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Wine & Cheese... Delectable Pair!
06/15/2016
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Wine and cheese – the two seem to go together like peas and car- rots. You see the pairing often at parties, receptions, and on wine tasting excursions. Even here at A Taste of Monterey, we offer a wide selection of cheeses to enjoy with a glass of wine. Most people take it for granted and think any piece of cheese will taste excellent with a sip of wine. But…it’s not that simple. In reality, pairing wine and cheese can be quite complicated, far more complicated than a chunk of Cheddar and a glass of Merlot. This is because there is not just one kind of cheese or one kind of wine. And like wine, cheese comes in a variety of forms. Cheeses vary in moisture and fat content, texture, and flavor. And, as we know, wines vary in acidity, sweetness, body, and structure. With all of the variance on both sides, the basic concept of pairing wine and cheese becomes far more challenging. But have no fear. We are here to help guide you along.First off, consider the age of the cheese. Young cheeses have higher water content and a more milky texture. As cheese ages, the moisture in it gradually evaporates, leaving a harder, more savory cheese. As cheese ages, it takes on more flavor. For example, a Brie cheese which has aged some will have added earthy notes, and cheese like Gruyere and Emmental will gain nutty flavors after aging. Aged Blue cheeses will be even more pungent. The general point here is that with aging, cheeses will tend to move from more of a delicate to bolder style. Sound familiar? It should, as the same general observation can be said about wine. So for this lesson, try pairing young with young, and old with old. Young cheeses may partner best with juicy, fruity, fresh, and spirited wines. Think of sparkling wines, crisp whites, dry rosés, and light, fruitier reds. Older cheeses tend to be more complex in their flavor profiles, so get out the older and bolder wines. But age is not the only factor to consider. The texture, saltiness, and pungency of the cheese as compared to a wine’s structure and sweetness have to be considered. Here are some things to keep in mind. Wines high in tannins are excellent paired with rich, aged cheeses, as the tannins bind to the protein and fat in cheese. But stay away from bold tannic wines and young cheeses. The wine will simply overpower the cheese. Additionally, sweet wines create a delectable balance with the saltiest of cheeses. Lastly, creamy cheeses blend well with buttery, oaky white wines. But now let’s get to some specific suggestions.  Young and Soft - Ricotta, Chèvre, Feta, Brie, and Camembert. All of these are cheeses you will love pairing with crisp whites, dry rosés, sparkling wines, and light-bodied reds. Rieslings, Gewϋrtraminer, Moscato, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais, and light Pinot Noir wines all have strong potential with these cheese selections. Stay away from big reds for sure though. Semi-Hard, Medium-Aged - Havarti, Edam, Emmental, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Brebis, young Cheddar, Monterey Jack (yes, it was in fact first made in Monterey), and Manchego. These cheeses are firmer and bolder, calling for medium-bod- ied whites and fruity reds. Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, white Rhône and Bordeaux-style blends, Viognier, Marsanne, Roussane, off-dry Rieslings, Pinot Noir, lighter Zinfandels, Merlot, Dolcetto – all would be solid choices. Hard & Aged - Aged Monterey Jack, aged Cheddar, Comté, aged Gruyère, aged Gouda, aged Manchego, and Asiago. These hard, aged cheeses tend to have both saltiness and nuttiness, and they love full-bodied wines. Aged white Bordeaux whites, white Rhône blends, vintage sparkling wines – all are potential good white pairs. But you’ll be safer going with big reds here: Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhône and Bordeaux-style blends, Malbec, Nebbiolo, Barolo, Petite Sirah, big Zinfandels, and heavy Syrahs. Although the saltiness factor here can also call for something sweet…so don’t be afraid to try a sweet Riesling, Sauternes, or a Port-style wine. Blue - Blue cheeses present an interesting challenge, as their strong flavor and elevated saltiness can overpower a lot of wines. Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cambozola, and Bleu d’Auvergne are all blue cheeses. Here we’re going to just recommend you go sweet. And while a sweet Riesling, Gewϋrtraiminer, or Late Harvest wines would do, we highly recommend trying a red port-style wine. Sounds odd we know, but you’ll be a true believer once you try for yourself. Here at A Taste of Monterey, we offer over twenty different artisan cheeses, including local and California-made cheeses, to try while you sip on a glass of fine Monterey County wine and take in our outstanding world-class views. We periodi- cally change our list in order to showcase enticing new chees- es we come across, but our current selections are listed below. Our Young and Soft selections include: Cypress Grove Hum- bolt Fog, Marin French Cheese Camembert, Di Stefano Bur- rata, House-Made Ricotta, and St. Nectaire. In the Semi-Hard, Medium-Age range, we offer Bell Weather Farms Carmody, Bravo Farms Premium White Cheddar, Schoch Family Farms Mt. Toro Tomme, Point Reyes Toma, and Goat Garrotxa. Our Hard & Aged and specialty selections include Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper, Vella Cheese Co. Dry Monterey Jack, Cypress Grove Midnight Moon, Fiscalini Purple Moon Cheddar, Shaft’s Bleu Cheese, and Bee Hive Barely Buzzed. We also know that cheese loves being accompanied by fruit and nuts. It’s not just to make the plate look nice – nuts and fruits can be excellent cheese pairings. Our culinary team has gone through each and every one of our cheese selections and has skillfully created a special accompaniment to go with each choice. Whether it is a slice of apple, dried fruit, local berry compote, special reduction drizzle, or honey comb, you can be sure that each cheese is com- plemented perfectly with these special bonuses. We also provide wine pairing selections for each cheese that will help guide you on your way to wine and cheese pairing bliss. Although we are not against, and in fact encourage, you to try your own cheese and wine pairing experi- ments. You may discover your own favorite unique combination, so have fun with it! |
Post By:
Bryce