This week on Global Television’s Morning Show, Carolyn, Jordan and I chatted about pairing wine and cheese for Thanksgiving or a celebratory meal at another time of the year.
Why are you suggesting we serve our guests a little wine and cheese?
Certain pairings in life indicate that the world is a good place: peanut butter and jam, chocolate syrup and ice cream, wine and cheese. The separate ingredients enhance one another: each tastes better together than it would on its own.
And the good news is that wine and cheese can be enjoyed with little preparation. The combination is perfect for any event, from informal picnics and snacks to cocktail soirées and dinner parties. For people like me, who don’t consider themselves a genius in the kitchen, it’s a relief to host gatherings without turning on the stove.
Sounds great! Looks like you have a Thanksgiving theme with the first cheese board?
Yes, the culinary team from Loblaws has created this adorable Waddle the Turkey Cheeseball, made from goat cheese and covered in. It’s rounded out with pumpkin gouda and a cranberry stilton to keep the seasonal theme.
Which wines should we try with these cheeses?
Thornbury Sauvignon Blanc – zesty herbal flavours are perfect with goat cheese.
Thornbury Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
Perrin & Fils Reserve is rich round with spice and pepper and terrific with the gouda.
Fonseca Port is ideal with stilton because the strong flavours go so well together.
Fonseca Porto White Port
Douro, Portugal
You also have some other nibbles on the board aside from cheese?
Yes we have an assortment of jellies, nuts, olives to give a variety of tastes that complement both the cheese and wines.
What’s the theme of your next board?
It’s an all-Canadian board with President’s Choice Brie and PC 1 year old cheddar, both from Ontario, as well as a Blue Benedictine cheese from Quebec.
I’d pair the creamy brie with the Strewn Riesling because the racy citrus acidity of the wine cuts like a knife through the richness of the cheese.
Strewn Winery Terroir Riesling
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada
The Reif Pinot Noir with its dark fruit flavours goes nicely with the one year old cheddar.
Reif Estate Winery The Magician Shiraz Pinot Noir
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada
And the sweet Henry of Pelham Riesling Icewine stands up to the more robust flavours of the blue Benedictine.
Henry of Pelham Winery Riesling Icewine
Niagara Escarpment, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada
What do you have for your last theme board here?
Manchego is a firm, buttery sheep’s milk cheese from Spain and I’d pair it with the Pasqua Pinot Grigio.
Pasqua Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
Veneto D.O.C., Italy
Merlot BellaVitano is a Cheddar-Parmesan inspired Italian farmstead cow’s cheese immersed in fine Merlot wine to give it flavours of berry and plum which is just perfect for this dark berry California Cabernet from Louis Martini.
Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, United States
The Oaka is a semi-soft washed rind cheese that was originally made by Trappist monks located in Oka, Quebec, Canada. The cheese is named after the town. It has a pungent aroma so it needs the extra flavour and alcoholic strength of this Spanish Alvear.
Alvear Sherry
Montilla-Moriles D.O., Spain
Why do you think wine and cheese pair so well together?
Wine and cheese seem to be a match made in gastronomic heaven for many reasons. Both are made from fresh liquids—grape juice and milk respectively—that are preserved and fermented by a natural agent: yeast for wine and bacteria for cheese.
Both are the result of controlled decomposition—not an appetizing notion, and yet one that yields a range of enticing, delicious flavors. They also both tend to get more complex with time, although some, such as beaujolais nouveau and goat’s cheese, are best consumed fresh.
Another thing wine and cheese share is a staggering range of styles. That’s why many of us find their choice and complexity intimidating. Many have strong personalities, with bold tastes and dominating characters, but others are mild and buttery, sometimes peppery or fruity.
Perrin & Fils Reserve
Cotes du Rhône, France
Certain pairings in life indicate that the world is a good place: peanut butter and jam, chocolate syrup and ice cream, wine and cheese. The separate ingredients enhance one another: each tastes better together than it would on its own.
That’s why I’ve created The Ultimate Guide to Wine and Cheese Pairing, pulling together all of resources on the site, including articles, videos, recipes, wine reviews, wine matcher tool, mobile apps and social media competition.
Our passionate community of wine lovers has always been about more than just wine alone: we’re all about enjoying wine with food and friends, entertaining and enjoying wine with all of the other good things in life, especially great cheeses.
The good news is that wine and cheese can be enjoyed with little preparation. The combination is perfect for any event, from informal picnics and snacks to cocktail soirées and dinner parties. For people like me, who don’t consider themselves a genius in the kitchen, it’s a relief to host gatherings without turning on the stove.
Wine and cheese seem to be a match made in gastronomic heaven for many reasons. Both are made from fresh liquids—grape juice and milk respectively—that are preserved and fermented by a natural agent: yeast for wine and bacteria for cheese.
Both are the result of controlled decomposition—not an appetizing notion, and yet one that yields a range of enticing, delicious flavors. They also both tend to get more complex with time, although some, such as beaujolais nouveau and goat’s cheese, are best consumed fresh.
Another thing wine and cheese share is a staggering range of styles. That’s why many of us find their choice and complexity intimidating. Many have strong personalities, with bold tastes and dominating characters, but others are mild and buttery, sometimes peppery or fruity. So how do you go about matching the two?
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to matching wine and cheese. The only real caveat is to drink your most delicate white wines and your finest, most complex reds either on their own or with foods that are kinder to them.
The fun is in trying different pairings, especially nontraditional ones. I discovered one evening that riesling is brilliant with grilled-cheese sandwiches, which is really just fondue with larger pieces of bread.
That finding led me to other inspired combinations, such as an oaky Chilean chardonnay with macaroni and cheese. I have yet to find a match, though, for Cheese Whiz.
Posted with permission of Global TV.
