Wine & Cheese Pairings
Wine and cheese are commonly thought of as natural partners, but not all types work equally well together. Use the guidelines and suggestions below to create great wine and cheese pairings for every occasion. To learn more about wine and cheese pairings, don’t miss the California Artisan Cheese Festival, held in Sonoma County March 7-10.
General Guidelines
- White wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors.
- Red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors.
- Fruity and sweet white wines (not dry) and dessert wines work best with a wider range of cheeses.
- The more pungent the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.
Pairing Cheese with Specific Wines
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc and chevre is a classic pairing, but the wine will work quite well with a broad range of goat's and sheep's milk cheese. Stay awa from blue cheese – the grape’s acidity will clash with the flavors of the cheese.
Chardonnay
Chardonnays (especially those without a lot of overt oak flavors), match well with washed rind cow's milk cheeses and cow's milk blue cheeses. The wines, green apple apple, pear and citrus flavors of the grape can also successfully work with the higher acid of goat's milk cheeses.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine is one of the most versatile and food-friendly wines there is, and its success with cheese is no exception. The high acidity and effervescence of the wine helps cut through the fat and rich texture of soft, buttery cheeses, and the yeasty toastiness of sparkling wine also soften and rounds out the texture of hard cheeses. If you don’t know which wine to serve with a particular cheese, you won’t go wrong with sparkling.
Pinot Noir
Stick with milder natural-rind cow’s milk and sheep’s milk cheese to pair with Pinot Noir – the delicate cherry and strawberry flavors of the wine can be overpowered by the higher acid of blue, washed-rind, and goat’s milk cheeses.
Merlot
The lush mouthfeel and plum and berry flavors of Merlot pair most successfully with sheep's milk cheese and younger washed rind cow's milk cheeses. Blue cheese can work on occasion.
Zinfandel
Zinfandels often have the juicy ripe fruit and perception of sweetness that can pair well with some of the saltier cheeses, particularly blue cheese.
Syrah
The dark fruit and smoky flavors of Syrah work exceptionally well with either aged or young sheelp’s milk cheeses. Avoid strong blue cheeses, which can dominate the wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
High-tannin wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon grape work best with hard cheeses, especially those from cow’s milk. It can also tolerate milder blues.
