Wine and Cheese Pairing
Wine and cheese are a match made in heaven, and the possibilities for wine and cheese pairing are endless. In this guide you will find how to choose the best cheese for your wine. You will also learn what kind of wine to choose for different types of cheese.
Last updated January 27th 2023
There are hundreds of different cheeses and no single wine pairs perfectly with all of them. Instead, there are many good wine and cheese pairings. Many people think red wine is the best choice to drink with cheese, but many cheeses are actually much better paired with white wines, or even dessert wines. To simplify the pairing, we have divided the cheeses into seven categories. In this guide you will learn the basics of wine and cheese pairing and how to choose the best cheese for your wine, as well as how to select the best wine for you cheese.
Choosing cheese for a wine
The flavor profiles of different cheeses can differ a good deal, and they require different wine profiles for pairing. However, most people only want to drink one type wine together with their cheese platter. If you are hosting a wine and cheese party, try to make a cheese platter with similar cheeses. See below our suggestions for what to put on a cheese board for different types of wines.
Cheese for Light-bodied White Wine
If you are drinking a crisp light-bodied white like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or Pinot Grigio, choose goat cheese and other soft and creamy cheeses for your cheese board. Chèvre, Brie and Camembert are good cheeses for this type of wine. This is a very cheese-friendly type of wine that also pairs well with delicate fresh cheeses such as Feta, Mozzarella and Ricotta.
Cheese for Sparkling Wine
If you are drinking a sparkling wine like Champagne or Cava, soft and creamy cheeses are excellent pairings. Choose Délice de Bourgogne, Brie, Camembert and Cremont for your cheese platter. Sparkling wine also pairs well with delicate fresh cheeses like Mozzarella, Ricotta, Feta and Halloumi.
Cheese for Full-bodied White Wine
If you are drinking a full-bodied white wine, like an oaked Chardonnay or a Viognier, choose semi-soft cheeses like Emmenthal, Gruyère and Comté. This type of cheese usually has nutty flavors that pair well with the creaminess of the oak aromas in the wine. Some soft and creamy cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert can also pair very well with rich white wines. This type of cheese has a creamy texture and delicate buttery flavors that match the richness and acidity in the wine.
Cheese for Aromatic White wine
If you are drinking an aromatic white wine with a hint of sweetness, like Riesling or Gewürztraminer, choose pungent washed-rind cheeses like Munster, Morbier, Raclette, Taleggio and Livarot. Washed-rind cheeses are usually very strong and pungent, with a creamy or semi-soft texture. These stinky cheeses require wines with acidity and a hint of sweetness to balance the strong flavors of the wine.
Cheese for Light-bodied Red wine
If you are drinking a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir, Barbera, or Beaujolais Nouveau, choose semi-soft cheeses like Gruyère, Comté, Emmenthal and Gouda. This type of wine also pairs well with pungent (stinky) washed-rind cheeses like Epoisses, Taleggio and Reblochon.
Tips! If you are having a cheese and charcuterie board, a light-bodied red wine is a good choice.
Cheese for Medium- or Full-bodied Red wine
If you are drinking a medium- or full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Rioja, Merlot or Sangiovese, you will be best off choosing hard cheeses like Cheddar, Manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino. These cheeses have salty and savory flavors that pair wonderfully with rich red wines.
Cheese for Rosé wine
If you are drinking a rosé wine, choose brined cheeses like Halloumi or Feta. Rosé also pairs very well with goat cheese and other creamy cheeses like Brie and Camembert.
Tips! Rosé wines are also great if you are having a mix platter with both cheese and charcuterie.
Cheese for Sweet Fortified wine
If you are having a sweet fortified wine like Port wine or a dessert wine like Sauternes, Tokaji or Moscato d’Asti, choose blue cheeses for your platter. Port wine is a classic paring with pungent and salty blue cheeses, as the wine's sweetness and richness balances the richness of the cheese.
Choosing wine for a cheese
If you already know what kind of cheese you will be eating, and you are looking for the perfect wine to go with it, this part is for you. To simplify the wine and cheese pairing, we have divided cheeses into seven categories. These categories contain cheeses with similar characteristics and the same type of wine will pair well with all cheeses in a specific category.
