By Kim McCullough, Owner and Co-Founder of Cellar Beast Winehouse - As a Level One Sommelier with a rich background in education and a passion for viticulture, I delve into the art of wine and cheese pairings to enhance your culinary experiences.
You are about to enter a world of wine and cheese pairing wisdom. Whether it is a private party, a baby shower, a bridal shower, a wedding of your dreams, your dream wedding, or a rehearsal dinner at one of our gorgeous venues with the perfect backdrop of our vineyard or just a quiet night at home, perfecting your wine and cheese pairings will take your event ideas to the next level. As I reach for a glass and my knife, let’s take a look at what it means to pair with your favorite wines.
Why Pair Wine and Cheese?
Putting aside the particulars of why each cheese pairs so well with particular wines, we should discuss the broad reasons why wine and cheese are often such a great match. Wine and cheese are famous partners because both are made via fermentation. When certain types of cheese and wine are combined, the resulting flavor components harmonize rather than fighting for attention in an ideal backdrop. Adding each ingredient elevates the final dish to something greater than the sum of its parts.
Basic Pairing Principles
- Match Intensity: Try to find a bottle of wine and a cheese that are roughly equivalent in intensity. Strong, concentrated cheeses can overpower a delicate wine, while a bold wine can bludgeon a subtle cheese.
- Consider the Region: Wines and cheeses sometimes sing together because they originate in the same region – what the French called terroir, the environmental circumstances that govern the flavor of a wine, cheese or anything else.
- Balance Acidity and Fat: Higher-acid wines can cut through creamy cheeses in a way that complements each perfectly.
- Sweet and Salty: Sweet wines can be a good match for salty cheeses.
Beginner Wine and Cheese Pairings: Easy and Delicious Combos
Pairing wine and cheese for the first time can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re just getting into wine or hosting your first wine and cheese party, we’ve got you covered with easy-to-follow pairings that guarantee a great experience.
- Brie and Chardonnay: A creamy, soft cheese like Brie pairs beautifully with the buttery notes of a good Chardonnay. The mild flavors of both complement each other perfectly.
- Gouda and Merlot: Gouda’s nutty richness matches the soft, fresh fruit notes of Merlot, making it a go-to combination for any wine lover.
- Goat Cheese and Sauvignon Blanc: The tanginess of goat cheese pairs wonderfully with the crisp, refreshing acidity of Sauvignon Blanc. Ideal for a light snack or appetizer.
Classic Pairings to Get You Started
When it comes to beginner wine and cheese pairings, it’s important to keep things simple and focus on flavors that are easy to appreciate. These pairings are perfect for anyone new to the world of wine and looking to build their first cheese board. Here are some time-tested pairings for a novice or a seasoned connoisseur.
1. Brie and Chardonnay: A Creamy and Buttery Match
This wine could be the exquisite Cellar Beast Chardonnay, a light but tangy and slightly oaky white with delicious notes of apple and pear that works in harmony both with the flavor and the texture of the Brie. Brie has a rich but delicate, creamy, and buttery flavor and texture. Brie is a less-matured milk cheese than cheddar or the sharper Italian cheese, Parmigiano. The subtle oak aromas and crisp acidity of Chardonnay pair well with the flavor. This light easy-going combination could be a good idea to serve as an afternoon treat snack or to kick off a multi-course meal.
2. Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Cheddar
Our full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, with its dark fruit, blackberry, dark chocolate, and earthy notes, pairs beautifully with a deeply aged Cheddar. It has a strong, sharp flavor and a firm, nearly crumbly texture like that of a blue cheese. It’s a good choice for a rowdy group dinner.
3. Goat Cheese and Sauvignon Blanc: Fresh and Tangy Combination
Our Sauvignon Blanc is marvelous with goat cheese – its zingy and lemony acidity matches the cheese’s sour tang, and one mellows the other beautifully into a satisfying, mouth-watering sensation. It’s pure summer sunshine in a glass: a wonderful combination for an outdoor picnic or a relaxed brunch.
4. Gouda and Merlot: Nutty Notes and Fruity Harmony
This smooth and velvety Gouda, with its plum and black cherry notes, goes really well with our Merlot. The caramel nutty flavors in the Gouda come to the fore and make a fine companion to the fruitiness of our Merlot. It’s one for any party.
5. Sparkling Wine and Camembert
For those who prefer something bubbly, our sparkling wine complements Camembert nicely. The effervescence clears the plate at the end, after the rather substantial fat residue from the cheese is on its way down.
