Wine and Cheese

Wine and cheese parties are a great excuse to get some friends together and enjoy probably the best combination of food and drink ever invented! These sorts of get togethers are simple to organise and no excuse is needed, other than a fun social occasion at which to enjoy some wine and cheese.

A wine and cheese tasting can be held at any time of year and almost any time of day – both wine and cheese are unique natural products which can be enjoyed without any predefined rules. To some people, organising a wine and cheese party can seem a bit daunting but there is no need for stress – there is a wide range of both products available at all times. This article will help you determine which wine goes best with which cheese, or is it vice versa?

Probably the most important consideration when you are getting the supplies for your wine and cheese occasion is to never buy cheap wine, or wine of inferior quality.

Furthermore, do not be tempted by the sheer convenience of serving boxed wine. You really do need some quality wine which will better bring out the subtle flavors of the cheese (or any other food you may decide to serve).

As a rule of thumb, bear in mind that strong wines go best with strong cheese and mild cheeses go best with mild wine. It is important that neither the wine nor the cheese (or other food) should dominate the taste buds. The full appreciation occurs when the flavor of each bite of cheese on your palette is replaced with the flavor from a sip of the wine.

Here are some combinations to provide the best effect at your next wine and cheese tasting:

Wines which are acidic in nature complement pungent cheese (for example, a chardonnay goes well with brie or a sauvignon blanc can be teamed with goat cheese).Sweet wines are best matched with soft cheese (for example, a gooey camembert goes well with vouvray or chenin blanc).Full bodied red wines work best with hard cheeses (for example, parmegiano, romana or regiano go really well cabernet sauvignon, merlot, red zinfandel and red Bordeaux).Fortified sweet wines (such as vermouth, port or sherry) are best combined with the perennial favorite, cheddar cheese. If the cheddar you have is aged then its sharp taste will compliment an equally tangy glass of shiraz cabernet.

Overall though, the best guide of which wine and cheese combinations to choose should be based on your own tastes. If it seems to you that your choice of wine and cheese works together then by all means serve them together. There is really no such thing as a mistake in this regard so long as you follow the basic principles above.

If you would like to delve deeper into wine and cheese pairing, check out the excellent article 5 Tips on Perfectly Pairing Wine and Cheese, provided at ilovewine.com.