Wine and Cheese Pairings

Some historians say we humans have been pairing wine with cheese for thousands of years.

Today there are also thousands of cheeses available worldwide, along with so many different kinds of wines too. This means finding the right wine and cheese pairings can be a bit tricky, no doubt!

But with a simple understanding of the basics, you’ll soon be on your way to delicious wine and cheese combinations. Here we include 5 top wine and cheese pairing tips, along with pairing ideas for bolder, heavier bodied reds, lighter red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, rosés and dessert wines too!

Wine and cheese is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and we hope this information helps you along ⁠🍷 🧀

Wine and Cheese Pairing Basics – 5 top tips

1. Understand the Basics of Flavour Profiles: Wine can be broadly categorised into three types: red, white, and sparkling, each bringing its unique characteristics. Often bold and tannic, red wines pair better with stronger, aged cheeses, while in general white wines, known for their acidity and crispness, complement softer, creamier cheeses like Brie or Camembert. Sparkling wines, with their effervescence, can cleanse the palate and work well with everything from salty cheeses to rich, creamy options, and rosé wines can be a great wine to pair with cheese too.

2. Consider Texture and Intensity: The texture of cheese – from crumbly to creamy – can significantly influence the wine you choose to have with it. A rich, buttery cheese like Camembert pairs beautifully with a fruity Chardonnay, while a sharp blue cheese calls for a sweet dessert wine like Port. Balancing the intensity of the cheese with the wine is key; a light wine can be overwhelmed by a strong cheese, and vice versa.

3. Consider the Regional Pairing Philosophy: One effective strategy for pairing is to consider regional matches. Wines and cheeses from the same area often complement each other, having evolved together through local agriculture and climate. For example, a tangy goat’s cheese from France pairs wonderfully with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from the same region, enhancing both the wine’s and cheese’s unique qualities.

4. Experiment and Have Fun: While guidelines are helpful, the best part of pairing wine and cheese is the opportunity to experiment. Try different combinations, noting how the flavours interact. Don’t be afraid to challenge traditional pairings – sometimes the most unexpected combinations can lead to delightful discoveries.

5. Serve and Savour: Presentation matters, too. Serve your cheese at room temperature to allow the flavours to fully develop. Pair your selections with your favourite bread or crackers, nuts, or fruit to add variety and enhance the tasting experience. Remember, the goal is to enjoy the moment, to savour each bite and sip and to discover new combinations to come back to.

With a simple understanding of the basics, you can create a delightful wine and cheese tasting journey that’s sure to impress your guests or simply elevate your own enjoyment at home.

The Best Cheese Pairings for Bold Red Wines

When you drink a bold, full-bodied red wine, you want to add a sharp, heavily flavoured cheese with the structure to complement the tannins in the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah all pair beautifully with intense cheeses like aged Cheddar, aged Gouda, blue cheeses like Stilton and harder cheeses like Parmesan. For cheddar particularly, the sharp, nutty flavours of aged cheddar work wonderfully with heavier red wines, with the cheese’s richness balancing the wine’s tannins, creating a harmonious pairing.

Here are some tried and tested wine and cheese pairings for bold red wines:

• Cabernet Sauvignon: try an aged Cheddar, a hard cheese with chili pepper, aged Gouda or blue cheese
• Syrah: try a smoked cheese like smoked Gouda to bring out the tobacco notes of the wine
• Merlot: try it with Gouda, Parmesan, Gargonzola and more
• Malbec: try it with blue cheeses like Roquefort or Stilton or aged Parmesan, etc

These pairings will help you to get the maximum flavour from the bold, full-bodied wines!

A Unique Pairing Suggestion: Try something new by having Gorgonzola with Domaine Bousquet’s Fortified Malbec. The strong flavour of this unique Fortified Malbec will stand up to the sharp flavours of the Italian blue cheese, and you’ll find that the creamy texture pairs brilliantly with the richness of the wine.

The Best Cheese Pairings for Lighter Red Wines

Light red wines like Pinot Noir can have just as much flavour as full-bodied wines, but they tend to have higher acidity and lower alcohol, which give them a ‘lighter’ taste.

Beaujolais and Pinot Noir wines are both red wines that are softer on the palate, so you’ll want a more delicately flavoured cheese to help accentuate the flavours of the wine. Light red wines pair well with soft, medium-firm, and nutty cheeses like Gruyère, Brie, Camembert and Taleggio.

If you’re drinking Pinot Noir, try pairing it with Gruyere. Something about the nutty flavours of the cheese makes it the perfect combination for your light red. Taleggio is another excellent option for a wine and cheese pairing with Pinot Noir, as it is a semi-soft cheese (with a washed rind) that won’t overpower the flavours of the wine.

