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When a memorable wine and cheese pairing, the primary thing you have to know is: If it tastes right, do it! I'm sure you're heard all the fancy chefs sharing about what cheese works with your choice of wine; however, when you make your selection, it's all about personal taste. You may prefer your favorite cheese with your favorite wine. My best recommendation is for you to be in a mood experiment and enjoyment. Choose several cheeses and several wines. You will find one pairing that is best for you and another for someone else. You will enjoy yourself more if you are open to all combinations. wine tasting parties will create conversation. It will be a great time. It will be delicious. And it will be amusing.
Cheese and wine have a great deal in common, and they have been enjoyed together since ancient times. Both result from fermentation. Both may be consumed while fresh, simple, and young or in their more complex forms when they are aged.
When joined, wine and cheese bring out the best in each other, and even the wine snobes can't agree on any guidelines for the wine and cheese pairing game. Now certainly, if you're reading this, you're a smarty pants like the rest of us, and with snobs, there's no worry about faux pas in wine and cheese pairings - say like snacking on Cheese Whiz while sipping boxed Ripple.
There are no hard and fast rules as to which wines should always be served with a precise} cheeses. There is a general guideline that cheeses of a certain locale are best paired with wines of the same locale. But, just as one bottle of zinfandel from the France is not like that of another vintage or another producer, neither is one quesco cotija exactly like another. Both are living and constantly changing. This is what makes pairing cheese and wine fascinating as well as pleasurable.
Even though it comes down to personal taste, certain general rules have been supported by most of chefs. Here are some of those general rules:
- White wines match well with soft cheeses and stronger flavors.
- Red wines match well with hard cheeses and milder flavors.
- Fruity and sweet white wines (not dry) and dessert wines match well with a broader range of cheeses.
- The more zesty the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.
- Compatibilty should always exist between the cheese and the wine. They should have similar strength. There should always be a parity - strong and powerful cheeses should be paired with similar wines and light cheeses should be paired with lighter wines.
- A complete list of recommended wine and cheese groupings can be found at temecula-wine.net.
When offering several cheese selections in a wine and cheese pairing spread, white wines are recieved better than reds. That's because several cheeses, particularly soft and creamy ones, leave a after taste of fat on the palate that block the flavor in reds, rendering them monotonous and bland.
Quite the opposite, most of those sweeter whites nicely pair with many of cheeses. The "sparkle" in a sparkling wine or champagne can help break through the fat in heavier cheeses.Therefore, the spicy zing of a Gewztraminer or the peachy zip of a Riesling is perfect if you're going for a wide appeal.
If you're an adventurist and willing to try the stinkiest of cheese, pick a big wine to back it up. Try a French Bordeaux or a buxom California Cab. Ports and dessert wines are your best combination if you like mold-donned or blue-veined cheeses.
When serving several wines, choose Parmigiano or Romano cheeses. They go with most wines.
A Wine and Cheese Pairing Party to Remember
Here are a few ideas for setting up a well received wine and cheese pairing gathering for your friends:
- Purchase your cheeses in large wedges for the best presentation.
- Cheeses should be served at room temperature. Pull them out of the fridge several hours prior to your gathering.
- Serve most wines fairly cool whites between 50-55 degrees and reds between 60-65 degrees.
- Let your reds breathe 15-20 minutes after you open them.
- Print typed name cards for all your cheeses.
- Display cheese on a pretty china platter a wood cheese board, or even a slab of marble .
Ultimately, the perfect wine and cheese pairing is not a rule. It is a match made on the palates of each of your guests. Start with the basic guidelines above and then experiment with the new pairings. You never know which pairings will end up to be your choice. |
