Best Cheese & Food Pairings with Wine

Getting started with wine pairings can be intimidating. There are so many different kinds of wine, cheese, and food that the possibilities are endless, but we have found the best pairs to impress your friends with at the next soiree.

We dive into the best wine pairings with cheese and main dishes while giving you some help tips along the way.

Best wine pairing with cheese

Our best tips for pairing wine and cheese are as follows. Pair wines and cheese with equal intensity, for example, merlot and gouda both have strong flavors, but when eaten together, they equal each other out. Match the funky cheeses, like muenster, with a sweet wine, like gewurztraminer. This will help balance the funk of the cheese and make it taste creamy. When in doubt, choose a nutty cheese, like gouda; Nutty cheeses balance out both red and white wines, so you can never go wrong.

Pinot Noir & Gruyere

The taste of cherry and blueberry in the wine complements well with the nutty and salty taste of the cheese, without overpowering it.

Moscato & Pepper Jack

Being a dry, light-bodied wine, Moscato’s orange and lemon flavors compliment and tone down the spiciness of the pepper jack.

Sweet Rose & Colby Jack

A delicious flavorful cheese, like Colby Jack, should be paired with a fruity wine like sweet rose.

Chardonnay & Brie

With brie being so rich and fatty, it needs an acidic wine to cut through the fat. Chardonnay helps to keep the richness of the brie from becoming too overwhelming.

Zinfandel & Asiago

Asiago has a very strong and distinct smell, but when paired with zinfandel, both the wine and cheese, bring out the best flavors in each other.

Merlot & Gouda

Although gouda pairs well with many wines, merlot has a similar acidity level to gouda making a delicious pairing.

Beaujolais & Feta

Feta has a delicious mix of flavors that couples well with the rich and fruity tastes in Beaujolais.

Gewurztraminer & Muenster

For most, gewurztraminer is not in their top twenty picks of wine because of the flavors of apricot and tropical fruit, but a mild cheese like muenster can tame those flavors down creating the perfect pair.

Best wine pairings with main dishes

When pairing main dishes with wine, there are a few tips to keep in mind. First, white wine matches great with light meat, such as chicken and seafood, making the meat taste fresher. Next, red wine goes with red meat like milk goes with cookies. The intensity of the wine pairs well with juicy, heavy dishes, like a steak.

Franciacorta & Chinese Food

This fruity wine is begging for greasy food. Franciacorta is high in acidity which cuts right through the oil in delicious Chinese fried appetizers, like egg rolls and fried dumplings.

Cabernet Sauvignon & Steak

The juiciness and fat in the steak counter the dry tannin in red wine which create the perfect flavor combination without overpowering one or the other.

Riesling & Thai Food

Because Riesling is sweet and fruity, it chops right through the spiciness of Thai food, which makes it easier to eat for those who aren’t a fan of spicy foods.

Sauvignon Blac & Lemon Chicken

Sauvignon Blac has noticeable citrus flavors that will enhance the taste of the lemon and make your chicken taste fresher.

Good luck and have fun pairing!