Wine and cheese make an amazing duo if paired correctly. However certain factors must be taken into account when pairing these culinary treasures. Texture, acidity, fat, and tannin are important elements in cheese and wine matching. Although the possibilities are limitless, here are some spot on wine and cheese pairings.

Texture

Texture is crucial. Creamy and rich cheeses tend to pair well with oaky, buttery wines. Sparkling wines can also add a nice contrast as well and act as a palette cleanser in between bites. Camembert and champagne are spectacular match.

Salty & Sweet

As all culinary experts know, salty and sweet are a perfect combination. Aged Gouda, grana, and blue cheese taste wonderful with a sweet wine. This is because the saltiness exaggerates the sweetness in the wine, making it taste even sweeter.

Tannins

Red wines have a higher amount of tannins which means they go better with rich, aged cheeses. An unpleasant metallic aftertaste is typical when pairing a red wine with a young cheese because of the tannin binding to the little amount of fat the young cheeses have.

Fresh Cheeses

Fresh and tangy cheeses such as feta, burrata, and chèvre go very well with fruity, crisp and grassy wines like Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, light Rieslings and Sauvignon Blanc.

Creamy Cheese

Bloomy cheeses, which are creamy, decadent cheeses with a soft rind are best paired with sparkling wines or champagne. Brie, Camembert and Robiolo are all examples of bloomy cheeses.

Hard Cheese

Hard cheeses are sometimes aged cheeses, and are moderately salty. Gruyere, Parmesan, Gouda, and cheddar are all types of hard cheese. Zinfandels, Merlots, Chiantis, and Cabernet Sauvignons all pair nicely with hard cheeses.

Blue Cheese

Blue cheeses are pungent, salty, distinctly flavored and have blue streaks and specks throughout as a result of molds that the cheeses have been treated with. Gorgonzola and Stilton are both blue cheeses and combine wonderfully with Ports and Rieslings.

General Guidelines

Here are key tips to keep in mind when pairing wine and cheese:
1. Most cheeses go better with white wine because of its low amount of tannins only the hardest aged cheeses go well with red wines.
2. Lighter cheeses go the best with lighter wines.
3. Blue cheese and sweet wine are a match made in heaven. This one combination that is tried and true, even if all else fails.
4. Buy aged or light red wines, for the least amount of tannins. Beaujolais are a good example of a low tannin red.