Gouda or Grana Padano cheese to bring out the most in your wine.
Light red wine can have just as much flavour as full-bodied wines. However, they tend to have higher acidity and lower alcohol. This gives them a “lighter” taste. Beaujolais and Pinot Noir wines are both soft on your palate.
So delicately flavoured cheeses help amplify the flavours of these wines. Camembert is a classic. Brie, too, is a great match for reds made from the Gamay grape. It is also one of the best cheeses for crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Champagne.
Best white wines for cheese
All white wines work well with cheese.
In fact, they match with more cheeses than your dark and light red wines do. This is thanks to the lack of tannins, which give red wines their bold, strong flavours. Without tannins, you don’t have to worry about the flavours of the wine overpowering the cheeses - or vice versa.
However, some white wine and cheese matches come closer to perfection than others.
Why not pick a white wine from the list below? Then follow the recommendations for the best cheese to serve with them. After that, start experimenting with your own.
Chardonnay
The Chardonnay grape makes extremely popular and delicious white wines. You’ll find it in the super-expensive whites of Burgundy and crisp, mineral fresh Chablis. It also stars solo in Blancs de Blancs Champagne. Then there are the rich oaked and fruity un-oaked Chardonnays from Australia, New Zealand, Chile and California. Which means it can pair well with a range of cheeses.
The buttery oak-aged versions go well with creamy and soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert. If you prefer unoaked Chardonnay, couple this up with goat cheese and some of the hard cheeses.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc is originally from France’s Loire Valley. But it has also found star quality further afield, particularly in South Africa. The wine’s apple and pear notes complement fresh cheeses like Chèvre - or creamy cheeses like Brie and Camembert.
Pinot Grigio
Italy’s signature Pinot Grigio is light and crisp. That makes it a perfect for lighter cheeses: like mozzarella, fresh goat cheese or ricotta.
Riesling
Serving spicy or salty cheeses, such as blue cheese or Gorgonzola? Then pour the Riesling! Its sweetness and acidity also work with semi-soft cheeses like Havarti or Muenster.
Sauvignon Blanc
Goats' cheese, feta, or cheeses with herbs are pungent and tangy. They are crying out Sauvignon Blanc (whether from Sancerre or New Zealand). The wine's crisp acidity and herbaceous notes make it a great match for tangy and pungent. Sauvignon will also complement lighter, milder cheeses like mozzarella.
Viognier
Floral and fruity, Viognier is another grape from the Loire that is also doing well in Chile. Either way, it's just the thing for semi-soft and semi-hard cheeses like Gruyère, Comté, or Fontina.
What about rosé and sparkling wine?
Rosé wine isn’t only a refreshing aperitif before the meal. And it’s not just for summer. Try pairing rosé with young cheeses like feta, mozzarella, Cheddar, and baby Swiss – and you’ll see why.
Similarly, Champagne, Prosecco or Cava are equally versatile with the cheese board. Their high acidity and effervescence can cut through the richness of many cheeses. Pair them with creamy cheeses, aged Gouda, or even Parmesan.
Dessert wines and cheese
Don’t forget to consider serving port (both white and red), a Sauternes, or an ice wine with your cheese board too.
A vintage port pairs perfectly with a pungent blue or stilton cheese.
The sweetness of a Sauternes complements the savoury flavours of a Roquefort. It also works well with a washed-rind cheese like Epoisses.
Similarly, the sweetness of an ice wine goes well with blue, sheep milk and aged-cow milk cheeses.
Indeed the sweeter the dessert wine, the stronger the cheese you can eat. By helping to shape the flavours of the strong cheese, the dessert wine can also make it the perfect end to your meal!
Your quick cheese board cheat sheet
Given there is no one size fits all...
Here’s a handy selection of wines that are easy on the palate and handy for the cheeseboard. What’s more, you might already have been serving them during the starters or main courses.
Bordeaux suits ripe Brie.
Sweet or fortified reds like port are great with blue cheese.
Hard cheeses like Manchego or Pecorino go well with compatriots Rioja or Barolo.
Sauvignon Blanc makes a good match for goat's cheese and feta.
Chablis combines well with Cheddar and Comté.
To conclude:
Wine and cheese pairings are one of the delights of the food world.
They play upon the characteristics of each other to bring out the best tastes in both.
Above all – experiment and enjoy yourself. Anything goes.
As this quote from a Reddit forum sums it up:
“Cannae go wrong with a bottle of Buckfast and a Dairylee triangle, tbh”
It takes all sorts!
About the author
Richard Bull
Although good at running up hills, Richard failed to make the military cuvée and turned instead to the drinks trade. After stints at Hennessy, Oddbins and Grants of St James, he arrived at Laithwaites. Here, he spent 15 years writing about real wine and the people who make it. As he wrote from the desk to your door, he was lucky enough to visit vineyards in France, Italy, Spain and Kent - as well as being flown over South Africa's Breede River by a winemaking army veteran who'd just had a heart attack. Qualified to WSET Level 3, he loves the off-the-beaten track reds of the Languedoc, but is currently obsessed with all drops Greek - particularly their super crisp whites.