Wine for Blue Cheese
Blue cheeses are pungent and salty, and require a sweet and bold wine to balance it. A sweet fortified red wine like Port is the classic blue cheese pairing, but a white sweet wine such as Sauternes or Vin Santo are also good choices.
Here are some of the classic wine pairings with blue cheese:
- Stilton with Port wine
- Roquefort with Sauternes
- Gorgonzola with Moscato d’Asti or Vin Santo
Wine for Hard Cheese
Due to the ageing when making hard cheese, it becomes firm and develops nutty and savory flavors. Some hard cheeses are quite salty. Most of them pair well with a medium-bodied red wine. The tannins and weight of this type of wine will balance the structure and flavor of the cheese.
Some classic wine pairings with hard cheeses are:
- Cheddar with Cabernet Sauvignon
- Grana Padano with Chianti or Merlot
- Young Manchego with white Rioja
- Aged Manchego with red Rioja or Garnacha
- Pecorino with Chianti Classico or Malbec
- Parmigiano-Reggiano with Montepulciano or Sangiovese
Wine for Semi-Soft Cheese
This type of cheese is not creamy, but it is also not hard enough to break into pieces. Semi-soft cheeses usually have a nutty and fairly mild flavor. This type of cheese pairs well with a rich, dry full-bodied white or a light-bodied red wine.
Some classic wine pairings with semi-soft cheeses are:
- Gruyère with Pinot Noir
- Comté with Gamay
- Emmenthal with Oaked Chardonnay
- Gouda with Carménère
Tips! The best wine for cheese fondue is a usually a white wine with good acidity, such as Grüner Veltliner.
Wine for Soft and Creamy Cheese
Soft and creamy cheeses are usually white on the outside due to the natural white mold. This cheese type tends to be creamy with a delicate buttery, sometimes pungent, flavor. These cheeses are best paired with wines that have good acidity to cut through the fat, such as sparkling wines and light-bodied white wines.
Classic wine parings for soft and creamy cheeses are:
- Brie with Champagne
- Camembert with Chardonnay
- Chaource with Champagne
- Cremont with Chablis
- Délice de Bourgogne with Cava
Wine for Goat Cheese
For goat cheese there is one classic pairing, and that is Sauvignon Blanc. The herbaceous character of the wine brings out the nutty and herbal flavors of the cheese.
Classic wine pairings with goat cheese are:
- Crottin de Chavignol with Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc
- Florette with Crémant de Loire
- Chèvre with Sauvignon Blanc
Wine for Washed-rind Cheese
Washed-rind cheeses have an orange rind and usually have a very strong and pungent aroma. They are usually creamy or semi-soft. These stinky cheeses require wines that balance the strong aromas of the cheese. Sweet and aromatic white wines are usually a good pairing with washed-rind cheeses. Riesling is an excellent wine pairing to this type of cheese because it has both high acidity and a hint of sweetness to balance the richness of the cheese. Red wines from the same region where the cheese is made can also be a good pairing.
Classic wine parings with washed-rind cheeses are:
- Munster with Gewürztraminer
- Morbier with Gewürztraminer
- Epoisses with red Bourgogne (Pinot Noir)
- Livarot with Gewürztraminer
- Taleggio with Barbera or Franciacorta
- Reblochon with red Bourgogne (Pinot Noir)
- Raclette with Riesling
Wine for Fresh Cheese
Fresh cheeses are a bit salty with a pronounced milky flavor and acidity. They are not aged and their flavor is mild. They need to be paired with delicate wines in order not to be overwhelmed. Good wines for fresh cheeses are crisp and dry light-bodied white wines.
Classic wine pairings with fresh cheeses are:
- Mozzarella with Pinot Grigio
- Ricotta with Vermentino or Chablis
- Feta with Assyrtiko or Sauvignon Blanc
- Grilled halloumi with Assyrtiko or a dry rosé wine
Enjoy your cheese and wine!
