Attn oenophiles - wine and cheese pairings? No smarta$$ answers, please.?

Question

I'm having a wine and cheese reception on Friday and want to get others' perspectives and tastes - I know what I like but I'd like to get outside of my "comfort zone". What wines and cheeses do you like together? If you were going to answer Franzia boxed Rose and Velveeta, please just move along - that's just plain wrong. ;)

Oh, and "oenophile" means wine enthusiast.

Answer 1

I agree with the "wine and cheese from the same region" comment. However, something else to consider. Port and dark chocolate.

I prefer the ruby ports (it will say on the bottle, or at least it won't say tawny) and with dark chocolate (70-80 cocoa) it is the most amazing dance in your mouth.

Parm-Reggiano and Chianti (DOC) always good as is Parm and Montipulciano.

Here's a good resource I got in my Beverage Survey class:
http://www.kobrandwine.com/kceducation/tasting_kits/tasting_intro.html

Answer 2

I just posted on your other question adn promised some mroe ideas here. I am much more familiar with the cheese side, so I'll approach this from there.

I think the most important thing is to have a variety of types and flavors of everything, and I personally like to allow my guests to mix and match. No one will think that you aren't knowledgeable in this area if you put everything out in a pretty spread and suggest that you enjoy mixing and matching and finding combinations that might not have traditionally been paired together. Plus, by doing it this way (almost buffet style, but still classy), you make less work for yourself.

For cheeses, I'd suggest:

Parmigiana Reggiano (really nutty, tangy, harder cheese. You'll know it's authentic if it has the stamp on the side. This is my FAVORITE cheese).

Gouda, Havarti, Fontina, Muenster (all a bit milder, very smooth)

Gorganzola, Goat, Blue (all tangier, more bitter cheese)

Fresh Mozzarella (this is really neat. Buying it fresh is completely different that traditional mozzarella.. it's wet and is much more fleshy. Cut in slices with a sharp knife and sprinkle with a little salt, otherwise the flavor is so mild that wine would over power it.

For wine, I don't have as many pointers, but try to have some of all of the major "genres"...

Blush
Port
Chiraz
Sherry
Zinfandel
Merlot
I also like to include cherry wine or another unusual option

For dessert, I'd highly recommend having some dessert wine and a fruity treat to accompany it. Strawberries go very well with wine, for example. Try Moscato di Asti or, if available, Vin di Glacier (ice wine) is some of the sweetest wine around, but it quite spendy. You'll likely purchase it in the half-bottle.

Sounds like a lot of fun... I always enjoy throwing parties like yours. I hope it all goes well, be sure to update with how it turned out! Feel free to email me with any questions!

Answer 3

I like to try and match the cheese with a wine from the same area, if possible - or at least from the same country. This gets a little tricky with English cheeses, of course, but many of them are quite robust and go very well with a cider or a bottled beer.

The principle I would use is that the flavour of the one should never overpower the other, so a delicate cheese should be matched with a flowery white and a stronger flavoured cheese needs to be complemented with a more robust red.

It's hard to recommend a particular cheese or wine for you, since it depends very much on what you have available locally. In the UK, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda generally have good cheese counters - don't just pick up the wrapped packets: go to the counter and ask to try the ones you are interested in. I usually go for two hard cheeses, two soft cheeses and a blue of some kind (generally NOT Danish!). I tend not to like the cheeses blended with fruit and nuts and chives but Derby Sage is one that is actually made with sage leaves in it and not 'post processed'.

Answer 4

I could sit down and talk about cheese all day, but wine is still new to me. Sorry. But, if you live on the west coast, drop into a Whole Foods grocery store. It's a little pricey, but the people tending the wine section, and the folks behind the cheese counter (or Valhalla, as I like to call such a paradise), really know their stuff, and love to be creative. Pose the challenge, and I have yet to see them fail!

Answer 5

indexed below are my innovations: Sauvignon Blanc – Goat Cheese, Sharp Cheddar Riesling – Colby, Monterey Jack Chardonnay – Brie, Provolone Gewurztraminer – Munster, Swiss Cabernet Sauvignon – Sharp Cheddar, elderly Gouda Merlot – Gouda, Gruyere Pinot Noir – Gruyere, Edam Port – Bleu Cheese, Brie you ought to place notice enjoying cards next to each cheese or they have sticks which you would be able to positioned labels directly to write the names on them. i'd attempt to rearrange the table so as that the wine is close to the coordinating cheese or make some form of superb card or board itemizing what is going with what. it is excellent to make a splash custom card with you mom's call, date, etc. and then supply a splash documents approximately what you're serving. sort of like a private menu yet with documents on the wine and cheese. it would be a superb souvenir for the visitors too.

Answer 6

the cheese and wine should contrast. if the cheese is strong the wine should be sweeter and lighter. if the cheese is blander then a heavier red wine like merlot would be the best. my favorite combination is chardonnay and brie cheese on some kind of toast/ cracker.

Answer 7

go italian...get some peccorino and parano cheeses and ..sorry i cant recall the name..but there is an italian cheese that is aged in chianti and is very good ..the cheese shop will know.. pair them with a good dolcetto for the peccorino and a scilician red , the nero d avola grape goes well with the parano. and rather than go with chianti with the chianti aged cheese, step it up a nothc in class and pair with a valapocella or barbaresco..do this and your party will be a hit.

Answer 8

-Try sweeter wines with more pungeant cheese. ie stilton and port, or sauternes with roquefort. Otherwise, German rieslings are good as they have full bodied texture, lower alcohol and some residual sweetness to balance the cheese.
-Avoid big red wines with soft creamy chees, ie; brie or camembert, they curdle the cheese, try something more firm like manchego or pecorino.
-Alsatian whites are also good, with complexe honey notes and richer body. They are dry but fruit forward and are very versatile.

Adrien Boisvert, Sommelier

Answer 9

I love Masi Vallopecella and a really nice regianno. Parmesan cheeses do not only have to be shaved up smothering an otherwise fine pasta.

Answer 10

mmmm... I'm not a wine drinker but I do like the dry (very dry) german wines.... I think a semi-soft cheese like Muenster would be great with this type of wine.