Choose wines and cheeses that bring out the best characteristics in each other.
When pairing cheese with wine, especially if you're doing a tasting party, limit the choices to five or six cheeses with complementary wines. Start with the lighter white wines and mild cheeses, working your way through the medium ones and ending with the full-bodied reds and strong cheeses.
White Wines
When choosing a cheese to complement white wine, consider whether the wine is light, medium or full-bodied. A light wine, such as Riesling, has delicate flavors and is suited to fresh cheeses, including goat's cheese, or soft or semisoft cheeses. These are usually mild and won't overwhelm the wine. A medium white wine, such as Pinot Gris, can stand up to a mild Cheddar or Gouda, or a Brie or Camembert. A full-bodied white wine, such as oaked Chardonnay, should be served with muenster, Swiss or Gruyere cheese.
Red Wines
A light red wine, such as Gamay, can be served with mozzarella, feta or Jarlsburg. Medium wines, such as Merlot and Pinot Noir, can stand up to richer cheeses, such as Emmentaler, manchego and provolone. Full-bodies reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon go well with sharp aged cheeses such as grana padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, or even mild blue cheese such as Blue Castello.
Dessert and Sparkling Wines
Dessert wines are wonderful with pungent blue cheeses such as Stilton, Roquefort or Gorgonzola. Or pair these wines with a light, sweet cheese such as mascarpone. With sparkling wine, choose a cheese that is creamy with a high butterfat content, which will cut through the acidity of the wine. Examples include Brie, Camembert and chevre. Anything labelled double or triple cream will work well.
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