They go together like Romeo and Juliet. And it’s often hard to imagine one without the other. Wine and cheese might be the most perfect culinary pairing ever, and in recognition of this significance, the 8th annual National Wine and Cheese Day is celebrated on July 25.
Both wine and cheese are of course terrific unto themselves, and they each come in thousands of unique flavours and tastes. Resultantly, you’ve got literally about a million ways to pair up the potable (wine) with the edible (cheese). Is it fun to experiment with a variety of new combinations? You’d better believe it.
But don’t just sip on any glass of wine and nibble on any ordinary cheese. While there are no “laws” governing which tastes should go with each other, there are a few general guidelines that will make your experiences all the more pleasant:
- Look for balance in terms of flavour strength; don’t combine a strong wine with a mild cheese, for example. Try not to let one dominate the other.
- Old or “sharp” cheeses are suitable to be accompanied by bold-flavoured wine.
- Hard cheeses pair well with red wines including pinot noir, zinfandel, and cabernet sauvignon.
- Soft cheeses pair well with white wines like champagne and sauvignon blanc. Even merlot (red wine) is a good pairing with soft cheeses.
- Goat cheeses can be paired with pinot grigio or chardonnay for a lovely, refreshing combination.
Looking for delicious new artisan cheeses to try? Be sure to sample the Swiss Alps-inspired flavours from Stonetown Artisan Cheese of St. Mary’s, Ontario. Their lineup includes the incredibly tasty flavours of Grand Trunk, Wildwood, Hebert, and Bernese Mountain.
