No Fuss Wine & Cheese Pairings

Pairing wine with cheese doesn’t have to be difficult and can make even a novice host look like an expert! Use this handy guide to pair easy-to-find cheeses with the perfect wine.

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 medium red wines like Merlot, Shiraz or Spanish reds.

Brie cheese and jam on a circular wooden tray

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.

Blocks of blue cheese and grapes on a rectangular wooden tray

Swiss

Swiss is a hard cheese with a nutty flavor, a firm texture and large shiny eyes.  Pair Swiss with fruity red wines, including white Zinfandel, Gamay Beaujolais or Pinot Noir. Want to impress your guests even more — share this fun fact: Ohio produces more Swiss cheese than any other state!

Wedges of Swiss cheese on a wooden serving tray

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 red wines like a fruity Gamay Beaujolais or create contrast with a fruity white Riesling.

Blocks of white cheddar, grapes and crackers on a silver tray

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.

Chunks of parmesan and a serving knife on a wooden tray

What’s your favorite wine and cheese pairing? Comment below!

Comments

  1. 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.

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