Wine And Cheese - A Great Match

A powerful Veltliner with Camembert, a Gewürztraminer with Munster and champagne with Chaource - gourmets love pairing wine and cheese. The flavour nuances of different types of cheese are perfectly complemented by fruity notes from wine. In this guide, read what pairs well.

Why wine and cheese go well together

The combination of wine and cheese has an ancient tradition. It's not surprising that excellent cheeses can be found in almost all wine regions. Hence the rule of thumb that wine and cheese from one region go well together. Both the wine and the cheese have a wide range of taste nuances, which can support each other very well.

Wines that go with the cheese

Red wine and cheese have long been considered a dream pairing, but white wines often offer a far more interesting combination. Find here which grapes pair particularly well with well-known cheeses.

Young and fresh cheeses such as bresso or mozzarella pair well with fruity white wines or low-acid and fruity reds. The following wines go well with mozzarella:

• sparkling wine
• light and fresh Grüner Veltliner
• Pinot Noir
• fruity rosé

Hard and semi-hard cheeses such as Edam, Tilsiter, Gouda or Morbier are the classics on the cheese platter. These wines go well with them:

• Pinot Blanc
• semi-dry Riesling
• Gewürztraminer
• St Laurent
• juicy Blaufränkisch

Soft and white mould cheeses such as Camembert cushion the acidity present in wine and enhance the fruity notes. Strong white wines and fruity reds with mild acidity are therefore ideal. Therefore, you should preferably combine soft cheese with these wines:

• powerful Grüner and Roter Veltliner
• full-bodied Rotgipfler
• voluminous Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris (or Neuburger)
• Riesling with some residual sweetness
• Pinot Noir

Blue cheeses like Roquefort or Blue Stilton are flavourful and zesty. The sweet note of dessert wines contrasts particularly well. Complement these cheeses with:

• Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen
• Sauternes
• Maury
• Port

Cheeses that go well with wine

Maybe you already have a specific wine in mind for your next wine and cheese night and are looking for the right type of cheese? Below we'll give you a few delicious tips on which types of cheese go well with which types of wine.

A fruity St. Laurent and Pinot Noir, or a strong Grüner Veltliner or Riesling pair wonderfully with soft and semi-hard cheeses with a washed rind. Try these wines with the following cheeses:

• Emmental
• Cheddar
• Livarot
• Muenster
• Epoisses de Bourgogne

Spicy, delicately fruity Pinot Noir harmonises perfectly with mild soft or cream cheese. If you want to emphasise the characteristic herbal notes of the wine, it is best to drink young, aromatic, mild hard cheeses. Try with these suggestions:

• Brie de Meaux
• Gruyere
• Manchego
• Faisselle de Chevre

Young cream cheeses go well with a fruity and fresh Grüner Veltliner or a Viennese Gemischten Satz. A hard raw milk cheese can also be great. Try fresh whites with these cheeses:

• Mozzarella
• Cottage Cheese
• Bresso
• Géramont
• Appenzeller

Fruity Grüner Veltliner and creamy Riesling go well with mild cheeses. But cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk also goes well. Try these cheeses:

• Brie
• Tilsiter
• Manchego
• Delice de Burgundy
• Allgäu wildflower cheese

Enjoy wine and cheese together

The combination of wine and cheese suits as a feast in its own right, as well as the end of an excellent meal with friends. A cheese platter is the classic way to serve wine and cheese together.

The cheese platter can be designed very variably. Among friends, it is enough to place the bottle of wine, a knife and two delicious cheeses on a wooden board in the middle of the table. For a celebratory occasion, the cheese platter may contain five or more types of cheese, neatly sliced and decorated with grapes and other fruit. You choose the wines based on our recommendations.

Wine and cheese complemented perfectly

Just a few extra ingredients are enough and the simple combination of wine and cheese becomes the tasteful highlight of the evening. Choose pops of color with light cheeses, fruit with tangy wines and bread to neutralize the palate. Here are a few suggestions that complement wine and cheese perfectly:

• Fresh Fruit: Grapes, pear wedges, halved figs, physalis
• Dried fruit: plums, dates, apricots
• Crunchy vegetables: radishes, cherry tomatoes
• Sauces: balsamic cream, fig mustard, chutneys
• Bread: French baguette, pretzel, crackers

Be inspired by our suggestions and try how excellent wine and cheese complement each other. Taste your way through different combinations and find your personal dream wine and cheese duo. Bon appetit and cheers!

You might also be interested in these blog entries:

1. Which wine with pasta?
2. Decant or carafe wine? How is it done?
3. The right wine glass - which glass for which wine?

Photo Credits: Camille/Kmile (Unsplash)