Tasteful Pairings

By: Lesley Quinn | Junior Sommelier at Periwinkle, Ritz-Carlton
Flava January 2012

Wine and cheese, for many it’s a food and drink marriage made in heaven. Nibbling on your favourite cheese with a large glass of wine to hand is arguably one of life’s greatest culinary pleasures. But not all wines and cheeses go together quite so well. Whether you’re planning a wine and cheese party, or you just want to ensure you pick the right wine to pair with your favourite cheesy treat, getting it right will enhance the overall taste experience.

Flava got in touch with Lesley Quinn, junior sommelier at Periwinkle, Ritz-Carlton, to discover her top tips to a perfect pairing.

The Sommelier’s top tips:

  • White wine tends to pair better with cheese
  • Carefully select your red wine when pairing with cheese, in particular with soft cheeses. 
  • Fruity red wines such as Beaujolais are most often a winning cheese pairing.
  • When dining, make sure to save or set aside part of the white wine consumed during the appetizer portion for the end of the meal when the cheese plate arrives


The Sommelier’s top cheese and wine pairings:

Try goat’s milk cheese with a Sauvignon Blanc. Goat cheese typically has an herbal grassy flavour that can also be found in many Sauvignon Blancs.
Blue cheese works well with sweet wines like Ice wine, or Madeira, as it allows the nuances of the blue cheese to come through and has some lovely nutty characteristics to add to it.

Sheep’s milk cheese is one of the many exceptions to the rule as red wine doesn’t really go well with cheese. A light bodied fruity red like Beaujolais is a great choice because the fruit cuts through the saltiness.

Rich creamy cheeses like Brie and Camembert work well with a sparkling wine. The bubbles and acidity help cut through the creaminess of the cheese without taking away its flavours.

Pair a mild Cheddar cheese with a Chardonnay. The buttery golden apple flavours enhance the taste of the cheese.
   

 

Why do wine and cheese work so well?

Wine and cheese are both living organisms and how they grow and develop mirror one another in many aspects, which is why they are both simply irresistible together.

Lesley was inspired by inspired by the book Secrets of the Sommeliers by Rajat Parr. It taught her how to look at food and wine in a completely different way; being a Sommelier is not just a job, it’s a lifelong learning lesson of skill and passion.

Lesley’s favorite wine of the moment: Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet