Ever since the quarantine, we’ve been entertaining ourselves at the comfort of our own home. Thus, we’ve been drinking wine 2 to 3 times a week with a whole side of junk food!

So I decided to learn a little bit more and I wanted to leave this here so I can keep coming back to my page whenever I need to:

Who else loves a good wine? ❤ 

Personally, I like Semi-sweet, Sweet and Rose.

TYPES OF CHEESE

Fresh Cheese – unaged, unripened, rindless, and has the same bright, white color on the inside, out. It has the highest moisture.

• Mozarella – Soave, or any red or white
• Feta – Rose
• Ricotta – Prosecco or Fume Blanc
• Cream Cheese – None
• Mascarpone – None
• Cottage Cheese – None

Soft Cheese – Ripened anywhere between 0-30 days, soft cheeses contain a high moisture content, a usually higher fat content, and therefore has a more pudding-like paste. Best served at room temperature.

• Brie – California Merlot or Chardonnay
• Camembert – Cotes du Rhones
• Chaource – Chablis, Sancerre, or Champagne
• Chevre – Sauvignon Blanc or Spanish Albarino

Semi-Soft Cheese – Treading into the denser, earthier, and the tiniest bit more pungent-tasting, semi-soft cheeses are lightly pressed into molds to create a more rubbery outer texture, but leaving a delicate, custardy, soft center.

• Havarti – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
• Muenster – Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Belgian ales, lagers, porters, stouts
• Provolone – Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Lagers
• American Cheese –  American-style IPAs
• Taleggio – Saison, Pinot Noir, Rose

Semi-Firm Cheese – start to take on more developed notes, ranging anywhere between more floral, more fruity, and even developing an aroma of freshly browned butter. Semi-firm is not meant for grating or spreading, but rather shredding or slicing.

• Cascaval – Light red wine or brown beer, such as a pilsner
• Cheddar – Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, porter, mead, or amber ale
• Edam – Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz
• Emmental – Merlot, Riesling, Champagne, Beaujolais, light lager, or stout
• Gouda – Cabernet or Shiraz
• Gruyere – Spanish Sherries or southern France reds

Firm Cheese – Best for grating or thinly slicing, this dry-textured cheese takes away the thick-cut meltability you’d get from fresh to semi-firm varietals, but gives back a potent, deeply savory flavor

• Asiago D’Allevo – Orvieto or Soave
• Grana Padano – Gavi, Chianti, Barbaresco, Barolo, Lambrusco, Amarone
• Manchego – Stout, Porter, Sherry, Riesling, Whiskey
• Parmesan – Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot, or Sangiovese
• Pecorino – White Burgundy, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Rioja

Blue-Veined Cheese – the best of both worlds: rich and creamy like a soft cheese, yet pungent and perfumed like a firm.

• Fourme d’Ambert – Merlot, Port, Riesling
• Gorgonzola –  Zinfandel and Sauternes
• Roquefort – Riesling, Port, Sherry, or ice wines
• Stilton –  Porter, Stout, Sherry, Elderberry, Cabernet Sauvignon

GENERAL TIPS:

1. Pair with equal intensity. 

• Wines over 14.5% ABV are more intense and taste better with more intensely flavored cheeses.
• Wines under 12% ABV are less intense and match nicely with more delicately flavored cheeses.

2. Bold wines best pairs with aged cheeses.  

As cheese ages and loses water-content, it becomes richer in flavor with its increased fat content. These two attributes are ideal for matching bold red wines because the fat content in the cheese counteracts the high-tannins in the wine

3. Match super funky cheese with sweet wines

The sweetness in the wine helps balance the “funk” in the cheese and makes it taste creamier. Also, the “stink” of the cheese will help balance the sweet taste of the wine.

4. Sparkling wines are incredible with soft, creamy cheeses

Sparkling wines have high acidity and carbonation, which offer a palate-cleansing effect to creamy, sticky cheeses

5. Wines and cheeses that comes from the same place pairs well. 

You’ll do well to trust the local traditions and match wines and cheeses from the same region together.

6. When in doubt, get a firm, nutty cheese. 

One of the safest bets and most popular choices with all styles of wines is a firm, nutty cheese. The cheese will have enough fat to counterbalance tannin in red wine, but enough delicacy to compliment delicate whites.

Excited to host a dinner in our new home. ❤

**webstaurantstore, winefolly