Wine and Cheese

If you're a wine lover, the phrase “wine and cheese” probably sounds like a familiar expression. A challenge even, to some. And when you hear about pairing wine and cheese, it gets even more challenging — as with so many things in life, it’s not as simple as it seems, because cheese is one of the most demanding foods when it comes to finding the perfect partner. Why is that?

Much like a great person, a great wine — and a great cheese — has its own personality. The latter often has a sharp, strong, spicy taste and almost always a high fat content, where saltiness mingles with acidity. And on top of that, the texture can also be thick and creamy. The one thing we love, but wine doesn’t.

Interestingly enough, although many cheeses share almost all of these qualities, it doesn’t make choosing the right wine any easier. A single type of cheese from different producers can vary significantly, and its ageing process also plays a crucial role — just as important a factor as the wine (or any drink, honestly) you serve with it. Many sommeliers will say that white wine is often a safer choice than red, especially when you’re serving a cheese board — usually at the end of the meal, when we tend to be drinking red wine. Which means… going back to white.

Dessert wines often create exceptional pairings with cheese — combinations your guests will remember for a long time. But that’s another story for another time.

To make this task a little easier, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

~ The tannins in red wine are often the biggest culprit when it comes to disrupting a successful cheese and wine pairing. So, it’s better to opt for aged, mellow reds rather than tannin-heavy, deep-purple young wines.

~ When pairing a well-aged, aromatic, high-quality wine with cheese, don’t expect a perfect match. But if cheese is non-negotiable, Mimolette or aged Gouda can work well. That’s how they do it in Bordeaux — and they know a thing or two about wine and cheese.

~ Red wines with more pronounced tannins work well with hard cheeses, as long as those cheeses aren’t too salty or sharp (saltiness only brings out the bitterness of the tannins even more).

~ Despite how it may seem, classic French soft cheeses like Camembert or Pont l’Évêque are actually the trickiest to pair.

~ Soft, creamy cheeses like Chaource — one of the classic cheeses from the Champagne region — call for wines with high acidity. That means white wine. In Champagne, they say Champagne itself is a perfect match.

~ The more acidic the cheese, the more acidic the wine should be. For instance, goat’s cheese pairs beautifully with Sauvignon Blanc.

~ Don’t try to find one perfect wine for a cheese board that includes blue cheese, aged Camembert, goat’s cheese and a few hard cheeses. It’s simply not possible. A much better approach is to pair one excellent cheese with an equally excellent wine.

~ If possible, choose a wine from the same region as the cheese. There are plenty of brilliant examples — strong, aromatic Munster with Alsace Gewürztraminer, Maroilles with Champagne, Vacherin with Pinot Noir.

~ Don’t be afraid to use cheese in all kinds of recipes — it actually makes choosing the right wine easier. A simple cheese soufflé will be stunning with an aromatic, high-quality red, but white wine can work beautifully too.

Cheese Categories & Their Ideal Wine Matches

Hard Cheeses

Hard cheeses pair beautifully with a wide variety of wines, including medium to full-bodied reds — as long as the cheeses aren’t too sharp or overly aged. This category includes Cantal, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, Manchego, and similar Spanish varieties, countless French cheeses, aged Gouda and Mimolette, plus the wonderful British classics: Cheddar, Red Leicester, and Double Gloucester. Not all British hard cheeses are created equal, though. Young white Wensleydale, with its crumbly texture and tangy acidity, can be difficult to pair — New World Sauvignon Blanc or a concentrated Chardonnay are your best bets. On the other hand, the strong flavour and dense texture of Lancashire suits a bold, spicy red from southern France. Welsh Caerphilly can also be tricky, but you could serve it with a high-quality New World Chardonnay. Just remember — a strong, well-made Chardonnay will almost always go well with Cheddar, Cantal, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Soft Cheeses

These cheeses are the most finicky when it comes to wine pairing — especially when they’re unpasteurised or under-aged. Still, creamy Brie pairs nicely with white Burgundy from Côte d’Or, while Camembert can work with a well-aged red. St-Émilion or Pomerol, red Burgundy, or Chianti Classico Riserva will all do the job. Aged Pont l’Évêque is notoriously difficult to pair, but try it with a bold Sicilian red or a 10-year-old tawny Port. Semi-soft Chaumes is lovely with St-Émilion or another aged, soft and elegant red. And as for super creamy Chaource? It pairs beautifully with aged, refined Chablis.

Blue Cheeses

This pairing can either be a total success or a complete disaster. Let’s start with the classics: Roquefort and Sauternes, Stilton and aged Port (even white Port works). Danish blue cheeses are best left unpaired with wine, and be cautious with very sharp Gorgonzola or cheaper, overly strong French blues that sometimes get incorrectly labelled as Roquefort. A milder Gorgonzola, on the other hand, goes beautifully with Recioto di Soave. Not sure which wine to pair with your blue cheese? An aged white Port or Madeira Bual is a safe bet. Creamy, mild blue cheeses often work with Tokaji Aszú, while Dolcelatte matches nicely with aged Rioja or Ribera del Duero. Feeling experimental? Try Ribera del Duero with Stilton — you might be surprised.

Goat’s Cheese

Goat’s cheese is best served with Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé, but New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp, acidic New World Chardonnay also work well. Interesting pairings include white Crozes-Hermitage from the Rhône, or Pinot Blanc from Alsace. For reds, go for Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley — Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Saumur-Champigny, or Chinon are all excellent choices. For lightly aged goat’s cheese, a mature Syrah is worth trying.

Smoked Cheeses

This is the trickiest category to pair with wine, but a few options are still on the table: Gewürztraminer from Alsace, a good Riesling, or an Australian Shiraz. Various dessert wines can also work well.


From my book published in 2013, in collaboration with sommelier Jānis Gailis