Wine and Cheese…

For the Cheese Lovers out there

There is a common misconception that cheese and wine is a given pairing, but unfortunately this is not quite so simple.

Overall, wine and cheese work together since cheese is rich in fat, protein, salt and acidity, which helps to soften the impact of acidity, bitterness, astringency, and sweetness of many wines, making them more aromatic and more enjoyable. But this simple fact does not automatically mean that every cheese will work with every wine, there are some really bad combinations out there.

There is an old saying that,

Red wines with hard cheeses and white wines with soft cheeses

But it is not quite that simple. There are more factors to take into consideration if you want to have a successful wine and cheese nigh. Down below, you will find a simplified overview, making your future choices a bit easier. Overall, matching the body of the wine with the body of the cheese and their respective flavour intensities, are what is most important. And remember, like with food, personal preference is an important factor to take into consideration

Cheese	Example of Cheese	Wine
Fresh and Soft	Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Mascarpone, Ricotta, Chèvre	Light, dry to off-dry Whites, High acid, low-tannin Reds
Semisoft	Muenster, Port du Salut, Taleggio, Fontina	Wine Friendly, but avoid wines that would overpower the cheese
Soft and Ripe	Brie, Camembert	Sparkling, Rich, low-tannin Reds, Nothing to full-bodied
Firm	Cheddar, Emmenthal, Gouda, Gruyère, Manchego, Provolone	Wine Friendly, but balance between flavour intensities is essential
Hard	Parmigiano- Reggiano, Pecorino	Wine Friendly, but balance between flavour intensities is essential, and be careful with the umami in these cheeses
Blue Mould	Blue, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton	Use Caution! Tangy and sharp blue cheeses need something sweet and rich for balance, while the softer versions can work with Ripe, low-tannin Reds