The SIXTH thing you need to know about cheese! It’s the wine!
On the TODAY Show I showed our viewers the 5 Things You Need to Know About Cheese.
Watch the segment from TODAY:
But here on iVillage, we go one step further…
Few things go together as beautifully as wine and cheese. Have you ever wondered why?
The major reason is the tannin. Tannin is that chalky, dry taste you get when you drink strong tea. What do many of us put in tea? Milk. And the reason is that it cuts the tannin. Red wine has more tannin than white wine, but tannin is a major factor why cheese and wine go together so well: it is a marriage of taste.
But some of these marriages don't work. You need, as the psychologists (and biologists) say, the right chemistry of the right cheese to the right wine.
Wines for light, creamy cheeses:
These include Brie, Camembert, Fontina, Gouda, Saint Andrè, Mozzarella, etc. Any cheese that is fresh, creamy, and not aged too long so it develops that "ripe" flavor. This includes a lot of Goat and Sheep cheeses, as long as they are not aged so long that they become like a Pecorino Romano (made from Sheep's milk).
These would include cheeses like aged Cheddar, aged Asiago, Parmigiano (Reggiano), Pecorino Romano, Gruyère, and others that are spicy and powerful. These are big cheeses, and you want the tannins of big reds to cut through and compliment the spice and full flavors. Sometimes a big, oaky Chardonnay will do, but more often than not you will want a red wine. The blue penicillium running through the large variety of blue cheeses available requires the heaviest wines.
More from Phil Lempert
Few things go together as beautifully as wine and cheese. Have you ever wondered why?
The major reason is the tannin. Tannin is that chalky, dry taste you get when you drink strong tea. What do many of us put in tea? Milk. And the reason is that it cuts the tannin. Red wine has more tannin than white wine, but tannin is a major factor why cheese and wine go together so well: it is a marriage of taste.
But some of these marriages don't work. You need, as the psychologists (and biologists) say, the right chemistry of the right cheese to the right wine.
Wines for light, creamy cheeses:
These include Brie, Camembert, Fontina, Gouda, Saint Andrè, Mozzarella, etc. Any cheese that is fresh, creamy, and not aged too long so it develops that "ripe" flavor. This includes a lot of Goat and Sheep cheeses, as long as they are not aged so long that they become like a Pecorino Romano (made from Sheep's milk).
- White grape varietals: Crisp white wines, or wines with bubbles, or a slight sweetness. Sauvignon blanc (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumè, Fumè Blanc), Chardonnay, Riesling (dry or slightly sweet), Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio). Champagne and sparkling wines are great choices too. The bubbles cut through the creaminess.
- Red grape varietals: Light reds, sparkling reds or rosè. Think of warm weather reds. Gamay (Beaujolais), Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, and the lighter varieties of Tempranillo (Rioja), Granache & Sangiovese.
These would include cheeses like aged Cheddar, aged Asiago, Parmigiano (Reggiano), Pecorino Romano, Gruyère, and others that are spicy and powerful. These are big cheeses, and you want the tannins of big reds to cut through and compliment the spice and full flavors. Sometimes a big, oaky Chardonnay will do, but more often than not you will want a red wine. The blue penicillium running through the large variety of blue cheeses available requires the heaviest wines.
- Red grape varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, Merlot, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo (Rioja or California), Sangiovese or Super Tuscans, and last but not least, Port.
More from Phil Lempert
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