When selling wine, it is a good practice for customers to pair it with cheese. The protein and saltiness thoroughly coat the mouth and disguises the harsh and bitter tannins of the wine.

Pairing wine and cheese without careful consideration make for an unsatisfactory experience. As a rule, the darker the wine, the more complex or harder the cheese should be, with lighter wines doing well with softer cheeses.

A strong cheese like Parmesan that is used in cooking requires a more intense wine (red wines) to complement its flavor profile properly. Semi-hard cheeses such as Emmental or Cotija develop their intense, salty flavor after maturing from soft, creamy milk-like curds into more tangy, robust, and crusted discs. Time and patience play an essential role in turning freshly-made cheeses into those smoky, nutty, and meaty flavors that people love. Generally speaking, darker wine staples such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Malbec have an intense and concentrated profile that couples wonderfully with the stronger tones of hard cheeses like cheddar.

For soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert – where the center melts with that luscious and glorious gooey consistency – you would need the acidity of a crisp, light white wine to cut through the flavor. These soft or semi-mature cheeses have a high-fat content that would be overwhelmingly rich after a while without something cutting the fat. This is where the role of the crisp yet light wines come into play – they minimize that cloying feeling in your mouth after a bite of the softer cheeses yet still complement cheeses like Bocconcini without overriding it.

We want to share with you three pairing suggestions for when you feel like having wine and cheese:

First, don’t be afraid to contrast and complement. Sometimes, opposites do work! Pairing a citrusy wine such as Picpoul de Pinet or a sweet Gewürztraminer with a crusted hard cheese may be horrible on paper, but don’t knock it until you have tried it. You just might be surprised on how well these two distinct flavor profiles complement each other. Another idea? Nutty and meaty cheeses with a bottle of a fruity, white wine. This tip is for the bold and daring – you might not always land the mark, but you might just surprise yourself in the process.

Second, location pairings. Pairing cheese with a locally grown wine from the same region is one of the more logical choices and makes a lot of sense. If you are looking for an adventure, you can pay homage to the areas that produce matching wine and cheese, such as the Loire Valley in France, where you can have the soft Goat Cheese with its native Sauvignon Blanc, or to Spain with the Spanish Garnacha with the sweet Manchego. If you take a trip to Italy, be sure to stop by Tuscany to have a glass of Chianti made from Sangiovese grapes with a bite of an aged Pecorino Toscano. A USA native? There just might be a secret pairing under your nose: California’s Zinfandel with the sharp Oregon blue cheese to delight the palate.

Lastly, choosing your wine and cheese that complement each other, otherwise known as a texture match. This might be the most decisive factor when pairing cheeses with wines. You do not want to have a light, and milky cheese like Époisses de Bourgogne with a hefty and richer red wine as that would spell catastrophe for your meal. Remember the golden rule: “The darker the wine, the harder the cheese.” An example of a good texture match for bold, red wines is the Parmesan-style varieties like Grana Padano. Sweeter wines like Moscato and Port would pair wonderfully with funkier cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort. However, as stated above, there are some exceptions when it comes to specific pairings, depending on how adventurous the person’s palate could be. Just remember the golden rule and you’re good to go. Maybe you could even discover another brilliant pairing!

Even novice wine-drinkers would be disappointed when they taste a Sauvignon Blanc with a piece of hard and robust cheese such as a Parmigiano-Reggiano. Although people could be as adventurous as they please, it is always a good idea to start from the basics if you have no idea what to do. Soft, creamy Camembert needs to be balanced by the acidic notes of Sancerre, with the wine cutting through the fat and leaving you with a refreshing and invigorating note. A solid red wine goes smoothly with the more robust Cheddar or Pecorino on the other end of the spectrum. A good pairing always complements the flavor of the other and never overpowers their essence.

Here at Aeos Auctions, we enjoy sharing with you the best way to enjoy two of the most incredible gustatory discoveries humankind has made.

Drinking a glass of good wine with a balancing charcuterie of cheese should not be limited to only a select few, although to experience it fully, you have to know how to pair them together.

We ensure that your preferred wine and cheese complement each other: no amateur mistakes, no socially awkward gaffes.

Cheese & Wine Pairing. We share good taste. Only at Aeos Auctions.