When properly combined, cheese and wine can enhance each other’s flavor, texture, and aroma.

Soft and creamy cheeses leave a layer of fat on the palate that interferes with the flavor of red wines, rendering them a bit monotonous and bland. In order to avoid flattening the taste of red wines, combine them with hard cheeses and milder flavors. White wines, on the other hand, tend to taste better with soft cheeses and stronger flavors.

Very sweet dessert wines are the most accepting of all wines and complement the full range of cheeses. In fact, sparkling wines like the Blanc de Blanc have the ability to break up the fat layer that adheres itself to your palate and are recommended for the more pungent and moldy cheeses like Blue Cheese.

Below you will find a table of wine and cheese pairings to get you started in your sensory exploration.