5 Wine & Cheese Pairings You Need To Try ASAP

Imagine the sweet, bold flavor of an aged port wine combined with the stinkiness of a pungent Blue Stilton cheese.

Try to picture a glass of crip Provence Rose trickling down your throat as you savor the flavor of a smooth Havarti cheese.

Maybe you can’t imagine these flavors. Perhaps you’ve only tried a hard cheddar with a glass of red wine, and that’s it.

If that’s you, no problem! You don’t have to be a wine and cheese connoisseur to offer your party guests the wine and cheese experience of a lifetime.

Pairing wine and cheese is a challenge. That’s why today, we’re giving you 5 wine and cheese pairings to try at your next dinner party. These pairings are a few of our favorites. They’re so good your friends will RSVP ahead of time for your next party!

Enjoy your wine the right way. Try our one-of-a-kind wine glasses.

Why Wine And Cheese Go Well Together

First, let’s answer the burning question: why do wine and cheese go so well together?

Cheese and wine uniquely develop flavors as they age. Most foods spoil and rot over time. The taste of cheese and wine, however, improves as time passes.

The types of cheeses available on the market vary from soft to hard. Young cheese has a milky, smooth texture, like Brie. This is from high water content. When cheese ages, the water slowly evaporates (a process called affinage). What’s left is a hard cheese full of fat and protein, rich in flavor. Think of parmesan cheese.

Wine works similarly. Young, fresh wine is full of citrus, flowers, herbs, and spice. But new bold, complex flavors develop as young wine matures. Even the glass wine is served in affects the flavor.

We can guess that aged cheese with bold flavors pairs best with wine that meets the same flavor structure with this information in mind. The most critical rule of wine and cheese pairing is to match flavor intensity and age.

So, which wine and which cheese do you choose?

When pairing cheese and wine, match flavor intensity and age.

5 Wine & Cheese Pairings

Now that we understand why cheese and wine taste great together, it’s time to dive into the real reason you are here.

Here are 5 wine & Cheese pairings you have to try ASAP!

Pinot Noir and Gruyere

Probably the most loved wine in the world, Pinot Noir is perfect for Gruyere, a medium-hard swiss cheese. Pinot Noir is a red wine loved by many wine enthusiasts. The wine comes from a thinned-skinned grape in France and pairs with various dishes.

Aged Pinot Noir deliciously entwines with Gruyere cheese's nutty, sweet, and saltiness. This combination is sure to leave a smile on your party guest's faces!

Malbec and Edam

Edam cheese is a semi-hard cheese native to the Netherlands. Edam cheese is a delightfully creamy, mild cheese when it’s young. But let it age, and it intensifies in flavor, creating a semi-hard cheese with subtle salt flavors and nutter undertones.

The best wine to pair with Edam cheese is Malbec wine. Malbec is a rich, dark purple wine with a smooth chocolate undertone. It’s a dry, full-body wine with medium to low acidity. Malbec’s primary flavors include cocoa, red plum, blackberry, vanilla, and sweet tobacco.

Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese

Some people don’t like goat cheese. It’s easy to forget about goat cheese, otherwise known as chevre. It has a tart, earthy flavor that’s different from cheese that comes from cow’s milk. But what about trying it with Sauvignon Blanc?

Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine known for its green, herbal flavors. Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, highly acidic wine with grapefruit, passion fruit, gooseberry, honeydew, and white peach. Both Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese come from the same region. Why not give it a taste?

Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Cheddar

Aged cheddar is a bold, sharp cheese that can make your eyes wince. This cheese needs a wine to counteract the sharpness and cut through the fattiness without overpowering the flavor. Cabernet Sauvignon can do just that.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most popular red wine. It’s a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry, full-body wine with medium acidity, making it perfect to pair with foods high in complex flavors. The primary flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon are black cherry, cedar, baking spices, black currant, and graphite.

Pair this wine with aged cheddar, and you won’t be sorry!

Champagne and Brie

Champagne is a dry sparkling wine primarily used for special celebrations. Champagne’s primary flavors are toasty, creamy, almond, citrus, and yellow apple. The drink is a blend of grapes, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

A cheese as creamy and fatty as Brie requires a beverage that’s sharp and acidic, like champagne. Champagne’s fizzy bubbles and creamy undertones combined with Brie’s thick, creamy goodness leaves a sensational flavor in the mouth.

More Pairing Pointers

To help you choose your next wine and cheese pairing, here are a few more pointers to keep in mind.

Keep tannins in mind: Red wines are high in tannins. Tannins bind with proteins and fats that cleanse your palate after each bite, making wines high in tannins perfect for aged cheeses.

Salty and sweet are great combinations: Sweet wines balance the saltiness of hard cheeses. Likewise, the salt enhances the sweetness of the wine.

Consider fruits and nuts when cheese and wine pairing: Imagine what fruit and nuts taste incredible with the cheese you're serving, and choose a wine based on that information.

Textural contrast is okay!: Creamy cheeses and buttery wines are great together, but consider textural contrast to enhance the experience!

Consider what grows together: If it grows in the same region, like goat cheese and Sauvignon Blanc, it probably tastes great together!

Have a question about our glasses? Have a question about wine in general? Send a message. We’re happy to answer your questions.

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