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Pairing Cheese and Wine

After taking my degree from the wine classes I have been following for a whole semester I do not consider myself to be an expert in wine consumption, but an amateur who likes to taste the unexpected. Our professor, a 35-years wine producer, was an extremely knowledgeable individual who managed to introduce a class of fourteen people to the proper wine drinking and the differences one should be aware of when tasting a new bottle of wine and tasting cheese. From the very first lesson, he served as wine and cheeses so as to familiarize us with the pairing of two ingredients that go so well together. In fact, as he supported, any season is appropriate for a cheese and wine party, particularly at this time of year where the need for a fast yet festive food and wine pairing is in order. But I was wondering which type of cheese should I serve with which wine?

If you have had the painful experience of attending the pairings of the uninformed and well intended, you know that boxed wine does not lend itself to a satisfying experience, even with those American cheese slices. In the chemical additive competition, it would be hard to determine, in fact, which one of these produced that post-party headache. But wine and cheese go together for more reasons than meet the eye. First of all, both are products of fermentation-wine is fermented grape juice and cheese is made from fermented milk. Second, both can express "terroir," or the taste of the place from which they come-wine expresses the roots of grapevines, while cheese the milk of animals. If one adds their shared ease of preparation, wine and cheese indeed go hand in hand -one hand holding the wine glass and the other the piece of cheese to accompany it.

But not all wines go with all cheeses. Due to their unique strong taste, cheeses different considerably and cannot be combined with any type of wine. The best way to get the feel is to explore the sensation of combining the two foods yourself. In fact, as our professor supported, "it's a veritable and delightful education for your mouth's palate." While he told us that Sauvignon Blanc is usually selected to accompany cheese, he firmly supported that the best wines for this kind of combination are those that are light and fruity. Finally, I advice you to select crisper and fruiter wines for white fresh cheese. Fatty cheese go best with rich wines or with light and zesty ones, salty cheese taste can be combined with sweet wines or high-acid ones, fruity red wines suit soft cheeses and dry sparkling wines are brilliant with a bloomy white rind. Finally the classic combination of Champagne and brie can always appear on your table.

Remember that the key to successful events is variety. Offering a wide range of both wines and cheeses will make your guest feel special and your party successful, interesting and enjoyable.

About the Author

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
Food, Travel, and
Golf

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Bordeaux: A Consumer's Guide to the World's Finest Wines (Hardcover)

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TFirst published in 1985, this landmark consumer guide launched one of the most illustrious careers in wine criticism. Robert Parker's mission, in his newsletter The Wine Advocate and his many bestselling books, has always been to give wine drinkers honest, informed advice about which wines are worth their money, and which wines aren't.
The fourth edition of Bordeaux presents a complete guide to vintages between 1961 and 2001. This latest volume brings readers up-to-date on the abundance of new producers in France's most important wine region and for the first time includes more than 700 wine labels. Parker has retasted and reevaluated many of Bordeaux's finest wines -- and adjusted their ratings accordingly -- so readers of his previous editions will discover herein a wealth of new material.
Parker begins with an overview of each year, which includes insight into growing conditions and yields, notes on anticipated maturity, general price ranges, and lists of best wines. The heart of the book is the chapter "Evaluating the Wines of Bordeaux," in which he meticulously reviews wine producers of every appellation. Organized geographically, the chateaux are listed in alphabetical order, and entries include contact information, vineyard size, details about the wine-making style, and a general evaluation of the chateau's wines. Best of all, each entry includes extensive tasting notes on important vintages, all of them featuring Parker's celebrated rating system -- in which every wine is assessed on a scale ranging from 50 to 100. In later chapters, he also offers essential information about the elements of a great Bordeaux wine, practical travel information about the region, a glossary of wine terms, and more.
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