The wine cellar at Mr C is ready for you to book a wine tasting with a cheese and meat platter.
Let us start by looking at the different cheese sorts you can pair with wine.
Which types of Cheese pairs best with which wine?
Hard Cheeses:
Parmigiano Reggiano
Pecorino
Aged Manchego
Pairs well with:
Cabernet Savignon
Malbec
Pinot Noir
Semi-Hard Cheeses:
Cheddar
Gouda
Baby Swiss
Pairs well with:
Pinot Noir
White Blends
Sauvignon Blanc
Semi-Soft Cheeses:
Havarti
Fresh Mozzarella
Jarlsberg
Pairs well with:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Malbec
Soft Cheeses:
Brie
Boursin
Pairs well with:
Champagne
Riesling
Merlot
Goat Cheeses :
Chevre
Pave
Rave de Provence
Pairs well with:
White Blends
Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Blue Cheese & Brie:
Gorgonzola
Roquefort
Stilton
Pairs well with:
Malbec
Chardonnay
Merlot
Riesling
White wine is the perfect match for cheese.
The acidity and sweetness of white wines complement cheese better than the robust tannins of red wines.
Each wine is best suited to a specific type of cheese. The trick is to experiment and find what works best for you. White wines are both sweet and acidic. The combination pairs very well with cheese.
The sugar in the wine pairs well with the cheese salt, while the wine acidity rinses your palate. The sweeter wine varieties are best paired with cheese because they have a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity.
Intense cheeses pair well well more acidic and sweeter wines to compliment the flavour bomb.
AVOID OVERLY OAKED WINES
Almost all cheese will pair well with less oaked wines. Oaked wines are bold with strong flavours and could overpower the cheese flavours. Chardonnay is one of the best white wines to pair with cheese because of the lightly oaked qualities.
Pair a heavily oaked white wine with an intense cheese.
AGE WITH AGE – BODY WITH BODY
Old cheese pairs well with aged wines, and intense cheese, pairs well with full-bodied wines.
Very light cheeses, like cream cheese, go best with a young, crisp white wine. The flavorful aged cheeses require a more robust wine pairing.
SWEETNESS IN CONTRAST TO SALT
Very salty and complex cheeses, like blue cheese, pair well with sweet condiments. Figs are always a tasty sweet combination with and cheese and wine pairing.
Sweet wines with high sugar levels pair brilliantly with mouldy salty cheeses. You can almost order any dessert wines to enjoy with a cheese platter.
White wine cheese pairing
A pairing is a personal experience. Have fun and experiment to find what works for your tastebuds. Uncork two or more bottles and pair with an assortment of cheese until you find your perfect match.
The Basics of Red Wine and Cheese Pairing
Pairing red wine with cheese is different to white wine cheese pairings. Red wine offers more complex tannins.
How Are Red and White Wines Different?
Red wines are red and darker, made with more skin contact from the grapes than white wines. The winemaking process is a bit different, exposing more bolder flavours. The tannins in red wine are essential to consider when pairing red wine with cheese.
Tannins and Cheese Pairing
What are tannins?
When you bite into the skin of an apple, that bitterness you taste is a tannin. Tannins are part of what gives red wine their distinctive character.
Light tannins will pair well with more delicate cheeses, and bold tannins will pair well with strong cheese.
Fruit is Your Friend
Matching the strength of your wine to your cheese is a crucial step in finding your perfect pairing.
Many varieties of red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec can overpower delicate cheeses. Fruity red wines like Pinot Noir will pair better with more delicate cheeses. Full-flavoured berry red wines will pair well with spicy cheese.
Red Wines for Cheese Pairing
Pinot Noir
Pinots are generally mellow in tannins and fruity, making it a versatile wine that goes well with various cheeses.
Pinot Noir and Cheese Pairings:
Cheddar
Parmesan
Blue cheese
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is a medium-bodied red with pepper notes, plum, and berries. The wine consists of enough acidity to balance salty, fresh cheeses like feta.
Cabernet Franc and Cheese Pairings:
Feta
Gorgonzola
Cabernet Sauvignon
Full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah can be challenging to pair with cheese. The tannins will need to pair with a more pungent cheese like aged cheddar. Aged cheese generally pairs well with a full-body red like a Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Must-try Cabernet Sauvignon and Cheese Pairings:
Aged Cheddar cheese
Aged Swiss cheese
Red Blends
Your typical red blend is a Bourdeaux blend. The red blends are full and rich wines paired well with aged and spicy cheese.
Conclusion
Be bold and try different wines and cheese to find what tastes the best for you.
The cellar at Mr C is ready to invite you for a cosy and romantic experience in the wine cellar. Please book in advance to prepare for your cellar visit.
Contact us
Tel: +27 65 843 5238
E-mail: info@misterc.co.za