Mar. 24, 2010 - Issue #753: Zion I

Veni, Vidi, Vino

Perfect pair

Wine and cheese go together like, well, wine and cheese

When it comes to pairing wine with food, there is perhaps no food more intimidating to match than cheese. Which is easy to understand, as there are hundreds of wines and cheeses to suss out. With that many possible combinations, it's easy to feel too intimidated to venture into the seemingly overwhelming world of wine pairing rules, but alas, here are a few basic tips to help you navigate them.

First, remember that wine and cheese are the original pairing. They complement each other endlessly, since an appreciation for both comes from their complexity and age. They are both versatile as means to opening and closing a meal, as they add invaluable subtleties thanks to their ability to complement and contrast with other flavours and textures. In short, don't let cheese intimidate you; rather, put it to work for you. Like wine, cheese is more than happy to comply.

Second, a little about cheese. These are three broad categories, and by no means is this an authoritative guide: soft/mild cheeses, like Brie or Havarti, are generally creamy, buttery and relatively low in fragrances and sharp flavours. Hard cheeses like Parmagiano and aged Cheddar can range from salty to savoury to nutty, with subdued aromas to pungent, outrageous flavours. And then there's blue: crumbly or creamy, pungent and stinky, bold and bullying flavours—there are few other foods in the world that divide a crowd. You either love it or hate it, but blue cheeses are not only the centre of attention, they share the spotlight willingly with wine.

Now, matching wines: when serving soft mild cheese, Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent start, with crisp acidity that can balance the buttery textures while its herbaceousness compliments this cow's milk-based beauty. Harder, saltier cheeses do well when contrasted with bigger, dry red wines like Amarone or Ripasso—any big, dry reds benefit from food pairings, and cheese is no different. As for blues, you want to either confront the boldness with heavy, tannic reds and ports, or cut them off with a sweet Sauternes or ice wine.

One rule that most experts seem to agree on is sparkling wine: bubbly has the complexity, body, boldness and lively mouth feel to engage most cheeses. Whether you're using wine and cheese to welcome guests at the door, or winding down after a delicious feast, cheese and sparkling wine will leave everyone satisfied. V
 

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