Crafting Your Own Pairings
Adventurous? Here’s how to create wine and cheese pairings at home:
- Start with Your Favorites: Pick a wine-and-cheese pairing you already like, and start with it. Ask yourself what in the wine or cheese spoke to you. What were the flavors and textures?
- Experiment with Contrasts: Salted cheese, for example, goes well with sweet wine, and creamy cheese with a crisp, acidic wine.
- Host a Tasting Party: Buy a variety of wines and cheeses, then have your friends over to our scenic setting for a tasting session. That way you’re expanding your palate both ways via appetitive consensus.
Hosting a Private Event at Cellar Beast
Imagine your perfect venue type. Who cares what it is, you can host your private event at Cellar Beast’s banquet hall event space so you can wow your guests by enjoying these amazing pairings, all in a beautiful vineyard setting. Our venue features an ambiance worthy of a wine aficionado with a rustic, elegant setting that makes for a beautiful, memorable wedding venue, wedding reception, corporate meeting, a meeting venue when planning a corporate event, party venue for all types of special shindigs, or just an incredible venue to host private tastings.
You see, when you book an event at our venue from among the thousands of party venues out there, you’ll have access to our expert team that can help construct a personalized wine and cheese pairing for you by selecting the perfect wines and cheeses to match your event’s theme and mood when you visit our beautiful event banquet hall, and your guests will leave with their palate satisfied and their hearts full.
Customized Wine and Cheese Pairing Sessions
If you really want to make your event special, why not include a gourmet Wine and Cheese Pairing session, selected specially for your event by our sommelier? We can customize a tasting menu of some of our best wines to go with a wide range of the finest local and imported cheeses. Groups love this activity, and it is a great way to get them all to interact.
Conclusion
At Cellar Beast we also believe that wine and cheese pairing is an art that adds pleasure to both! From a novice who is just beginning to explore the world of wine to a connoisseur who already has an appreciation for the subtle nuances of wine and cheese, our guided tastings and private events heighten the experience and deepen the appreciation of your guest, who is exploring wine and dairy for the first time, or who simply is an expert who appreciates fine wine tastings… Discover the magic of pairing wine to drink with cheese.
Book This Venue For Your Next Spring Wedding Venue With Bar Service. Come visit our beautiful vineyard and reserve your unique private event in our venue space. Our venue is a great for any type of event; an intimate gathering of 20, or a larger private event of up to 100 people. Perfect space for your spring wedding, company party, holiday party, business meetings, or corporate event! We hold a license so that we can offer a bar service.Our bar allows guests such as you to experience favorite beverages along with our unique menu. It is important for us to keep our guests happy and well-fed! We will be delighted to have you as our guest at Cellar Beast. This perfect event venue can be booked exclusively through our website. We can’t wait to have you at our magical venue to bring your dream event to life!
About Cellar Beast:
Our wine-making and sommelier teams offer this experience and everyone leaving – every single person – will leave a changed person, with an expanded palate as they understand the depth and variety of dry flavors available in Pennsylvania, all lovingly crafted by true artisans. Our wines (many French varieties) will introduce you to the outstanding wines coming out of this region, and is one of the reasons visitors make the trek to our winery campus for their client experience. The ideal venue atmosphere truly is second to none, in such a beautiful setting high atop a mountain ridge, just a stones throw from the Lizard Creek Inn.
Typically, Pennsylvania is known for their sweet wines, but Cellar Beast stands out for its serious production, and numerous wines, including many French-style varieties. Sitting down for a tasting with our award-winning team will be an experience akin to an intimate ‘wine school’; the wines will come flying, you’ll be learning about primary, secondary and tertiary aromas, blind tastings, seeing the difference in quality between the wines that carry the Cellar Beast name. Our wine enthusiasts who come and visit us often seek out additional courses at the Wine School of Philadelphia. Our team has fun with our members who join our wine club, which includes members-only access to our sparkling wines, etc. Our goal is to heighten what you should be looking for in that bottle that you pull the cork from next week for dinner with friends. We’ve earned Double Golds and Best in Class at competitions, ratings as high as 97 points.
Now is the perfect time to reach out to our private event coordinator, Melissa at events@cellarbeastwine.com, for event planning to create your unforgettable events and memorable events in our special event venue and check out our website to bring your event vision to life.
