Wine and cheese pairings can intimidate even the smartest of us, but it doesn’t have to be the case! Armed with the right information, you can create amazing wine and cheese pairings on your own. Let’s take a look at some classic wine and cheese pairings and why they work, so that the next time you’re on a wine and cheese mission, you’ll be confident about what to choose!
1. Pair Wines And Cheeses With Equal Intensity
This is the golden key to creating a pairing straight from the heavens. Try not to pair a strong wine with a mild cheese. If one of the flavour profiles dominates the other, the taste experience will not be favourable. If you are not sure about the taste you can always check the percentage of alcohol. As a general rule wines which have an alcohol percentage of 14% or higher tend to be bolder in flavour and are well complemented with cheeses with a bold flavour. Similarly, wines with an alcohol percentage of 12% or lower are less intense and can be thoroughly enjoyed with cheeses which are delicately flavoured.
2. Know Thy Wine
Before you create your own unique wine and cheese platter it is imperative to understand your wine. Wines and cheeses from the same region tend to make a better match since they have grown together. Red wines have a bolder flavour and tend to suit better with mature aged cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar cheese which have a rich, sharp flavour and high-fat content since the fat content in the cheese counteracts the high tannins in the wine. Sparkling wines like Chardonnay have high acidity and carbonation, which offer a palate cleansing effect to creamy cheeses such as Brie, Muenster, and Camembert. This works wonderfully because the subtle flavours of Chardonnay allow the flavours of the cheese to shine and the acidity in the wine cuts through the creamy richness. Sweeter wines like Late Harvest dessert wines and Port wine match wonderfully with salty blue-veined cheeses making it an ideal sweet and salty combination.
3. Go Beyond Wine & Cheese
When pairing wine and cheeses, it’s important to make sure you’ve got some other things to go with the stars of the show. Little snacks like nuts and fruits are great accompaniments for the wine and cheeses, and allow certain flavours in both to shine. It matters what kind of bread or crackers you choose, the kind of fruit – fresh or dried – nuts, olives, and cold meats you choose for a wine pairing.
Impress your guests next time with these simple tricks on pairing wine and cheese.
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Check out Your Guide To Nut Butters to know more about which nut butter is perfect for you.