Cheese Pairings

Wine & Cheese

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Cheese Pairings

Wine & Cheese

Wine and cheese go hand in hand and have been party favourites for centuries. This quick guide will introduce you to wine and cheese basics that will help you discover pairings that suit your own personal taste.

A Harmonious Sequence
Plan on having three successive courses, beginning with the mildest cheeses accompanied by light wines. For the final course, offer cheeses with stronger flavours and more full-bodied wines.

How much wine and cheese will I need?
For a wine and cheese party, allow for a serving of 170 to 180 g of cheese per person. For wine, the current trend is to reduce the amount to a half bottle per person for all courses.

Delectable Combinations
Although wines should be chosen mainly for their taste, some are better suited than others with different variety of cheeses.

The following list provides an excellent matching guide:

  • Fresh cheeses are best matched with Champagne, sparkling or crackling wines.

  • Soft cheeses are great with fruity red wines with a good bouquet.

  • Semi-firm cheeses can be sampled with light and dry white or rosé wines.

  • Firm cheeses are recommended with light and fruity red wines.

  • Hard cheeses are best served with dry and full-bodied red wines.

 

Here are some other great combinations:

Asiago

  • The nutty flavour of this cheese goes well with the taste of a Merlot or Bordeaux wine.

Feta

  • The rich bitter taste of Feta harmonizes perfectly with the fragrance of a Sauvignon Blanc or a Zinfandel.

Mozzarina Meditteranneo / Mozzafina di Latte

  • The rich, milky flavour will go well with a Bordeaux or a Pinot Noir.

Bella Lodi / Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Excellent with Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Provolone

  • The creaminess of Provolone harmonizes with the fragrance of a Riesling, Beaujolais, or Pinot Noir.

Romano

  • Delicious with Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

 

Just remember that whichever type of cheese event you are hosting, the following tips should be followed in order to make it successful!

  • Allow cheeses to reach room temperature by removing them from the refrigerator approximately one hour prior to the tasting to bring out their full taste and aromas.

  • Eat a bit of bread between each new cheese type to neutralize your palate.

  • Identify the cheeses for the benefit of your guests. It’s always interesting to know the names of cheeses tasted.

  • Avoid serving fresh fruit such as grapes, citrus fruit, and apples since they don’t go well with certain wines. Opt, instead, for dried figs, mangoes, dates, or just plain almonds and walnuts.

 

Wine and cheese go hand in hand and have been party favourites for centuries. This quick guide will introduce you to wine and cheese basics that will help you discover pairings that suit your own personal taste.

A Harmonious Sequence
Plan on having three successive courses, beginning with the mildest cheeses accompanied by light wines. For the final course, offer cheeses with stronger flavours and more full-bodied wines.

How much wine and cheese will I need?
For a wine and cheese party, allow for a serving of 170 to 180 g of cheese per person. For wine, the current trend is to reduce the amount to a half bottle per person for all courses.

Delectable Combinations
Although wines should be chosen mainly for their taste, some are better suited than others with different variety of cheeses.

The following list provides an excellent matching guide:

  • Fresh cheeses are best matched with Champagne, sparkling or crackling wines.

  • Soft cheeses are great with fruity red wines with a good bouquet.

  • Semi-firm cheeses can be sampled with light and dry white or rosé wines.

  • Firm cheeses are recommended with light and fruity red wines.

  • Hard cheeses are best served with dry and full-bodied red wines.

 

Here are some other great combinations:

Asiago

  • The nutty flavour of this cheese goes well with the taste of a Merlot or Bordeaux wine.

Feta

  • The rich bitter taste of Feta harmonizes perfectly with the fragrance of a Sauvignon Blanc or a Zinfandel.

Mozzarina Meditteranneo / Mozzafina di Latte

  • The rich, milky flavour will go well with a Bordeaux or a Pinot Noir.

Bella Lodi / Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Excellent with Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Provolone

  • The creaminess of Provolone harmonizes with the fragrance of a Riesling, Beaujolais, or Pinot Noir.

Romano

  • Delicious with Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

 

Just remember that whichever type of cheese event you are hosting, the following tips should be followed in order to make it successful!

  • Allow cheeses to reach room temperature by removing them from the refrigerator approximately one hour prior to the tasting to bring out their full taste and aromas.

  • Eat a bit of bread between each new cheese type to neutralize your palate.

  • Identify the cheeses for the benefit of your guests. It’s always interesting to know the names of cheeses tasted.

  • Avoid serving fresh fruit such as grapes, citrus fruit, and apples since they don’t go well with certain wines. Opt, instead, for dried figs, mangoes, dates, or just plain almonds and walnuts.

 

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