"True Facts" Wine IS Food - Goes WITH Food Part IV

Like the Swiss, True Facts is synonymous with money – when it comes to saving you some you some Cheddar.  

Everyone knows that other than a loaf a bread, and Thee, what goes with a jug of wine is…CHEESE. It is such an intuitive pairing and one where it is nearly impossible to go wrong. It is however possible to do better than just “all right” in pairing a wine to a cheese. In fact, as you might have suspected, there are certain guidelines to getting the most of this duet.


There’s a well-travelled path to the perfect match and that leads to pairing wines and cheeses from the same region, when you can. The experimentation has been done for you – perhaps centuries ago – and tasting those combinations can almost transport you to faraway lands. Italian wine, Italian cheese. Basque cheese with Basque wine, etc. Easy-cheesy!


In general, harder types of cheese (i.e. Cheddar or Parmesan) can handle more tannic wines. Bolder red wines are a good match for hard cheeses and those with mild flavors. Creamy cheeses, such as Brie, typically pair better with wines that have more acidity, like a Chardonnay. Give salty cheeses a sweet wine partner (i.e. Blue Cheese and Port).


White wines and light-bodied, juicy reds pair best with soft cheeses and pungent flavors. In fact white wines fair better here than bold reds. That’s because several cheeses, particularly soft and creamy ones, coat your palate with all that luscious fat. This can mute the flavor and body in reds, rendering them monotonous and bland. Crisp white wines, rosés and even light reds (think Beaujolais) can provide a cleansing effect allowing you to enjoy both wine and cheese flavors.


Fruity wines and those with a hint of sweetness work best with a wider range of cheeses. The spicy zing of a Gewürztraminer or the peachy zip of a Riesling is ideal for wide-reaching appeal.


If you go for the stinkiest of cheeses, reach for a big wine to back it up. A busty California Cab,  Zin or an Italian Valpolicella Ripasso perhaps. The strongest of cheeses and the big blues are ideally paired with fully sweet wines. The more pungent a cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine can be. This savory and sweet pairing is simply amazing. The bold flavors and depth of Ports, and dessert wines like Sauternes make for the best choices if you like your cheese mold-covered  or streaked with blue.


As in every other category of food and wine pairing, Champagne and sparkling wine will go with most any cheese. The “sparkle” in a sparkling wine can help zip through the fat in heavier cheeses, especially.


And if there were any doubt, Velveeta goes with boxed Franzia. I’m not a hater.










Here is a great website with a widget for more cheese pairing tips - http://www.oregonwines.com/pairing.php

Last minute food and wine pairing thoughts:

• Think of wine as a condiment, essentially a sauce that you drink. It should complement your food.
• When pairing, your goal is that complimentary synergy and balance; neither wine nor food should overpower the other.
• Balance the intensity. Pair lighter-bodied wines with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more flavorful, richer and fattier dishes.
• When serving multiple wines during a meal, and you are able to plan it this way, pour lighter before fuller-bodied, drier before sweeter, lower alcohol before higher, and the dessert wine should be sweeter than its complementing dessert with perhaps the one exception of chocolate.
• Match the quality  of the wine to the quality of the meal and the occasion. A black tie multi-course dinner party will warrant a different wine than when grilling on the patio.

My final thought is: Don't stress over the perfect food and wine pairing. Treat wine like a food and remember, the best pairing is good food and good company. Friends and loved ones are the most important ingredients.