Matching Cheese with Wine

Cheese and Wine Matching

Matching food and wine is one of most difficult and subjective things to get right. Using up the bottle of red with a cheese selection may seem an easy option but is seldom successful. With the variety of cheeses almost matching that of wines a little planning is necessary - hence this Cheese and Wine Shop Cheese and Wine list.

General Rules:

If you have a range of cheeses choose a simple inexpensive wine to accompany them. New World reds cope well as do oak-aged Spanish reds and red wines from Southern Italy. Avoid very strong or pungent cheeses though.

Amarelo - Portuguese goat and sheep`s milk cheese. A chilled tawny port would be superb

Asiago - Italian cow`s milk cheese. Try with an Italian Chardonnay or for a red a Bardolino.

Azeitao - A Sheep`s milk cheese from just South of Lisbon. Try with a Portuguese red wine.

Baby Bel - One of our Beaujolais.

Banon - See Goats Cheese.

Beaufort - Champagne Blanc de Noirs, white Hermitage.

Bel Paese - Barbera, lighter style of Chardonnay.

Galbani Bel Paese Cheese Buttons 25g - 24 Button Box

Bleu d'Auvergne - Monbazillac or other sweet wine.

Bougon - A goat`s milk Camembert. See Goats Cheese.

Boursin - A fresh and tangy Sauvignon from New Zealand or the Loire or an Entre Deux Mers.

Boucheron - See Goats Cheese.

Brendon - A strong matured goats cheese from Exmoor. Semi soft with a dense texture and sweet aftertaste.

Brie/Camembert - A difficult one as the classical tang of ammonia often jars nastily with wine. Try a red from the South of France - Fitou or Corbieres. An LBV port is also worth trying. Champagne works as would other dry sparkling wines.

Brillat Savarin - One of or Red Bordeaux.

Buxton Blue - A cousin of Blue Stilton.

Cabrales - a dry or sweet Sherry for this Spanish blue cheese or a sweet wine.

Caerphilly -Wesuggest a crisp dry English wine with this hard cheese. Or try an Albarinho (Portuguese white), a Spanish Red, a Zinfandel or Sauvignon Blanc.

Cambembert - at its best when the centre is still hard while the outer is creamy. Quite salty. Go for a red wine here - Cotes d`Castillon or other aged Bordeaux reds. A new world Pinot Noir would also suit.

Cantabria - a Spanish cheese so go for a young, fruity Spanish red.

Capricorn - Our local soft goats cheese from Somerset; partner with

Celtic Promise - A semihard cheese with a rich savoury taste, made in Wales and matured with Cider in Surrey so obviously a cider with this one.

Chaource - One of our fine Chablis or Blanc de Noirs champagne.

Cheddar - Buy the best you can afford and revel in the flavour combinations with a Sauvignon Blanc for a white or a good claret, Rhone, or Rhone styled wine from California or Australia. Zinfandel is great too. An Argentinian Bonarda makes a tasty, affordable alternative. Try an apple juice for something non-alcoholic. Classically serve a decent ale for a true British taste sensation. "Barolo is a dream combo for many" Godminster Vintage Cheddar 400g

Cheshire - Again a Sauvignon Blanc would be my first choice but for a red consider a Cabernet based wine from the New World.

Chevre Brie - A goats cheese brie. See either category.

Cimbro - Cow`s milk cheese from north of Verona, Italy. Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is the wine to try.

Comte - Our organic Grüner Veltliner or a Pinot Noir for a red.

Coulommiers - a small deep brie with a sweetness rather than a saltiness to the taste. Try a New Zealand Pinot Noir or a Cotes du Rhone.

Cornish Yarg - at once creamy and crumbly with a tang, go for a good ale. Or, if not on a budget, try our Camel Valley Cornwall’ Brut.

Cotija - a Mexican aged cow's milk cheese. Go for a Chardonnay or Riesling.

Crottin de Chavignol - a strong goat`s cheese from Burgundy. Dry and salty with a sweet and sour taste. Try with a Mersault or a Sauvignon Blanc.

Danish Blue - Sauternes is a good match as are other sweet wines

Derby - similar in taste and texture to Cheddar. Go for the fruit juice of a decent Shiraz. For a white try a Chenin Blanc.

Double Gloucester - A good quality tawny port makes a good airing also look at Montepulciano d`Abruzzo or a Riesling.

Edam - Any Cabernet or Merlot based wine from Bordeaux and surrounds works very well.

Elmhirst - a triple cream mould ripened cheese similar to Vignotte. Light texture and delicate flavour when young. Here a light Italian white wine would be good.

Emmental - Sauvignon Blanc again goes very well try also a Californian Zinfandel or from Italy a Primitivo. Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône are also recommended.

Epoisses - a cheese from Burgundy should be matched with a cheese from the same region - a red or a white will be great. The cheese is washed in Marc and therefore matches well with Marc de Bourgogne.

Berthaut Epoisses De Bourgogne 250g

Feta - the soft cheese from Greece. A full dry wine such as an Alsace Riesling or a red Beaujolias. Retsina too, for a true Greek experience.

Fontina - a semi-soft Italian cheese. A Gewurztraminer is superb or try a Gattinara. Pinot Grigio too or for a red a Barbaresco, Barolo or Dolcetto.

Gaperon - from the Auvergne region of France containing garlic and ground pepper.Comes in a distinctive dome shape with a hard dry rind. A light red for this one - Beaujolais.

Gloucester - Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

Goats Cheese - A catch all category for so many different cheeses - to match try a good Rhone Red or a Sauvignon Blanc. Classic taste combinations. Also perhaps an Italian Trebbiano.

