How to Pair Food and Wine with Different Cheeses

If you are serving cheese to guests you likely want to make sure that you are making the most of those cheeses by serving them with the appropriate beverages and foods. There are many different ways that you can pair beverages and cheeses although the guidelines about which foods to serve can be somewhat harder to find. A commonly accepted rule of thumb is to pair a cheese with food and wine that comes from the same area where that cheese was made. Here is a look at some different ways that you can pair foods and beverages with cheeses and some suggestions for commonly served cheeses as well.

Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar cheeses can be interesting to deal with. Many people are familiar with this cheese but may not be aware of the changes that it undergoes as it ages. A young, unripe Cheddar will be very different than Cheddar cheese that has aged for several years. Even Cheddars that have aged for many years will be different than cheeses that have only been aging for a year or two.

Cheddar cheese is very versatile and can be served with many different foods. Everything from breads and meats to fruits can be served with Cheddars. You may want to be careful not to overload your guests’ taste buds. If you will be serving very flavorful aged Cheddar cheese you may want to serve it with food such as breads and crackers. Younger Cheddar cheese will work better with meat and fruit as the different flavors will offset each other quite nicely.

When serving wine with Cheddar cheese, you may want to serve a white wine with younger Cheddar. Good choices include Champagne and Chardonnay. Look for wines that have crisp acidity and a lighter weight to them. Aged Cheddars will do well with a red wine such as a Cabernet, or a red or white Rioja from Spain. If you love white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc will work well with aged Cheddar.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella can have a flavor that is softer and more delicate than Cheddar and would call for a different choice of wine and food. Because Mozzarella was originally Italian, good choices would include foods that also come from Italy. Fresh tomatoes served with fresh basil can be a great option to serve alongside Mozzarella. A salty meat such as prosciutto would also work well to accompany Mozzarella. An Italian wine such as a Reserva Chianti is a great choice to serve with Mozzarella. If you are not a fan of Chianti, you may also want to try Sangiovese, another Italian wine with a great amount of flavor.

Gouda

Gouda is a cheese that many people may not be familiar. Once they try it, this cheese’s flavor makes it extremely popular and it has a very loyal following. Its mild, nutty flavor and soft texture make it a fantastic choice to serve with fresh fruit and crackers. Try slices of apples or pears and other fruits such as grapes. Citrus fruit is not a good idea since the acidity can be a problem. You may find that smoked Gouda may taste better with a different selection of food and wine. Wines that work well with Gouda include Riesling and Champagne.

As you can see, different cheeses call for different food and beverages to bring out their best qualities. Serving a selection of different cheeses may call for the serving of different wines or beers in order for your guests to truly experience cheese at its best.

-Written by Lisa Longworth