Summer Wine + Cheese Pairing

Happy national wine day! What better way to celebrate than with a wine and cheese pairing? The first time I ever experienced a true food and wine pairing with cheeses meant to complement each wine was at Kuhlman Cellars in Texas Hill Country. I had no idea food and wines could work together so harmoniously. The best wine and cheese tasting experience I’ve ever had was at Williamson Wines in Healdsburg, where they paired a very unique cheese topped with a winery made spread in conjunction with each of their wines. You would be surprised what tasting a wine on its own, tasting the cheese, and then tasting the wine again can do to the flavors and aromas of the wine. Do you really ever need an excuse to drink wine and eat cheese? Summer finally arriving is a good enough reason for me. Don’t believe me? Then let the wine and cheese do all the talking. 

Sauvignon Blanc + Goat Cheese

A dry, crisp sauvignon blanc is one of my favorite wine varietals, but I swear it tastes better during the summer. When you have a flavorful, fruity sauvignon blanc, you don’t need the sweetness because the fruitiness balances the dryness perfectly, (not that I’m biased). Goat cheese is the perfect partner for this flagship New Zealand wine. When it comes to acidity, either you want to match the acidity or have a rich, fatty food that the wine will cut through (congruent or contrasting). In this case, the tangy, acidity in the cheese can keep up with the acidic sauvignon blanc and makes for a corresponding pair.

Fruity RosÉ + Havarti

There isn’t much better on a beautiful summer day than a chilled glass of rosé. This fruity varietal goes best with a semi-soft cheese like havarti. The acidity in this wine that can cut through a buttery havarti makes for a congruent pair. I spiced it up with a herby dill havarti cheese and after a bite of cheese, it made the wine even smoother. Pack a havarti and turkey sandwich to go along with your rosé for the perfect picnic lunch.

Pinot Grigio + Burrata

I may be biased, but you could probably drink absolutely anything with burrata and it would still melt in your mouth and make you want to eat an unhealthy amount of it. Pinot grigio is an easy drinking dry white wine, which is the reason it was the first dry wine I started drinking. It’s usually high in acidity, and not quite as fruit forward as sauvignon blanc (in my opinion), so it needs something fatty to cut through it. Burrata is simply mozzarella cheese, with cream added to it. So as you can imagine, this cream filled cheese is the perfect partner for a crisp, dry pinot grigio. A glass of pinot grigio and a burrata caprese salad makes for the ultimate summer lunch.

Moscato d’Asti + Gorgonzola or Blue

Usually, I don’t gravitate toward sweet wines, but I have learned to appreciate a well-balanced, quality sweet wine. Moscato d'Asti is a prime example, which balances acidity and sweetness. I will admit I was most excited to find a cheese to pair with this wine because it has so much personality. So why not pair it with something bold like gorgonzola or blue cheese? This sweet sparkling wine balances with the saltiness from the cheese. These two are the definition of a power couple!

Champagne + Brie

This is a very classic combination for a couple reasons. First, they’re both French. Secondly, this is a textbook example of a contrasting food and wine pairing, (think opposites attract). Start with a  sip of crisp, bubbly champagne, then take a bite of the creamy brie, then follow it with another sip of champagne. Isn’t it amazing the difference it can make on the wine? I’m not going to ruin the surprise on this pairing, so you’ll have to taste and see for yourself.