RECIPES

Wine & Cheese Pairings

Raise a glass to one of the best duos in history, Wine & Cheese. Many pairings that are considered classics, emerged from the centuries-old relationship between a region’s cuisine and their wines. This powerful duo remains the key to our heart and maybe some Castle doors. While enjoying our Castello wines, there are a few tried & true combinations that will standout.

There are many factors that go into the pairing of wine and cheese. The best pairings complement each other particularly well when considering texture, fat, acidity, and salt.

In addition to drying and concentrating the cheese, age introduces new flavors. Rind cheeses like Brie remain gooey and spreadable, but the cheese develops earthy notes after a few months of aging in the caves. Older cheeses like Gruyère acquire deep nutty flavors. Blue cheeses develop pungency from the mold in their veins. Washed-rind cheeses like Époisses develop a funky, flavor that you either love or hate.

Wines also run the spectrum from delicate to bold, and their depth and complexity can correlate with their age. Young wines are fresh and spirited, with lively aromas and bright flavors of fruits, flowers, citrus, herbs, or spice. Wines that have spent time in cask or bottle have had a chance to acquire more nuance. In addition to their primary fruit, they take on secondary notes of oak, toast, earth, oxidation, minerals, and more. Like cheeses, these wines tend to be more complex and savory than their younger counterparts.

A Divine Pairing From The Gods

In a study at ChemoSens in France, researchers determined that cheese improved the perception of fruit aromas, reduced the duration of astringency of red wines, and heightened the taste of white wine. Cheese which is customarily high in fat, coats the mouth and blocks taste receptors to beverages. The acidity and sweetness of a well-paired wine can cut through this creamy barrier to create an excellent mouthfeel.

Cheeses vary in moisture content, fat content, texture and flavor. Wines also vary in acidity, sweetness, body, and structure. A few basic guidelines will bring you cheese & wine success.

The main concept behind pairings is that certain elements (such as texture and flavor) in both cheese and wine interact with each other, and thus finding the right combination of these elements will make the entire dining experience more enjoyable.

Rules of Cheese & Wine Pairing

Pair by flavor intensity. Consider the effect age has on the intensity of wine. We can see how young cheeses might partner best with sparkling crisp whites, dry rosés, and reds with good acidity. Older cheeses need wines with more body and complexity. The oldest cheeses, those that are the most rich and nutty, pair best with wines that have ample body and structure. Cheeses become bolder and more complex as they age, taking on concentrated flavors. If you have a 3 year aged cheddar, it’s going to have a richness to it that needs a wine with an equal amount of depth.

Pay Attention To Texture. Cheese changes drastically in texture, which is based on what type of milk, what style of cheese, and how long it has been aged for. Young, fresh, and rindless cheeses are soft, and when served at room-temperature can become gooey. Hard cheeses, on the other hand, need to be crumbled or cut.

Watch those tannins. Tannic rich red wines pair wonderfully with bold aged cheeses, tannins help bind to protein and fat. T same process makes tannic wines feel far too astringent with young cheeses; they tie up what little fat’s available, leaving you with a chalky and metallic aftertaste.

Salt loves sweet. Sweet wines balance the salty cheeses like Blue cheese, aged Gouda or Feta. The salt in the cheese increases the sweetness in the wine.

Cheese loves fruit and nuts. Fruits go very well with young cheeses like Brie. Sweet dried fruits are wonderful with salty cheeses like Blue, Buttery, bitter nuts are tasty with rich Cheddar.

Castello Wine & Cheese Pairings Guide

Explore our favorite Castello wine & cheese pairings. Try these basic wine and cheese combinations at home.

• Cheddar – Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cotswald – Merlot
• Pecorino Toscano – Sangiovese
• Grueyere – Pinot Noir
• Brie – Spumante del Castello
• La Tur – Gewürztraminer
• Goat Cheese – Pinot Grigio
• Goat Cheese – Pinot Bianco
• Fiore Sardo – Vermentino
• Pepper Jack – Gioia
• Blue Cheese – Il Passito
• Gorgonzola – Moscato

Kick it up a notch. Add these elements to elevate a cheese pairing to a sweet and salty palate sensation. These items also make a great addition to any charcuterie board.

• Nuts – Buttery, bitter nuts are tasty with rich cheeses like Cheddar.
  
• Fruits – Fruits go very well with young cheeses like Brie. Sweet dried fruits are wonderful with salty cheeses like Blue cheese.
  
• Balsamic Reduction – Serve over hard cheeses or a Caprese Salad. A reduction of balsamic will elevate a cheese pairing to a sweet and salty palate sensation.
  
• Honey – This is an elegant addition to any wine & cheese board. Honey adds a fair bit of complexity to a long list of cheeses. The key to pairing honey and cheese is to pair a light honey with a mild cheese and more rounded flavored honey with a more intense cheese. Among the best honey & cheese pairings are Provolone cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Honey & blue cheese create a contrast that could create a fan of even the harshest blue cheese critics. Goat cheeses, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Romano, Brie all go great with honey.