Here are some tried and tested wine and cheese pairings for lighter red wines:

• Pinot Noir: try Gruyere, something about the nutty flavours of the cheese makes it the perfect combination with Pinot Noir
• Beaujolais: try Brie or Camembert for a heavenly combination
• Frappato: try a firmer saltier cheese like Wensleydale
• Zweigelt: try with a cheese made from sheep’s milk, like Manchego

Remember: The stronger the wine, the stronger the cheese. If you’re drinking a powerful red with intense flavours, you’ll want a stronger, stinkier cheese. If you’re drinking a light red, you’ll want something with a softer flavours.

A Unique Pairing Suggestion: England is a land of cheeses too! Why not try a British soft cheese (like a Cornish Brie or Bath Soft Cheese) with the Redmoors Pinot Noir from Davenport in Kent for a divine combination.

The Best Cheese Pairings for White Wines

One of the best things about white wine and cheese pairs is that you have a lot more options. Whites are more versatile, and they match with more cheeses than dark and light reds.

This is thanks to the lack of tannins, which give red wines their bold, strong flavours. Without the tannins, you don’t have to worry about the flavours of the wine overpowering the cheeses, or vice versa. This makes it easier to pair white wines with all sorts of cheeses, from fresher softer ones, to soft ripened cheeses to more firmer ones too, 

The only cheese that’s a serious ‘no-no’ for white wine is blue cheese (any type of blue – unless you’re drinking a white dessert wine). The strong, sharp flavours of the blue cheese have a tendency to drown out and overpower the subtler flavours of white wine. You won’t get as much out of your white if you pair it with blue cheese.

Here are some tried and tested wine and cheese pairings for white wines:

• Sauvignon Blanc: have goat’s cheese, a super classic and delicious pairing
• Chardonnay: especially a richer oakier one, have Brie or Camembert
• Riesling: pair semi dry Rieslings with Havarti or Swiss cheeses, and drier ones with Brie or Camembert as well
• Pinot Grigio: try softer cheeses like Mozzarella, Ricotta or Brie as well

A Unique Pairing Suggestion: Try the richly delicious Alsace Gewurztraminer from André Stentz with a Munster cheese, which ticks the box as a regional food pairing, with Munster also being from Alsace (not Germany!). Simply delicious!

What about cheese pairings for sparkling wines and rosé?

Sparkling wines are versatile food pairing wines. They pair well with a variety of cheeses, including soft, creamy cheeses and hard cheeses too. The acidity and carbonation of sparkling wines can help to cleanse the palate. A light and more floral sparkling wine pairs well with a fresher and milder cheese, whilst a dry and acidic brut Champagne (one that’s been aged longer) pairs well with a fattier and creamier cheese.

Rosé wines can also be delicious alongside cheese, from fresh cheese like Burrata and Mozzarella, to salty ones like Halloumi, to alpine cheeses like Comté. With its smooth and soft texture, some say that drier rosés are a great match for Havarti, with the mellow flavour of the cheese complementing the wine without overpowering it.

A Unique Pairing Suggestion: Skilfully blended from selected Grenache and Caladoc, Mas de Longchamp’s Rhone Rosé is a winerack essential rosé. Why not pair it with a slice of creamy Havarti and see what all the fuss is about 🙂

Dessert Wine and Cheese

There’s nothing like a nice dessert wine to close your appetite at the end of a meal! Whether you serve Port, Sauternes or Monbazillac (all of which we sell organic versions of), you can always find the right cheese can help you to finish your meal in style. The stronger the cheese, the stronger than wine, so Port or sweet wines are great wines to have with more pungent cheeses, like blue cheeses or Stilton. The sweetness of the wine complements the richness of the cheese perfectly, and the sweeter the dessert wine, the stronger the cheese you can eat.

A Unique Pairing Suggestion: When paired with fresh goat cheese, some Ports can take on a stunning sour cherry pie flavour. Try serving a fresh goat’s cheese as the dessert with a bottle of Casal dos Jordoes’ Finest Reserve Port. You can even try dribbling a bit of honey over the cheese, along with some cacao nibs. While the cheese alone would be drowned out by the sweetness of the Port, the addition of the honey and cacao will help the cheese to hold its own. It makes for a wicked pairing that you can’t help but love!

There are so many combinations out there when it comes to wine and cheese, but we hope this post has helped to wet your appetite and find some fun ideas for pairing wines.

Cheers to thinking and drinking organic 🥂