Basics of Pairing

1. Pair textures of cheese and wine.
2. Pair light cheese with light wines.
3. Pair white wines with cheese.
4. Pair fruitier style wines with cheese.
5. Pair sparkling wines with blue, creamy, and salty cheeses.

6. Pair red wines with (almost) anything.
7. Pair cheese and wines with comparable flavors.
8. Pair cheeses and wines with "opposite" flavors.
9. Pair dessert wines with cheese.
10. Pair aged, mild cheeses with older, milder wines.


Perfect Pairs - Wine & Cheese
Fresh Goat Cheese - Sauvignon Blanc or Semillion

Ricotta (sheep's milk)-Chardonnay

Mozzarella-Chenin Blanc or Sangiovese

Gouda- Chadronnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Dolcetto, Zinfandel

Fontina, Havarti - Riesling, Barbera

Cow's Milk soft cheeses Brie, Camembert and Triple Creme- Sparkling wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Sheep's Milk soft cheese- Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling wines, Sangiovese

Soft Goats Milk cheeses- Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir

All was rind cheese- Gewurztraminer, late harvest wines, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and cream sherry

Cheddar (not sharp cow) - Gewurztraminer, late harvest Riesling, Viognier, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon (light to medium body)

Cheddar (cow sharp) - Grenache, Merlot, Zinfandel, late harvest Gewurztraminer

Hard Cheese - Parmesan, Asiago, etc- Carignane, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sangiovese, sherry, sparkling wine

Blue (soft, creamy) - Riesling, dry sherry

Blue (firmer) - all late harvest wines and sparkling wines

Semi-hard Blue- Cabernet (older), Merlot, Port