How to Pair Cheese With Wine (BEGINNER’S GUIDE)
Though cheese and wine is a classic pairing; knowing how to pair them together may be a tad more challenging if you have no idea where to start (oh ya, and pricier for trial and error too).
In relative to beer pairing (click here to read our guide on how to pair cheese with beer), wine is a little tougher to pair.
Here’s Why Not All Wine and Cheese are Compatible
Are cheese and wine really ‘best buddies?’
The truth is, NOT ALWAYS!
Even the most expensive and the most magnificent of red wines can hinder the flavors of cheese if you are not careful.
The tannins in wine may interact with the butterfat, rind, and lactic bacteria of cheese. They will overwhelm your palate and stifle the aromas of cheeses.
This often results in bitter aftertaste and can cause major disappointment for both cheese and wine lovers alike.
If you want to avoid an unpleasant experience, check out and try these wine and cheese pairings below instead…
Also read: Best Wine and Cheese Pairings: The Ultimate Guide
Eating Cheese With Wine the Fail-proof Ways (PAIRINGS)
| Cheese | Wine |
|---|---|
| Fresh, Whey, and Stringy Cheeses | Rosé, Dry Whites, Demi-sec Whites, Low-tannin Fruity Reds |
| Soft Cheeses with Natural Rinds | Rosé, Dry White (with fairly ripened cheeses), Demi-sec Whites (with ripened cheeses), Low tannin Fruity Reds (with fairly younger cheeses) |
| Soft Cheeses with Bloomy Rinds | Slightly Fruity Whites, Low-tannin Fruity Reds |
| Uncooked Pressed Cheeses | Dry Whites (with young cheeses), Fruity Red with No Astringency (with young or semi-ripened cheeses), Vins doux Naturels (aka naturally sweetened wines with fairly ripened cheese) |
| Cooked Pressed Cheeses | Dry Whites, Vins Jaunes of Jura, Reds (with young cheeses) |
| Soft Cheeses with Washed Rinds | Sweet Whites, Dessert Whites |
| Blue-veined Cheeses | Sweet Whites, Dessert Whites, Moderately Aged Red Wines with Soft Tannins, Vinx doux Naturels (aka Naturally Sweet Wines) |
Also read: 4 Simple Cheese Pairing Tips for Beginners
4 Beginner-friendly Cheese and Wine Pairing Tips
#1 Pair wine and cheese of the same color
If you have no clue then try matching colors. In general, white wine suits cheeses better than red wine.
A matured yellow Comté works well with nutty vin jaune (yellow wine) from the Jura. On the other hand, a young whiter-note Comté goes better with a drier white wine.
Bonus tip:
If you currently only have red wine, choose cheeses with colored rinds such as aged Cantal, Epoisses, Saint-Nectaire, dry goat’s cheeses, etc.
#2 Pair wine and cheese from the same region:
What grows together goes together. You can pair Pecorino Romano with Chianti (central Italy). Manchego with Rioja or bubbly cava (northwest region of Spain).
#3 Pair wine and cheese of the same intensities
Pairing a complex, robust, and full-bodied red wine with young and mild goat cheese like chèvre will simply overwhelm the taste of the cheese.
#4 Pair Sweet Wine with Salty Cheese and Vice Versa
Flavor contrast is another beginner-friendly way to pair wine with cheese.
Dry tannic goes well with strong full-bodied cheeses… because fat has the beautiful effect of mellowing the tannic qualities of wine.
Salty robust blue cheeses go well with sweet wines like P.X. Sherry (the sweetest wine in the world) and Rutherglen Muscat – their opposites match one another’s strength.
Bonus tip:
Dare to pair beyond the common red wine! Pairing red with cheese is a classic pairing but going beyond the red will help you experience both surprising and delicious combinations.
Also read: A Comprehensive Guide to Enjoying Cheese Platter with Wine
Cheese And Wine Pairings You Should Definitely Try
| Cheese | Wine |
|---|---|
| Young Fresh Cheeses like Chèvre, Burrata, and Ricotta | Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Rosé, Unoaked Reds |
| Bloomy Rinds | Sparkling White Wines, Unoaked Chardonnays, Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc, Fruity Reds |
| Feta | Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Light-bodied Beaujolais |
| Alpine Cheeses | Spicy Fruity Rosé |
| Comté and Bloomy Rinds | Orange Wines |
| Blue Cheeses | Full-bodied Red and Dessert Wines (like Port) |
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