This is a practical guide of wine & cheese matching but do not take it strictly since each wine and cheese has particular characteristics and at the end of the day it all comes down to what you like the most. It takes practice to find perfect matchings. The wine world does not follow strict rules since it is a mixture of art and science. Simple enjoy the journey and learn while trying!
Helpful tips :
- Sparkling wine in general matches well with cheese.
- The wine should be sweeter than the food that you pair it with. For example, for desserts, a Port or Marsala are preferred.
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Cheeses with high content of fats and oil pair better with red wine.
CHEESE PAIRING
Dry Cheese: Parmesan, Grana padano, Pecorino, Reggianito, aged Cheddar, Cratloe Hills, Creeny. Goes well with Sparkling wine (Prosecco, Cava, Cuvee, Champagne); Light bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Picpoul, Pinot Gris, Melon, Grenache Blanc) or Medium bodied red wine: Grenache, Merlot, Carménère, Dolcetto, Menecía, Nerello Mascalese, Bordeaux Blend, Bobal.
Hard Cheese: Provolone, Scamorza, Mozzarella, Gruyere, Edam. Goes well with Sparkling wine (Prosecco, Cava, Cuvee, Champagne); Light or full bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Verdejo, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Melon, Grenache Blanc, Airén) or Light or medium bodied red wine (Grenache, Merlot, Carménère, Bordeaux Blend, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, Menecía, Nerello Mascalese, Castelão, Brachetto, Bonarda (Argentinian grape not Italian), Lambrusco).
Blue Cheese: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Cashel blue, Crozier Blue, Kerry Blue, Stilton. Goes well with Dessert wines (Porto, Nebbiolo, Vin Santo, Trebbiano Toscano, Touriga Nacional, Sherry, Semillon, Savignon Blanc, Sautenais, Sagrantino, Muscat of Alexandria) or Aromatic wines (Muscat Blanc, Torrentés, Riesling, Moschofilero, Gewürztrminer, Fernão Pires, Chenin Blanc).
Salty Cheese: Feta, Halloumi, Fresh cheese, Mizithara. Goes well with Sparkling wine (Prosecco, cava, cuvee, champagne); Light bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Picpoul, Pinot Gris, Melon, Grenache Blanc) or Rosé wine (Sangiovese, Rhône, GSM Blend, Bordeaux Blend, Brachetto, Cabert Franc, Cabert Sauvignon, Carménère).
Sour Cheese and Cream: Cottage, Cream cheese, Ricotta, Sour Cream, Chèvre, Ardagh Castle Ricotta. Goes well with Sparkling wine (Prosecco, cava, cuvee, champagne) or Light bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Picpoul, Pinot Gris, Melon, Grenache Blanc, Arinto, Assyrtiko, Grüner Veltliner, Grechetto, Garganega).
Cheddar Cheese: (Also: Dubliner, Colby, Hegarty's Cheddar, Knockanore Plain, Ossau-Iraty, Muenster). Goes well with Light or medium bodied red wine: Grenache, Merlot, Carménère, Bordeaux Blend, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, Menecía, Nerello Mascalese, Castelão, Brachetto, Bonarda (Argentinian grape not Italian), Lambrusco.
Buttery, Deli Cheese: Brie, Burrata, Abbey Smoked Brie, Ballybrie, Emerald Irish Brie, Gleann Oir, St Brendan, Tipperary Brie, Camembert, Époisses). Goes well with Sparkling wine (Prosecco, cava, cuvee, champagne), Light or full bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Verdejo, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Melon, Grenache Blanc, Airén); Aromatic wines (Muscat Blanc, Torrentés, Riesling, Moschofilero, Gewürztrminer, Fernão Pires, Chenin Blanc) or Dessert wines (Porto, Nebbiolo, Vin Santo, Trebbiano Toscano, Touriga Nacional, Sherry, Semillon, Savignon Blanc, Sautenais, Sagrantino, Muscat of Alexandria).