Wine Food Pairings
Wine & Cheese, Pairing them up for a Party
Most all of us Americans, really love our cheese. Seven years ago our consumption was about twenty seven pounds per person, a year. It is now up to about thirty pounds per year.
California is the second largest cheese producer in the Unite States, following Wisconsin. Oh sure, we produce cheeses like Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Mozzarella, but we also produce more artisan cheeses than any other state.
Here are a few suggestions when pairing cheese with your favorite wines:
Fresh Goat Cheese: serve a Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon or Pinot Gris from California or Oregon.
Fresh Mozzarella: a nice semi dry Chenin Blanc or a Sangiovese.
Gouda: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Dolcetto, Zinfandel.
Fontina, Harvarti, or Muenster: Riesling, Barbera, Dolcetto.
Monterey Jack: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blamnc, Riesling, Zinfandel.
Brie (baked or unbaked): Sparkling wine is best, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir
Camembert (cows milk): Sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Slightly aged soft goat cheese: Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Merlot, light bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.
Colby: Riesling, Barbera, Dolcetto, Pinot Noir.
Cheddar (not sharp): Gewurztraminer, late harvest Riesling, Viognier, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sherry.
Cheddar (sharp): Grenache, Merlot, Zinfandel, late harvest Gewurztraminer or seeter style Gewurztraminer.
Gruyere: Gewurztraminer, late harvest wines, Viognier, Zinfandel, Sherry.
Asiago Parmesan: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sparkling wine, Sherry.
Soft, creamy, young Blue and Gorgonzola: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, dry Sherry.
Triple Cream: Sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir.
While red and white wines are always excellent with the right cheeses, do not forget about the abundance of great roses' produced here in California, Italy, Spain and France. Most of them are produced in the dry or off dry style, nothing like what we use to buy years ago, which were sweet like soda pop.
If you are serving only cheese and crackers and bread, figure 6 to 8 ounces per person, six to eight different types would be fine and not to confusing. Some accompaniments such as, walnuts, pecans, spiced mixed nuts, olives, fresh and dried fruits, fresh veggies, can make your cheese spread seem like a real feast.
Serve your cheeses at room temperature, with hard cheeses removed from the refrigerator about two hours before serving, while softer cheeses should be removed about forty five minutes before serving.
Using place cards for the cheese will help your guests know what they are trying.
Wine Quote: “Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not to make them drunk. Wine drunk with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart.” Ecclesiasticus 31:35
Till next time, Good Health and Peace to all, Salute (= sah-LOO-tay)