Gorgonzola - A sweet wine is needed here. Look into getting a German or Austrian Trockenbeerenauslese or a Hungarian Tokaji. Sauternes is also good.

Gouda - a semi-hard cheese from Holland. Definitely red wine country here try a new World Merlot or Zinfandel. Also recommended with one of our Amarone.

Graddost - a semi-hard cheese from Sweden. Try with a good Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.

 

Gruyère - Again a Sauvignon Blanc or for a red wine an Australian Shiraz, a New World Sangiovese or a Chianti. Champagne especially vintage or Blanc de Blancs is also recommended. Gewürztraminer for a white.

Havarti - A semi-soft cheese from Denmark. A red Bordeaux of Rioja would be good. For a white try a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Jarlsberg - a hard cheese from Norway. A Merlot or Zinfandel here I feel.

Lancashire - Superb with a tawny port or a Sauternes/Barsac. Try a Sauvignon or better I think a Chianti.

Le Chevrot - A superb goats cheese. See Goats Cheese.

Livarot - a very strong tasting cheese from Normandy with a heavy moist texture. One of The Cheese and Wine Shops Chardonnays, a Pinot Gris or an Alsace Gewürztraminer.

Mahon - a Spanish red especially Rioja.

Manchego - A Spanish red for a Spanish cheese or open that aging claret. A Cava is recommended for a young cheese or a Fino or Amontillado Sherry.

Maroilles - a soft but powerful French cheese with a very powerful aroma. Perhaps too overpowering for wine but try with an Alsatian Pinot Gris or a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Mimolette - Cahors or Saint Emilion or other Bordeaux Red.

Munster - Try a Gewürztraminer from Alsace or a cheaper version from Chile or New Zealand if you can find one.

Monterey Jack - An American semi-hard Cheese best with Rieslings or Californian Chardonnay. For a red try with Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Morbier - This is a mild cheese made in two sections with a thin charcoal layer between. Worked very well with an unoaked Chardonnay. Try also with a our Fleurie or other Beaujolais.

Mozzarella - Do people eat this on its own? Try with a crisp white like a Cotes du Duras or Bergerac or a Beaujolais or an Old Vines Zinfandel for a red.

Neufchatel - from the north of Normandy. A smooth texture with a core of crumbly, dryer cheese. Go for a good quality red Loire - a Chinon for example.

Parmesan - If eaten on its own try with a Spanish Cava, an Amarone or a Super Tuscan wine.

Pecorino - Great with a rich Zinfandel or try with a full Italian red, such as an Amarone, or if on a more modest budget, a quality Chianti Classico.

Pie d`Anglous - a light soft cheese ideal with a ripe plum or sweet grapes. Try any sweet wine - Sauternes or Monbazillac.

Picos de Europa - Northern Spanish cheese try with high Acidity/high tannin red wine, Italian Primativo, Zinfandel or certain Merlots.

Pont l`Eveque - White Bordeaux, Chardonnay from anywhere or try a white Rioja. For a red try with a red Burgundy.

Port Salut - A good quality Cotes du Rhone or similar blend works well as does a lighter style Italian red such as a Bardolino

Provolone - Dolcetto!

Raclette - A hard French Cheese best with a Beaujolais or a Sauvignon Blanc.

Reblochon - A mountain cheese from the Savoie. A thin orange rind, a smooth fatty texture and a nutty aftertaste. Try with a fino sherry or if you can find one a Vin Jaune. A lighter styled Pinot Noir for a red.

Red Leicester - Pick one of the Cheese and Wine Shops choice Riojas or a full and rich Australian Shiraz. Very good with an our ales.

Roquefort & Stilton- The classic combination is with a Sauternes, but try also with any botrytis affected wine (Australian Semillon for example), a sweet Jurancon or cheaper sweet wines from anywhere really. Aged tawny port is also delicious. Vintage Portis wasted on it though.

Rosary Ash - An English Goats cheese from Salisbury, rich, fresh with a hint of lemon.

Saint Andrews-A supple creamy textured Scottish cheese. Went very well with a Bordeaux white (Sauvignon-Semillon blend) although a straight Sauvignon Blanc would be just as good.

St.Marcellin - A French full-fat soft cheese made from cows milk. Fresh, yeasty aroma and a mild fruity taste. Try with a Savoie white - Roussette for example.

St.Nectaire - try with an off dry Vouvray for a white or a Bordeaux red.

Sao Jorge - Full flavoured unpasteurised cow`s milk cheese from the Azores. Accompany with a LBV Port.

Taurus- A rare cows cheese from Somerset. Full flavoured and creamy. Went very well with a Bordeaux white (Sauvignon-Semillon blend).

Taleggio- a full-fat soft cheese from Lombardy, Italy. An Italian white wine would be superb or try with a Chianti Riserva. Traditionally matched with Barbaresco.

Tornegus- a farm house Caerphilly.

Vacherin- a Blanc de Blanc Champagne, an Alsatian Rielsing or a red Beaujolais. · Vermont- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah or an off-dry Riesling are suggested.

Vignotte - a triple cream cheese from the Champagne region. Mild soft texture. A St.Emilion is great.

Wensleydale - A sweeter wine needed here like a German Spatlese or a late picked Muscat from Australia. Ideal with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

White Cheshire– Enjoy with a Riesling.

Stilton - often found blended with cranberies for which a champagne, or sparkling wine is recommended.

Woolsery- An English Goats cheese, moist, open texture with a distinctive taste with hints of almonds and pinenuts. So, we`d suggest a light white wine like a Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or a Viognier which will stand up well to the Woolsery.