the top 5 tips

Before we even get started here, remember the golden rule – always serve your cheese at room temperature. All the flavours will be at their best in order to help you match well with your drinks. And despite what you’d expect, wine isn’t the only drink to pair cheese with.

5 things to consider when pairing cheese and drinks

1. Match intensity with intensity

Big flavoured, intense cheese requires a strong match just as more delicate cheeses work well with lighter matches.

• Fresh Goats Cheese with Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc
• Persian Fetta with Sparkling Sweet Cider
• Cheddar with Cabernet Sauvignon
• Aged Gouda with whiskey or Bourbon

2. Match texture with texture

Just as important is matching the ‘mouthfeel’ of your cheese to its partnering drink’s similar characteristics.

• A creamy Camembert with a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay.

3. Match natives together

It is said that cheeses that are made in a particular region of the world will pair naturally with wines from the same area.

• Parmigiano-Reggiano with a robust Italian Pinot Grigio or Manchego with a dry Spanish Sherry.

4. Look for a connecting flavour

Find a cheese that has an abundance of natural sweet fruitiness and match it with a similarly sweet match. Even better find a condiment or fruit that compliments the cheese and is present in the drink you’re matching it with for a full flavour bomb!

• Triple Cream Brie with spiced fig jam and an aged Port or Muscat.

5. Contrast Salty with Sweet

Contrasting these two opposites can be one of the best matching experiences and when you get it right, your tastebuds are in for a great ride!

• Roquefort or full flavoured, salty blues with sweet sherry or dessert wines.