D'Vine Wine Tips - Wine & Cheese # 11
by Gene Donner
Take a look at your local market’s cheese display; it’s like the wine
aisle -- chock-a-block with an amazing variety of products. What a wonderful treat for us. However...
This can be a daunting experience. It doesn’t have to be. We all know Cheddar (mild or sharp) and Monterey, and Blue. But how about goat, Brie, Camembert, Fontina, Port Salut, Gorgonzola, Feta, Jarlsberg, Asiago, Edam...well, you get the picture.
Just as there are myriad kinds of wines --being produced from countries all over the world -- the spread of cheeses (ouch!) is phenomenal. Pairing wine with cheese can be challenging, so we’ll try to give you some tips to avoid making faux pas.
But first, some advice on cheese preparation and eating.
* Bread is best for cheese; crackers often contain salt that can
detract from the flavor.
* Use a different knife for each cheese so as not to mix flavors;
You might even have different boards on which to slice the
various cheeses.
* Cheese should never stand alone, it loves to be paired with
wines and other foods such as fresh fruits and chutneys. (I
recall the times in France when dessert was fresh bread, an apple
or pair, cheese and a glass of wine. Tres magnifique!)
OK, so much for the cheese. Now, let’s take a look at what goes with what. To keep it simple, we’ll confine this column with reds, leaving the whites and “fortified” wines for another column. (Sometimes certain cheeses can go with either red or white -- but let’s not go there just yet).
If you’re having friends over especially for a wine and cheese party, begin with the milder varieties. Keep in mind that the harder varieties like Cheddar and Parmesan, can stand up to more tannic wines, while creamy cheeses, like Brie are better served with wines that have more acidity, like Chardonnay.
If you’re having Beaujolais, try Brie, Camembert or goat;
Cabernet Sauvignon: Camembert, Cheddar, Colby, Gouda, Roquefort
Chianti: Fontina, Provolone, Mozzarella.
Merlot: Brie, Gouda, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Cheddar.
Sangiovese: Blue, Ricotta, Fontina, Mozzarella.
Zinfandel: Asiago, Feta, goat, Muenster.
Shiraz: Edam, Gouda, Parmesan
(Next time: what cheeses pair well with white wines, including Champagne, and with sweet wines). |
