It’s no surprise that wine and cheese go well together. In this wine Wednesday we want to highlight pairings picked by our wine stewards and  cheesemonger! Before we get into the specifics we have a few tips to get your wheels turning:

1. What grows together, goes together
   1. If a cheese is made in a certain region, the wine you choose to pair with it could also be from that same region to highlight the “terroir” (a.k.a. The environmental factors that affect the “crops”)
2. Pair equal intensities
   1. You can put just about any cheese with any wine but to really highlight the full expression of each, pairing them accentuates them. For example, sparkling wines are fantastic with soft creamy cheeses because one doesn’t outshine the other
3. Don’t Overanalyze
   1. Everyone has their own unique taste buds and preferences. What ‘hits’ for one person might not hit for another. So below you will see some very specific recommendations but know that there are endless wines and cheeses that work will with all combinations. For example, cabernet sauvignon can go with other cheeses like manchego, parmesan or gouda

So now let’s get to a few pairings:

• Cabernet Sauvignon & Cheddar
  • The more aged the cheese, the bigger the tannins in the cab have to be! Tannins (a.k.a. the texture of a wine) pairs well with a fatty aged cheese (and a steak). So something like ‘Oberon’ with ‘Deer Creek’ works really well as a simple appetizer or on a charcuterie board
• Pinot Noir & Comte
  • This pairing works wonders with the intensity of red-fruit coming from the wine matched with the firm nuttiness of the cheese. Without overpowering one another the ‘La Crema’ and ‘Cave Charles Arnaud Comte’ are in perfect harmony. 
• Sparkling & Brie
  • Our cheesemonger is obsessed with a triple creme brie and for a good reason. It has a luxurious mouthfeel and the bubbles from a sparkling help cut through the creaminess well. We suggest ‘Etoile’ with ‘Saint Angel Triple Cream Brie” if this is something you want to use to impress your guests.
• Sauvignon Blanc & Goat
  • The grassiness and tartness of both of these items highlights our second point of “pairing equal intensities”. A delightful sauvignon blanc our wine stewards suggest is ‘Kendall-Jackson’ with ‘Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog’ or anything from their products that fits in line with your tastebuds.