Category

Examples

Wine/Cheese Style

Grape Varietal

Wine Recommendation

Soft, Unripened Cheeses

Creme Fraiche
Cottage Cheese
Boursin
Cream Cheese

These cheeses are high in moisture content, very young and mild, although Chevre can have a bit of an acidic bite. Fresh, light, crisp white wines are your best bet.

Reisling
Sauvignon Blanc

Kabinett
Sancerre
Champagne

Soft, Ripened Cheeses

Bloomy Rind:
Brie
Camembert

Washed Rind:
Pied de Vent
Epoisses
Feta

These cheeses are very soft due to high fat and moisture content. Their flavour gets stronger with age.   Washed rind cheeses are pungent and often referred to as "smelly".

Believe it or not, Medium Reds.
Try Nebbiolo
Dolcetto
Pinot Noir


Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Riesling

Barolo
Dolcetta D’Alba
Burgundy


Alsace Grand Crus

Semi- Soft, Ripened Cheeses

Light Bodied:
Mozarella
Bocconcini

Full Bodied:
Muenster
Oka
Morbier
Havarti
La Migneron

Light, Crisp White Wines



Pungent, moist cheeses respond well to simple reds or powerful whites

Sauvignon Blanc




Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Riesling
Gamay

Sancerre



Alsace Grand Crus


Cru Beajolais
Niagara

Category

Examples

Wine/Cheese Style

Grape Varietal

Wine Recommendation

Firm, Ripened Cheeses

Colby
Edam
Cheddar
Gruyere
Gouda
Jarlsberg
Provolone

Difficult to generalize here, but the firmer and saltier a cheese, the greater it's affinity toward a full bodied red wine. Remember, the stronger the cheese, the less refined the wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Syrah/Shiraz

Bordeaux
California
Rhone
Australia

Hard, Ripened Cheeses

Parmigiano
Pecorino
Grana Padano

Parmigiano Reggiano, made from summer milk is a taste sensation - rich, nutty and tart.

A good match for full bodied reds, including Amarone and Port.

Touriga Nacional

Corvina, Rondinella & Molinara

Vintage Port

Amarone

Blue Vein Cheeses

Soft:
Cambozola

Medium Firm:
Stilton
Roquefort
Gorgonzola

Try a sweet wine with high acidity

The traditional match

here is a sweet wine,

either botrytis affected,

fortified or made from

fozen grapes.

Note: Due to their high

levels of acidity, ice

wines are a great match

for many cheeses.

Chenin Blanc
Reisling
 

T. Nacional
Semillon
Furmint
Riesling

Vouvray
(Moelleux)

Auslese

Vintage Port
Sauternes
Tokaji Aszu
Ice Wine

Category

Examples

Wine Style

Grape Varietal

Wine Recommendation

Farmstead Cheddar

Montgomery’s
Keen’s

Made in the area

of Somerset,

England, these

cheddars are a

gastronomic

experience. Forget

what you think you

know about cheddar

and try  one of these

masterpieces

Burgundy
Pinot Noir
Bordeaux

Cabernet Sauvignon
Nebbiolo
Syrah/Shiraz
Chardonnay
(from Burgundy)

Barolo