Cheese and wine pairing
When it comes to snacks to go with wine, cheese is the best!
There are many different types of cheese in the world, and there are also many wines that can bring out the best in those cheeses.
In this feature, we will mainly focus on natural cheeses* and classify familiar cheeses by type to introduce recommended pairings with wines.
*Cheese can be broadly divided into natural cheese and processed cheese. Natural cheese is made from milk through coagulation and aging, while processed cheese is made by melting and processing natural cheese.
It has a refreshing yet concentrated aroma of pear, honey, and hay. It has a gentle foam, a creamy mouthfeel, and a dry taste.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Washed Cheese
A matured cheese with a unique aroma and rich, complex flavor.
Pair with red Burgundy wine
It goes well with red Burgundy wine. Burgundy is famous as the birthplace of Epoisses, the king of washed cheeses, and there are plenty of excellent red wines that stand up to the characteristics of the cheese. If you want to enjoy it luxuriously, we recommend Nuits-Saint-Georges . In Munster, which is famous for its washed cheeses, we also recommend the white wine Gewurztraminer .
The aroma of bright red fruits and beautiful roses is gorgeous. The mouthfeel is soft, with a clean acidity and mellow fruit flavor, and the long aftertaste is enchanting.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
White mold cheese
A mild, chewy texture and creamy taste
Pair with a fruity red wine
It goes well with fruity red wines such as Burgundy , Chateau de Loup , and Schineferre Tuscany Vecchie Vigne Red . It pairs well with fresh Burgundy red wines, with a silky texture that feels great on the tongue. It pairs well with full-bodied, concentrated red wines, with a more concentrated attack and long aftertaste.
Schineferre Tuscany Vecchie Vigne Red
The aroma of ripe fruits such as blackberries, balsamic and spices is reminiscent. This is a full-bodied red wine that is round, well-structured, moderately fresh and has a mineral feel.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Blue cheese
A connoisseur's favorite blue cheese with a pungent aroma and addictive salty taste
Pair with sweet wine
We recommend sweet wines such as Sauternes for blue cheeses! Pairing it with a sweet wine will mellow out the strong saltiness of blue cheese and bring out the creamy flavor hidden under the pungent flavor of blue cheese. Enjoy the strong flavor of blue cheese to your heart's content.
A luxurious sweet wine made from grapes infected with noble rot, including Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, with an elegant aroma of butter, dried fruit and honey.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Semi-hard cheese
A semi-hard cheese with the perfect balance of ripeness and mildness.
Pair it with a concentrated white or red wine.
For semi-hard cheeses that are creamy and have a strong aged flavor, we recommend a full-bodied white wine or a satisfying, full-bodied red wine. For white wines, Mont Blanc or Piedmont Sauvignon Blanc (barrel-aged) are recommended. For red wines, Solo Red is perfect. You can enjoy the pleasant combination of cheese and wine.
A popular red wine made in Spain with a hint of barrel aging. A complex aroma that combines gorgeous fruit with lavender and minerals. Rich fruitiness and vanilla flavor from the barrel. The aroma and flavor are well balanced.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Hard cheese
A long-aged cheese with a low moisture content, hardness and rich flavor
Pair with barrel-aged white wine
A full-bodied barrel-aged white wine brings out the best in the synergistic effect of the mellowness of the wine and the flavor of the cheese. We especially recommend barrel-aged Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc . The vanilla aroma and elegant aroma from the barrel match the unique flavor of hard cheese, leaving a long aftertaste.
Burgundy Hautes-Côtes de Nuits White
This popular wine is made from 100% Chardonnay and has a rich, fragrant flavor. It has a moderate oak aroma, a well-balanced acidity, and fruitiness. It is a highly satisfying wine that you can recommend to anyone.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Goat cheese
A unique goat cheese with an addictive flavor
Pair it with a white wine from the Loire or a rosé from the south of France.
Goat cheese has such a unique aroma and flavor that some people love it and others hate it. If you want to pair this cheese with it, we recommend a rosé wine from Anjou or southern France, which has a lot of minerals and a strong acidity. Anjou white wine has a strong flavor that stands up to the cheese, making it a good match. Rosé wine has a gentle fruitiness that envelops the unique aroma.
A white wine with hints of lemon, honey, herbs and flint. It has a crisp acidity and a lovely sweet and sour taste.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Processed cheese
Processed cheese is an easy way to pair things
Pair it with a casual wine
Processed cheese includes various types of cheese sold at supermarkets, such as sliced cheese, melted cheese, string cheese, and piece cheese. Because it is processed to be easy to eat, it is recommended to pair it with an easy-to-drink everyday wine rather than a wine with a distinctive flavor. The recommended red wine is Bresse Roble red . The recommended white wine is Gascony Quatre Cépages .
