5 Cheeses that Go Well with White Wine
When hearing about the best wine to pair with cheese, white wine usually stands as the victor. And it’s not a snobby notion made by self-named “cheese experts”, the composition greatly differs among red and white wines. The main reason why red wine doesn’t suit cheese stems from the bitter properties found in the skin of the dark red grapes. White wine, on the other hand, tends to be more acidic and sweeter than red wine. It’s extracted and produced without using grape skin, making it a perfect complement to many kinds of cheese.
Here are some popular white wine variants:
Sauvignon Blanc
Verdelho
Semillon
Chardonnay
Riesling
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
White blends
Let’s look at some cheese and white wine pairs that would satisfy any cheese connoisseur.
Camembert
Rich and pungent, Camembert is a soft triple-cream cheese that pairs delightfully well with the fruity notes and sweet ripeness of white wine. In particular, Chardonnay What makes it so special is the liquor’s acidity — the white wine cuts through the creaminess of the camembert, delivering a glorious melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Another reason why it’s so good is how both the white wine and cheese complement each other’s intensities. The flavors prop each other up, not drag each other down, making for a fine dinner platter addition. The texture of camembert changes as it ages, which can influence how well it pairs with wine. Typically, matured camembert pairs well with white wines that have gone through a little oaking. Click here for more white wines that will pair well with camembert cheese.
Brie
Brie has a similar composition with camembert — soft, creamy, rich, and thick in texture. So it should come as no surprise that what pairs well with one also pairs well with the other. It’s also much easier to pair white wine with brie since aged camembert has earthy notes that may clash with some variants of white wine.
There’s an obvious contrast of flavors when indulging in brie and white wine pairs. The acidity of the wine brings a complementary touch to the creaminess of the brie. All in all, you can’t go wrong with this wine and cheese pair.
Goat Cheese
Goat cheese pairs well with sweet and tart food and drink products. As this is the case, it’s a no-brainer that sweet variants of white wine are ideal pairings for soft, tangy goat cheese.
In France, white wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape and Loira Valley goat cheese are one such combination that works so well. The liveliness of the fruity notes from the fresh, sweet wine brings out the creamy, trademark texture of the cheese. In general, you can’t go wrong pairing fruity white wines with soft cheeses with creamy textures.
Blue Cheese
Unlike brie, camembert, and goat cheese, blue cheeses like Stilton don’t always have a creamy texture. Instead, it comes in with salty, chalky, complex, and pungent odors. If paired with food in a platter, blue cheeses tend to best pair with sweet foods like marmalade and raisins. The sweetness of white wines also bodes well with blue cheese since it tones down its moldy and intense flavor.
For a start, late harvest wines are great pairings with blue cheese since it contains higher sugar content. Alternatively, medium to full body dessert wines also offer bold, complex, and sweet flavors that work nicely with blue cheese.
Baby Swiss
Baby Swiss cheese complements dry, bubbly white wine with its mild, buttery, and smooth textures. With many dry, brut white wines around like Prosecco, a buttery and earthy texture helps mellow out the taste. Baby Swiss cheese also has a sweet, nutty flavoring that can make a great pair with sparkly white wines. If you’re looking for a certified crowd-pleaser, Baby Swiss cheese is a nice addition to any gathering.
This post is a collaboration. Please note that JUGS only accepts partnerships from mission-aligned brands that meet our core values of compassion + fulfillment.