Wine and Cheese Pairing Chart

This is not, by any means, a comprehensive listing of all the wine and cheese pairings there are in the world. However, the below chart is a great starting point for wine and cheese enthusiasts. Most of the information comes from this chart on Gourmet Sleuth, in addition to the type of cheese it is (cow, goat, sheep, etc).

Why does wine and cheese taste so amazing together? It's said that the fat content of cheese is a perfect match to the acidity of wine, and smooths over any "faults" that may be in your glass of vino. I refer you to this article by LiveScience - it's a great primer on why certain foods just seem to go together.

Cheese and Charcuterie Board at Bin 228 Gastropub

The other night I had an amazing cheese and charcuterie board at Bin 228 with my boyfriend. The cheeses were: gouda and manchego, with coppa and prosciutto, cornichons and grilled bread. I paired it with a 2015 Riesling by Chateau Montelena (yes, that Chateau Montelena). It was perfection. The wine was dry, slightly acidic, but still fruity with hints of lemon. It also paired perfectly with the decadent truffled fonduta we ordered after (not pictured). Next time I'll have to try a Spanish red with the Manchego.... you know what they say, "What grows together, goes together."

Happy eating!

Cheese	Country	Type	Type	Wines
Asiago	Italy	Hard	Cow	Riesling, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc, Prosecco
Beaufort	France	Hard	Cow	Red Bordeaux
Blue Cheese	All	Blue	Cow	Madeira, Sherry, Riesling
Brie	France	Soft	Cow	Champagne, Merlot, Sherry
Camembert	France	Soft	Cow	Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc,
Cheddar	All	Semi-Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc
Chevre	France	Semi-Soft	Goat	Champage, Gewurztraminer
Colby	USA	Semi-Soft	Cow	Champagne, Malbec, Riesling
Comte	France	Semi-Hard	Cow	Cabernet Sauv, French Reds
Derby	Britain	Hard	Cow	Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
Edam	Netherlands	Hard	Cow	Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Riesling
Emmenthal	Switzerland	Hard	Cow	Beaujolais
Feta	Greece	Semi-soft	Sheep	Beaujolais
Fontina	Italy	Semi-soft	Cow	Pinot Grigio
Goat Cheese	France	Soft	Goat	Sancerre, Vouvray, Sauvignon Blanc
Gouda	Netherlands	Semi-Hard	Cow	Champagne, Malbec, Riesling, Merlot
Gruyere	Switzerland	Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc
Halloumi	Cyprus	Semi-Hard	Sheep	Rose, New World Whites
Harvati	Denmark	Semi-soft	Cow	Red Bordeaux, Rioja
Jarlsberg	Norway	Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Zinfandel
Kasseri	Greece	Semi-Soft	Sheep	Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel
Limburger	Germany	Soft	Cow	Beer
Manchego	Spain	Hard	Sheep	Merlot, Rioja, Garnacha
Monterey Jack	USA	Semi-Hard	Cow	Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Zinfandel
Muenster	France	Soft	Cow	Beaujolais
Neufchatel	France	Soft	Cow	Loire Valley Wines (i.e. Sancerre)
Parmagiano	Italy	Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Chianti
Pecorino	Italy	Hard	Sheep	Chianti
Piave	Italy	Hard	Cow	Zinfandel, Italian Reds
Raclette	Switzerland	Semi-Hard	Cow	Beaujolais
Red Leicester	Britain	Semi-Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Roquefort	France	Blue	Sheep	Port
Smoked Gouda	Netherlands	Semi-Hard	Cow	Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
Stilton	Britain	Semi-Hard	Cow	Port, Sauternes
Swiss	Switzerland	Semi-Hard	Cow	Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Taleggio	Italy	Semi-Soft	Cow	Pinot Blanc

A Wine and Cheese Tasting

The other night, I had a mini wine tasting at J. Gilbert's with my good friend, Fatima. As a fellow foodie (albeit a much more experienced one) and wine lover, I asked Fatima to choose the wines for us. We ended up trying two whites and two reds, accompanied by a cheese and charcuterie board.

Our wines:

1. J. Lohr 2011 Seven Oaks Cabernet (Paso Robles)
2. Tierra Divina 2009 Malbec (Argentina)
3. La Crema 2012 Chardonnay
4. Kim Crawford 2012 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)

The flavors in wines are often compared to fruits. For example, a wine might be described as "the perfect combo of cherry, boysenberry, plum and chocolate flavors." (Taken from a Barefoot Merlot description). But having a fairly inexperienced palate, I always thought those comparisons were ridiculous. I mean, wine is made from grapes, why would it taste like cherries?!

However, when I tasted the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and swished it around my mouth, I was immediately hit with the taste of grapefruit. Fatima explained that New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs often are redolent of grapefruit, thanks to the unique soil (aka terroir) that the grapes are grown in. She also said that I may not have been drinking good quality wines, which would explain why I never tasted the fruit. Luckily for me, the Kim Crawford Chardonnay has a score of 91 from Wine Spectator.

It also helped that our wines were paired with a beautiful cheese and charcuterie board.

Our cheeses: (From Cato Corner Farm)

1. Womanchengo (similar to a young Manchego)
2. Vivace (like a combination of Gruyere and Italian Provolone)
3. Dairyere (a firm washed rind cheese in the style of Gruyere or Comte)

Our charcuterie:

1. Prosciutto di Parma
2. Rosette de Lyon Salami
3. Hot Coppa

Accoutrements:

1. Cornichons
2. Pickled onions
3. Dijon mustard
4. Grilled Bread
5. Peppers

It was a great meal– full of delicious wine and scrumptious edibles. But more importantly, it was shared with a dear friend, allowing us to connect over our mutual love of food.