August, 2003
I’m not really a big fan of dessert,
especially when dining in restaurants. If
the chef has done a good job and I chose
wisely, I always finish my main course –
often my wife’s meal as well. And while
there are some dessert choices that
appeal to me, I’m usually already thinking
of a nice glass of Port, Sauternes or ice
wine rather than traditional desserts.
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because I spent so much time in Wisconsin, but I can’t think of anything better
than well-paired wine and cheese. It’s the perfect way to end a nice meal.
Of course ably pairing the two can be a challenge and mismatched
cheese/wine pairings can hurt the taste of each. Fortunately there are a few
basic guidelines to improve your pairing:
Pair Regionally
Some of the best matches are of wines and cheeses from the same region.
The best example is goat cheese from the Loire Valley in France along with
that region’s Sancerre or Pouilly Fume wines. The acidities and herbal
qualities of the Sauvignon Blanc go wonderfully with the cheese. Other
examples include Parmigiano Reggiano with Italian reds like Barolo or
Barbaresco or California Cabernet Sauvignons with Dry Jack.
Whites Work Best
Many people automatically drink red wines with cheese, but the bigger flavors
of reds can clash with strong cheese flavors. White wines generally
complement rather than overwhelm the cheese flavors. And wines with some
sweetness often work the best. Rieslings, Gewürztraminers or Semillons
with residual sugar are usually good choices.
Blue Cheese & Dessert Wines
With their veiny looks and moldy flavors, blue cheeses are not for everyone.
Most blue cheeses are quite creamy and require sweeter wine matches.
Standard pairs are Port with Stilton and Sauternes with Roquefort.
Sparkling Wine with Soft Cheeses
Soft cheeses seem to be creamier and more buttery than hard cheeses, even
though the opposite is true. The bubbles and crispness of Champagnes and
sparkling wines help cut through the mouth-coating nature of soft cheeses
like Brie or Camembert.
Hard Cheeses to Finish Your Red Wine
If you have a partial bottle of red wine left, you’d best stick to hard cheeses.
They have the strong flavors that won’t get lost with the wine or create
unpleasant flavors that can come from soft cheeses and tannic wines.
More and more restaurants are adding cheese carts or plates to their
offerings. The sommelier or cheese expert should be able to recommend
appropriate wine and cheese matches. But learn from my mistake. If a
restaurant doesn’t offer a cheese plate, don’t ask for one to be created. I
made that error at a very nice restaurant and was served a disappointing plate
of grocery store Cheddar, Swiss and smoked Gouda. Good cheese service
requires attention, not slices of whatever is in the fridge.
Hosting a wine and cheese tasting is easily done at home. Good cheese
sellers will let you try their cheeses before purchasing and can make
recommendations for wine pairings. Add fruit and nuts and you have an
elegant event.
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