Monday, March 12, 2012

Quick Tips for Pairing Cheese and Wine :


Pairing cheese and wine can be intimidating, but really, it’s all about experimenting. There are no set rules, only guidelines. The five pairings below are a good place to start.


Salty With Sweet

The salty flavor of blue cheeses, and even some washed rind cheeses, balances out the sweetness of dessert wines, and vice versa. 
Blue Cheese :
 


Washed rind cheese :

Regional

Try pairing cheese and wine produced in the same region. Manchego or Zamarano with Albariño wine, and Beecher’s Flagship Reserve cheddar with a Washington state Syrah are examples of regional pairings that work well.
Zamarano : 
Manchego :

Creamy With Tannic

Triple Crème cheese is buttery, smooth and gentle -- the perfect foil for the rough tannins found in a young red wine from Bordeaux. Although slightly less creamy, Brie might be another good match.
Triple Creme cheese : 

Acidity With Acidity

Repeat after me: Goat cheese and Sauvignon Blanc. You will not be disappointed. Why? The acidity in goat cheese gives it a tangy zip that matches perfectly with the crisp acidity of most Sauvignon Blancs (white wine). Try French Selles-sur-Cher with Sancerre.(wine)
French selles -sur -cher :

Rich and Creamy With Bubbles

If the only reason for this pairing is complete decadence, so be it. Champagne or any sparkling wine paired with a rich, creamy cheese is one of life’s great pleasures. Try it with the Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam or a wedge of rich, dense Gruyere.
 Cowgirl Creamery's Mt tam :  
Dense Gruyere :

No comments:

Post a Comment