Wine Tasting Understanding Wine

Wine Tasting - Pairing Wine and Cheese As you begin to attend wine tasting events, you will find that cheese is often paired with the wine. Part of being knowledgeable in the area of wine tasting is knowing what cheese goes well with which wine. While this knowledge is almost a basic self defence mechanism at first, when you are attending a wine tasting party hosted by someone else, you may someday want to host your own wine tasting event, or be asked to help someone else, and being "in the know" about pairing cheese and wines will be invaluable...and make you seem like an "expert". It might seem that this is just a minor bit of lore to learn, but, be aware that there actually are countries which honor the proper pairing of the right wine with the right cheese. For example, you may be interested in knowing that in Canada there is a national attitude about cheese and wine as a beautiful pair which are to be served during special occasions and in formal table settings. Attitudes and beliefs like these are not new and not that rare. Long before wine tasting became the social phenomenon it is today, people really had a thing for the perfect pairing of wine and cheese. So much so today, that a wine tasting can never be considered good without the presence of cheese...and the right cheese is critical. People have actually been seeking the best combinations of wine and cheese for literally thousands of years! Both products are created from the things which people first began "manufacturing" for food, and both reach their best taste through the aging process. It seems natural that wine and cheese might be tried together, and, with the modern range of wine made from many types of grape, in regions around the world, grown in various soils and climates, the search for the perfect pairing of wine and cheese has become a common part of the art of wine tasting. A traditional view is that cheese and wine should be paired according to their strength and region. It is felt that this will prevent one from overpowering the other. Another, more technical point of view, is based on the levels of tannin present in the wine. Red wines have considerably higher concentrations of these substances than white wines, and they can strongly the wine-cheese pairing. For this reason, "experts" feel that wines that have a higher level of tannin will pair well with "hard" cheeses. Creamier cheeses seem to work better with a wine that has a higher dose of acidity. Fruitier, crispier wines are teamed up with fresher and whiter cheeses. Heavier cheeses can be partnered with ligher wines such as light reds or even whites such as Chardonnay. Wine served during desserts or with sweets, will, surprisingly, work well with a strong cheese. According to the folks over at thewinebar.com some of the examples that you can follow in choosing the best wine and cheese combination are as follows: A well aged cheddar can go well with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Syrah or Zinfandel A blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort, goes nicely with Port, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, or other sweet wine blends. Brie matches well with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and most sparkling wines and sweet wine blends. Goat cheese, also known as Chevre, teams up nicely with Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Malbec. Looking at it from the wine's point of view, Cabarnet Franc could be teamed with Munster or Gouda, Riesling (generally a sweet wine) or Sauvignon Blanc with cheeses from goats such as Feta, Emmental or even Averti. Syrah, shown above as going well with an aged Cheddar, will also go well with Gubbeen or Chaput. By the way, although we are talking here about pairing wine and cheese, wine can also go well with fruit, nuts, honey, meats, and certain breads. Once you step into the world of wine, you are also inextricably linked to food. The cheese you choose can come from different sources, such as cow’s milk, ewe or sheep’s milk and goat’s milk. Traditionalists are usually favor the rules of wines and cheeses which have been popular for decades...or even centuries. For the radicals of the wine-cheese pairing world, experimentation favors experimentation with alternative pairings. For you wine and cheese pairing anarchists, and I know you're out there, there are no rules to restrain you. If you would want to know the status of wines from all over the globe, there are sites such as thewinebar.com which, at least, give you an insight into the "best" wine and cheese pairings. Wine and cheese is a classic pairing, and will take time to learn. However, your taste is going to tell you what you like best, and you might even find a wine and cheese combination which others haven't discovered yet. Keep in mind, that with the proliferation of smaller wineries around the world, a Riesling from California may not taste quite the same as a traditional German Riesling. Wine and cheese have been the perfect pair for centuries, but there are new wines coming on the market every day, and finding the right combination may involve a little experimentation.

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Wine Tasting - Pairing Wine and Cheese - Copyright 2019 by Donovan Baldwin
Page Updated 10:04 AM Monday 11/11/2019