Wine and Cheese Pairing

When paired correctly, wine and cheese bring out the best in each other.

The Basics

White wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors.
Red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors.
Fruity and sweet white wines (not dry) and dessert wines work best with a wider range of cheeses.
The more pungent the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.

When offering several cheese choices, white wines are better than red because several cheeses, particularly soft and creamy ones, leave a layer of fat on the palate that interferes with the flavor in reds, rendering them monotonous and bland. Also, the “sparkle” in a sparkling wine or champagne can help break through the fat in heavier cheeses. Therefore, a Gewürztraminer or a Riesling is ideal if you’re going for wide-reaching appeal. For 'stinky' cheeses, a 'big' wine is best - a Bordeaux or a California Cabernet. Ports and dessert wines are best for blue-veined cheeses.
 

Wine & Cheese Pairing Party Tips

Buy cheese in large wedges for visual impact
Select a variety of cheese — pick different tastes, textures, colours, degrees of firmness, and so on
Serve cheese at room temperature (allows flavours to 'open'). Pull them out of the fridge a couple hours before your party.
Serve most wines fairly cool — whites between 50-55 degrees and reds between 60-65 degrees.
Allow red wines time to breathe before serving - 15-20 minutes.
Create a name card for each cheese and display on a wooden cheese board, slab of marble or something more unique.
Hard cheeses can share a cutting knife, while soft cheeses need their own knives.
Add variety and colour by serving cheese with olives, nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit (such as figs, pears, grapes), honey, preserves, bread or crackers

Common Wine & Cheese Pairings
This is not a complete guide, but highlights common trends.

       
    
Purchase one of our Wine Tasting or Wine and Cheese Tasting Chef Experiences for yourself or friends!