Whoever said that wine and cheese cures all, they were right. I’m not sure who exactly said that but I’m saying it now. While all (well, most) wine and cheese combo tastes amazing, there is a method to the madness on wine and cheese pairings. It’s hard to know where to even begin and that’s why I’ve done the hard part for you. Also, I needed pictures for this blog post and so it gave me an excuse to buy a lot of cheese (already had the wine, thank you Winc), because I have to have perfect photos for the blog right?! Click here to get $22 off your order from Winc. You won’t regret it!
Writing this also inspired me to round up Some of the Most Beautiful and Durable Cheese Boards, so be sure to check that out if you’re in the market for a new board!
Anyway, keep reading to see a breakdown of wine and cheese categories, as well as the best wine and cheese pairings. Keep in mind that some wines and cheeses overlap categories.
CHEESE BREAKDOWN
Ok, first step. Let’s break cheese down into categories and most popular types under each category.
Fresh: Mozzarella, Burrata, I’m Italian and my people have the best cheese, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Feta
Soft: Brie, Camembert, Goat, Neufchâtel, Robiola
Semi-soft: Havarti, Provolone, Gouda, Gruyère, Emmenthaler, Monterey Jack, Raclette, Fontina
Hard: Pecorino, Cheddar, Comté, Parmesan, Asiago, Grana Padano, Manchego, Colby, Swiss
Blue: Bleu cheese, Stilton, Cambozola, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert
WINE BREAKDOWN
Now, let’s break wine down into categories and most popular types under each category. BTW, I get almost all of wine from Winc and it is incredible – if you want to get $22 off your order from Winc, click here.
Light bodied red, less than 12.5%: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Grenache, Lambrusco, Gamay, Rosé
Medium bodied red, between 12.5 – 13.5%: Bordeaux, Merlot, Shiraz, Nebbiolo, Valpolicella, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Chianti, Rosé
Full bodied red, over 13.5%: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Malbec, Nero d’Avola, Tempranillo (Rioja)
Dry white: Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, Vermentino, Chenin Blanc
Sweet white: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Moscato, Tokaji, Vouvray, Port
Sparkling: Champagne, Prosecco, Rosé
Port: White, Tawny (very sweet), Ruby, Rosé
Dessert wine: Noble Rot, Ice, Fortified (Sherry), Late Harvest, Sherry
PAIRINGS BREAKDOWN
Now, for the actual wine and cheese pairings. Let’s simplify this because at the end of the day we are still talking about wine and cheese and let’s face it…you can’t go wrong. Below is a little chart I made to put everything together! That chart took me about….well let’s not go there. But I loved creating it and it really was worth it.
Fresh Cheese > Light or Medium Bodied Red, Dry White
Soft Cheese > Light Bodied Red, Dry White, or Sparkling
Semi-Soft Cheese > Medium Bodied Red or Dry White
Hard Cheese > Medium or Full Bodied Red, Sparkling, or Port
Blue Cheese > Light or Full Bodied Red, Sweet White, or Dessert
MY FAVORITE PAIRINGS
Here are some of my favorite pairings…
Burrata and Sauvignon Blanc
Brie and Syrah
Gouda and Gewurztraminer
Pecorino and Chianti
Gorgonzola and Sparkling Rosé
Goat and Chenin Blanc *Drunken Goat cheese from Whole Foods is….the GOAT*
That is ALL my beautiful friends! Let me know if this was helpful, and DEFINITELY let me know which pairing is your favorite. One more plug for Winc because I love this company SO MUCH. If you want $22 off your order from Winc, click here. Until the next post!