There is so much to learn about if you are just starting to discover the world of wine-that is-from a more than inebriated stance. If you’re a new to wine education, but know that you just like your favorite whites and/or reds with dinner, after work, or at parties; it’s a good idea to explore a little further, especially if you want to ramp up your enjoyment with a little something extra. Yes, this extra comes in the category of cheese. We all know that cheese and wine go together, but do you know what makes a great pairing? Sorry, Velveeta does not go with everything! Read below for some tips of how to enjoy your wine with cheese. Even if you don’t plan on going to a sophisticated wine tasting that involves cheese, you have to agree everything is better with a little cheese, so get out a couple favorite bottles and a cheese board, and let’s get to work!
Tannic Reds- Ok.. the first guideline when it comes to enjoying cheese with wine is how to balance the acidity of more tannic red wines with cheese. Your best choice is creamy cheese with flavors that are gentle. These creamy and soft cheeses offer a mild, delicate taste to compliment the acidic contrast of the red wine. They balance out one another in a great medley of mild and bold flavors-favoring the flavor of the red.
Sweet Dessert Wines- If you like a sweet dessert wine as your wine of choice, a good bet for cheese pairing is a salty cheese, like a blue cheese. Any cheese that has a salty, flavor to it will work great with a sweet wine. It not only downplays the sweetness of the dessert wine to a more tolerable level, but it also gives your taste buds a contrasting duo of salty and sweet that is somehow delectably harmonious. Think chocolate covered pretzels, and tell me salty sweet combinations do not work!
Champagne and Sparkling Wines- Champagne offers a light refreshing flavor for celebrations and morning mimosas, but what works best in regards to cheese? Choose a cheese that is full of flavor, rich and demonstrative in taste to augment the mild potency of your sparkling white wine. The bubbles coupled with the rich cheesy taste will give your palate delectable sensations.
Acidic Whites- Favor a Sauvignon Blanc for your wine of preference? Yummm…who doesn’t? If you are enjoying a white wine that has an acidic taste, choose an equally acidic cheese. Acidic cheese? What is that? You may be thinking. A good example of a cheese with punch is goat cheese. The acidic flavor in both the wine and cheese will complement one another with flavorful delight.
By Region- Lastly, a good tip to remember is just simply pairing cheeses from the same region as the wine. So if you are interested in drinking an Italian wine, opt for a cheese from the same region in which it was made. You will see the reasons once you try it.