An easy-to-drink, elegant red wine from Spain. The aroma of ripe fruit with hints of cocoa. The concentrated fruit flavor lingers pleasantly on the palate, making this a very satisfying wine.
List of cheeses that go well with wine | ↑Back to top of page
Introducing a wine set that pairs well with cheese
A tasting set of three barrel-aged white wines to enjoy with hard cheese
A tasting set of three white wines that go well with hard cheese. The vanilla aroma and elegant aroma from the barrels match the unique flavor of the cheese, leaving a long aftertaste.
Product ID SC00023
Set contents: 3 bottles of white wine
-
Piedmont Sauvignon Blanc (barrel aged) White [Left]
A full-bodied dry white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc. You can enjoy the aroma of barrel aging, the complex acidity and fruitiness, and the high quality and clear taste. -
Burgundy Hautes-Côtes de Nuits White [Center]
A full-bodied white wine from the famous wine region of Burgundy. Made from Chardonnay, fermented and aged in barrels. It has a gorgeous and enjoyable aroma. It is very well-balanced, with a smooth, rich flavor that lingers on the finish, making it an attractive wine that leaves a deep impression. -
Anjou Fontaine des Bois White [Right]
A rich white wine made from Chenin Blanc, a grape variety native to Anjou in the Loire region of France. Fermented in oak barrels and brewed for 12 months, it has a full-bodied finish. A hearty organic wine.
Top 3 cheese and wine pairings I've tried in the past
At Mavi's physical store We have selected the best pairings from cheese events that Fujiko Saito has held in the past! We will present a ranking of the special combinations that were actually enjoyed by customers at events.
Profile of Professor Fujiko Saito
CPA certified cheese professional and cheese certification instructor. Japan Sommelier Association JSA certified wine advisor. Received a diploma from the Centre du Formation des Produits Laitiers (dairy products training center) in Paris. Trained under cheese ager, MOF Hervé Mons in Roanne, France, and obtained a diploma. Trained on cheese service and sales in general under MOF Etienne Boissy, cheese sales and service, in Lyon, France. Instructor at NHK Culture School. In the past, he also served as manager of a cheese specialty store, and is always proposing fun and easy-to-understand ways to live a cheese life.
1st place : "Sweet sparkling wine" x "Brie de Meaux"
The fresh and crisp sweet sparkling wine "La Bohème (Ancient Method from Limoux)" with a taste of green apples, melt-in-your-mouth Brie de Meaux, and flaky pie come together in a trinity that melts together like a trinity!
▼ Cheese: Brie de Meaux
Brie de Meaux is a type of Brie cheese, a representative white mold cheese, made in the "Meaux" region of Brie, France. It is also known as the "king of cheeses."
▼ Wine: La Boheme (Ancient Limoux Method) Sparkling
This precious sparkling wine is made using an ancient method that does not add sugar. Its apple flavor and easy-to-drink alcohol content make it a very popular wine among women.
2nd place : "Dry white wine" x "Clottin de Chavignol"
The rich flavor of the Crottin de Chavignol is perfectly matched with the crisp, refreshing acidity of the dry white wine "Anjou White," making for a truly blessed combination.
▼ Cheese: Crottin de Chavignol
Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's milk chèvre-type cheese produced in the village of Chavignol and its surrounding area. It is small, dry, with a nutty and mushroom aroma and a chestnut-like texture.
▼ Wine: Anjou White
A white wine with hints of lemon, honey, herbs and flint. It has a crisp acidity and a lovely sweet and sour taste.
3rd place : "Red wine from Burgundy" x "Epoisses"
The distinctive flavor of Epoisses is gently enveloped by the red wine "Burgundy Red - Domaine Chapelle", and the two are instantly elevated to an elegant taste. This is truly the perfect marriage.
▼ Cheese: Epoisses
Époisses is a washed cheese made in the village of Époisses in Burgundy. It has a unique aroma that lingers in your nose, but the sweetness of the milk and the rich, creamy inside make it addictive.
▼ Wine: Burgundy Red - Domaine Chapelle
A beautiful aroma of red fruit with hints of rose, cinnamon and earth. A smooth and elegant red wine with fruit flavors that support fresh acidity.
↑ Top of page ｜ Search for products ｜ Featured items ｜ MAVI mail order TOP
Back to Recommended Features