What’s your favorite cheese and wine pairing?
The right wine pairing is a great way to compliment any dish or charcuterie spread. Whether you’re hosting a small dinner party or other gathering with family and friends, it can be tricky to find the right pairings to please everybody’s palate. Luckily, there are some rules of thumb you can follow to find the perfect complement to any cheese in your spread. After all, building a great cheese plate is an art! Follow some of these basic tips for pairing cheese and wine for your next gathering and please any guests.
1. Mild Cheese and Pinot Grigio
Since pinot grigio is a light-bodied, high-acidity wine, it makes a great palate cleanser. Pairing it with milder cheeses in your cheese plate is a great way to keep people munching and socializing at any gathering. Its crisp flavor is a great compliment to fresh red sauces as well, so if tomato and basil pasta are on the menu, milder cheeses and dry white wine make a great starter!
2. Syrah and Smoked Cheese
Aged cheese has intense, savory flavors that can’t be missed on any great cheese board. Finding the right pairing for these intense flavors can be intimidating, but sticking with a dry, medium-bodied Syrah is always a good bet. The dark, fruity flavors of Syrah make a great pairing for smoky cheeses like gouda.
3. Chianti and Mediterranean Flavors
Chianti is a classic Italian wine that pairs great with Mediterranean flavors like tomato and basil. This dry red wine has smoky plum and cherry undertones that make a great pairing for fresh cheeses and charcuterie items like olives or tomato jam. If you’re featuring fresh herbs and bright flavors on your menu, Chianti is a great choice.
4. Cheddars and Pinot Noir
Though it features robust fruit flavors, pinot noir is a very light red wine that makes a great pairing for nutty, aged cheeses. This wine is well-loved by food and wine lovers of all types, and it pairs extremely well with sharp cheddar and gruyere, so it’s perfect for just about any cheese plate.
5. Chardonnay and Creamy Cheeses
Chardonnay, with its fruity and crisp flavors, is a great way to cut through heavy and creamy dishes. This makes it a great way to balance out some stronger, creamier flavors on a cheese plate. If you’re serving washed-rind cow’s cheese or triple cream cheeses, Chardonnay is a great way to balance these strong cheeses and please any palate.
VISIT BASTA PASTA
For more than 12 years, Basta Pasta has given Maryland diners delicious Italian food made from local and fresh ingredients. Enjoy delicious pasta dishes, unlimited salad and breadsticks, and fine wine at one of our locations in Timonium, Fallston, or Eldersburg. Contact us online or give us a call at the location-specific phone number listed here. Read our menu and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! You can also order our signature crab cakes online and enjoy delicious Basta Pasta from home!