I imagine many of you, like me, over the years have attended banquets, receptions, fundraisers, gatherings where stacks of cheddar and jack and maybe some brie are set out for the taking with a red wine and a white wine. And I know many of us have questioned who picked these out and why? No apparent thought was given to what cheese might go best with which wine.
Yes, wine and cheese are well suited to go together. But someone missed the fun! Here is where the fun begins! Exquisite pairings come together when you sit down and try different wines and cheeses beforehand to find those which complement one another.
To get you started, make sure you have tasted the wine you will be serving twice (swirl, sniff 3 times, sip, swish, savor) before tasting the cheese. Then get to know your cheese:
What it feels like,
what it looks like,
what it smells like,
and then,
what it tastes like.
Put a small bite of the cheese in your mouth and move it around. Then add a small sip of your wine to coat the cheese. Let the wine and cheese go down together and savor the blending. Repeat.
Do they work together? Do you yearn for the same pairing?
Fabulous!
If not, have another cheese ready to go, and have some fun finding just the right pairing!
My pairings typically feature a particular country or region in the world. Having wine and cheese sharing the same terroir often works, but not always.
Remember white wines go well with cheese. Try with creamy cheeses.
If red wine, try ones with some age. Rioja is a good bet.
Experiment! That's part of the fun getting to the eXceptional match!
More to come!! Enjoy experimenting!
Only joy from the Diva,
Anne
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