Pairing wine with cheese doesn’t have to be difficult and can make even a novice host look like an expert! Whether you are making a cheese board or enjoying snack, use this handy guide to pair easy-to-find cheeses with the perfect wine, beer, non alcoholic beverage and snacks!
Brie
Brie is a soft cheese that makes for an excellent dessert because of its mild flavor and creamy texture. Its thin, white crust is edible — really! Pair brie with:
- Dry oaked chardonnay or medium red wines like merlot
- Shandy or Belgian wheat beer
- Sparkling water, hot chocolate or white grape juice
- Chutney, dried fruit or fig jam
Blue
Blue is a semi-soft cheese, noted for its crumbly texture, silky consistency and salty flavor. Pair Blue cheese with:
- Hearty red wines including Burgundy, zinfandel, Bordeaux or cabernet sauvignon
- IPAs, stouts or dark, creamy porters
- Peppermint tea, apple cider or pear juice
- Cranberries, cherries or apricots
Swiss
Swiss is a hard cheese with a nutty flavor, a firm texture and large shiny eyes. Impress your guests and share this fun fact: Ohio produces more Swiss cheese than any other state! Pair Swiss with:
- White wines such as gewürztraminer or riesling or fruity red wines such as beaujolais or pinot noir
- Lagers, amber ales or malty bock
- Fruit juice or sparkling cider
- Cured meats, almonds, pretzels or peaches
Cheddar
Cheddar is a hard cheese that gains a sharper flavor the more it ages and can be found in yellow and white varieties. Pair Cheddar cheese with:
- Full bodied cabernet sauvignon or fruity white wines like riesling
- Hoppy IPAs and Belgian ales
- Chamomile tea, black iced tea or cider
- Hearty sausage, blackberries or apples
Parmesan
Parmesan is a very hard cheese with a robust flavor. Did you know that Parmesan provides about 11 grams of protein per ounce, which is more than any other type of cheese? Pair Parmesan with:
- Full-bodied red wines like Burgundy, zinfandel, Bordeaux or cabernet sauvignon
- Light beers such as pilsner or golden ale
- Coffee, espresso or rooibos tea
- Walnuts, dried fruits, grapes or figs
What’s your favorite cheese pairing? Comment below!
For Parmesan my absolute favorite is Amarone della Valpolicella!
Soft cheeses I like with Merlot or Swiss white wine!
The hearty of the Swiss cheeses I like to have with Rhone valley or Nebbiolo grape wines!
I think that is already too much, …. But those are the two things in live I like most, cheese and wine, growing up with an Italian mom and a real Berner Swiss dad, the right combination.
Every good pizza has plenty of cheese and goes with you favorite wine or beer