A Guide to Matching Cheese with Wine

Wine lovers who are new to the space sometimes find it challenging to match cheese with the right bottle of wine. In this guide, we demystify the whole process.

Soft Cheese and Wine

Soft cheeses dominate the senses and have intense flavors, making them a good choice when considering wine party ideas. However, they are best paired with wines that have high acidity ratios (bonus points if it is white wine), as you will also need the wine to shine. 

There are some great Italian wine choices with the right amount of acidity. You should also not rule out champagne as its bubbles and acidity work wonders when paired with white wine. Decanting the wine before serving is a must if you want to enjoy the flavor of the wine. Some other wines you could pair with soft cheese include Chablis, Gruner Veltliner, and Cote de Bechalin.

Hard Cheese and Wine

Hard cheeses are arguably the most common type of cheese around. It is quite easy to pair with wine, and hard cheese is the blanket term for a group of cheeses that include Alpine, Cheddar, Chesire, Lancashire, and Wensleydale cheeses. Hard cheese is a favorite among cheese lovers, and the wide variety of available types make it all the more fun to pair with wine.

Several wine types can be paired with hard cheese, and these include medium-bodied white and light to medium-bodied red. Red wine like Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia will pair nicely with hard cheeses and help to unlock pleasurable experiences. 

Blue Cheese and Wine

You would commonly find blue cheese in cheese board recipes, but its sharp tang has given it a decent following in the cheese community. This cheese is a family name for a subgroup of cheeses, including Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Roquefort. Known as a classical cheese choice, Blue cheese has a creamy taste that pairs well with sweet wine. 

Some common choices for Blue cheese pairing include Vin Santo, Port, Madeira, and Sauternes. These sweet Italian wines complement the creamy filling taste of the Blue cheese with a calming sweet taste that satisfies the taste buds. Although some cheese and wine lovers may complain that the paring might be compared to ruining Two good products, the result usually surprises your taste buds in the end. 

Goat/Sheep Cheese and Wine

Goat and Sheep cheese is known for its smooth and creamy taste that soothes the taste buds. Although both kinds of cheese are regularly grouped, a unique distinction is that goat's cheese is made from goat milk while sheep's cheese is made from sheep milk. Some examples of sheep cheese include Feta, Machengo, Ricotta, and Roquefort. Examples of goat cheese include Bucheron, Labneh, Caprino, and Castelo Branco.

Fresh, bright wines with high levels of acidity go well with these cheeses. Red wines also pair nicely, but you should ensure the wine is light and fruity if you intend to go red. It is rare to go wrong with cheese choice when dealing with goat or sheep cheese because they are not picky with pairing. It is common to see enthusiasts try new combinations to unlock more flavors and tastes. Some recommended wines you could pair include Dry Riesling, Albarino, Sancerre, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Conclusion

Picking the right wine to pair with cheese can be confusing, especially if you are new to the space. Therefore, we have selected five of the most popular cheese choices and discussed the best choices for each of them.