Is there an easier way to entertain people that serving up a wine and cheese board? I don’t think so. Who wants to be in the kitchen juggling pots and pans when you can spend half an hour lining up a cheese board and then sitting down and really enjoying your guests?
That’s exactly what I did on Saturday night so I thought I’d share with you my favourite tips for putting together the ultimate cheese and wine night.
(*this post includes affiliate links to products I love)
First thing’s first : equipment! I received a bamboo cheese board with knives for Christmas last year and love it. It’s similar to this one here. There’s space to fill with crackers (ideally I’d be able to find some nice round crackers for cheese) and the handy drawer means that we can pack the cheese knives away and then not spend a time trying to find them next time we’re using the board!
I also love slate cheese boards and am always very happy to get out our heart shaped slate board to add extra capacity. These large ones make a really nice addition to serve cheeses or desserts.
So now we’re ready to fill them up :
1. Open a Variety of Wines
Just as a grazing evening is about a variety of cheeses, it’s also about a variety of wines I would open at least two bottles of wines which are totally different, but 3 or 4 would be even better depending on how many people you have. Any leftover wine (like that sometimes happens 😉 can be closed with a vacuvin and kept for another week or so).
In terms of which wines to serve, avoid red wines that have high tannins. Tannins make your gums and palate feel rough and these can interfere with the taste of the cheese. Wines high in tannins include : Sagrantino, Tannat, Monstrell or Mourvedre. Cabernet Sauvignon can also be high in tannins so rather opt for a smooth Merlot.
My Favourites : a good Sauvignon Blanc will pair really nicely with lighter cheeses. Then I’d go for a robust red which isn’t too heavy in tannins and has some softness to it : a Sancerre Rouge (Pinot Noir but these tend to be high in acidity), Valpolicella Ripasso, or a red from Southern Italy or Spain.
2. Mix up the Cheeses
Just with fine dining, the secret is in mixing up the flavours and textures. Opt for
- Soft Cheeses: Brie, Camembert, a creamy goat cheese or a young cheddar with apricot and mango are mild and indulgent.
- Hard Cheeses: Aged cheddar, Parmeggiano Reggiano 24 mths or older, Gruyère, rock-hard Mimolette, Auld Gouda have sharper flavours that will pair better with red wines with low tannins.
- Blue Cheeses: a tangy blue like Gorgonzola or Roquefort will pair perfectly with sweeter wines such as Vin Santo, Sauternes, or a ruby Port.
Serving them up in a wheel ranging from light to strong in flavour will help you to not end up with a cheese that over powers the wine.
My Favourites from lightest to strongest: Cheddar with apricot and ginger, Brie, Conté, Beaufort Reserve, Mimolette, Gorgonzola Dolce.
3. Add Fruit to Balance the Richness
Cheese is creamy and fatty, which is why a touch of sweetness or acidity from fruit can really break it up nicely. I’m a big fan of variety so opt for fresh as well as dried fruits to bring in some different textures. Fresh fruits that pair perfectly with cheese include grapes, figs, or sliced apples. I’d also throw on a selection of dried fruits such as tangy cranberries or apricots.
If you can find it, opt for tangy “mustarda” or chutney for cheese. The Italians make fruity jam which is suspended in a syrup with a mustardy tang, whilst the brits have some great jams for cheese (Marks and Spencers!) which are not as sweet as the ones you’d put on your toast. If you can’t find either, fig jam which is easier to get hold of, pairs beautifully with Brie or goat cheeses, while a dollop of honey pairs perfectly with salty blue cheese or aged parmeggiano.
4. The extras
Ok so we have the cheese and wine but what about the rest? I also love to bring in a couple of different breads to the table too : one with nuts and a classic white baguette.
What else? Walnuts, clementines, salami sticks, and if I want to make it look like I’ve made an effort and bring in another texture, I’ll make a cheese dip:
Roquefort & Cranberry dip:
- 145gr Roquefort
- 4tbsp Crème Fraiche
- Handful of shelled walnuts
- Handful of cranberries
Whizz everything up in a blender and you’re good to go.
5. Pairing with intention
One question I’m often asked is how do I pair wines with cheeses? The rule is same for food : go with the intensity of flavours and you can’t go far wrong. Here are a few pairing ideas to try out:
Goat Cheese + Sauvignon Blanc: The citrusy freshness of Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the creaminess of goat cheese. Here I’d stick to a Sauvignon from France such as a Sancerre. The Sauvignon blancs from South Africa can be really intense on the nose and so overpower cheeses that are more on the delicate side.
Brie + Champagne: Bubbles pair well with so many things (check out my post here about why sparkling wines are the most versatile) and the creaminess of Brie makes this a match made in heaven.
Aged Cheddar + Chardonnay: Pairing buttery oaked chardonnay with a good cheddar. Emphasis on the good here, opt for PDO when you can. We discovered True Grit at our local cheese shop. It’s another level cheddar.
Gorgonzola dolce + Sweet Wine: I fell in love with this pairing some years ago when I made a Gorgonzola and leek tart to pair with a Vin Santo. Gorgonzola dolce has less of a tang to it than other blue cheeses making it easier to pair with wine. It also works well with Moscato d’Asti which is light on sweetness.
Amarone + Aged Parmiggiano : Often known as a wine for meditation, Amarone is often slightly sweet and so pairs perfectly with the saltiness of aged parmiggiano.
Do you love to do a cheese and wine night? I’d love to hear about your perfect pairings or foods you can’t do without.
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