Raise Your Glass!
Many cheeses and wines go well together, but some combinations are just fantastic. However, when I’m asked to host a cheese and wine event I usually recommend the organisers keep my fee and spend it on better cheese and wine instead, because it’s so easy to do!
Ask guests to make notes about what goes well together and what doesn’t. Whilst personal taste plays a part some clear ‘rules’ will emerge.
Salty blue cheese goes very well with sweet wine (think Port and Stilton). Why? Because both are intensely flavoured and the sweetness of one contrasts the saltiness of the other. Intensity is the most important thing when matching food and wine, ensuring one doesn’t overpower the other.
Beyond that it’s a case of understanding how flavours and textures affect one another - salt, sweetness, fat etc. To illustrate this, my favourite combo is Roquefort and Sauternes - again a flavoursome salty cheese but this time with a white dessert wine; so focus on intensity, not the colour of the wine.
You want to ensure people experience the best combinations so they’ll come to your next event and raise even more money, so here’s some guidance based on accessible cheeses.
Brie
Local producers Sharpham produce fantastic examples. Fizz is good because it’s always acidic which ‘cuts through’the fat, and bubbles increase the contrast. Clean, sharp Sauvignon Blanc makes a good white wine pairing, as do lighter reds like Gamay and Pinot Noir. A great ‘welcome’ to your event.
Cornish Yarg
Like Gruyere, this is a nutty, fairly firm cheese which contrasts beautifully with wines that have fruity, red berry flavours. Pinot Noir and wines from Beaujolais will be lovely, whilst I’d recommend a Riesling or Gruner Veltliner for white fans.
Cheddar
Assuming it’s reasonably mature, Cheddar demands wine with a bit of ‘oomph’! Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot - generally higher alcohol reds - will work a treat, and white fans will love a weighty well-oaked Chardonnay (look for ‘aged in barrel’ or ‘oaky’ on the bottle).
Goat’s cheese
This is immensely popular and very easy to pair. It’s clean, delicately flavoured cheese, so light, delicate wines work best, especially lightly chilled (light reds like Pinot Noir and Frappato chill very well). Avoid oak-aged wines.
I hope you’re encouraged to explore cheese and wine (don’t forget crusty bread and some water!). Get your guests talking and comparing notes and they’ll be back for more. The bad news is I can’t cover everything here because there are so many delicious cheeses and wines; but the great news is you can explore the pairings yourself at your many different events!
Dave Anning