When it comes to red wine cheese pairing, it brings back a memorable trip to Napa Valley. It’s been over 6 years ago when we went with our friends to enjoy our Napa Valley Charity Auction trip that we successfully bid on. It turned out to be one of the best trips we ever did!
As we were driving to our hotel, we passed a vineyard along the way. We had to stop! As we were about to turn into the vineyard we happen to see a sign for an artisan cheese shop. You can guess, we couldn’t help ourselves made a detour to stop in the shop. The selection was amazing and we picked up an assortment of cheese to enjoy with our unplanned wine taste testing stop.
Our Red Wine Cheese Pairing Experience
We sat outside taking in the wonderful spring weather in sunny California. The vineyard was very accommodating and brought out a cheese board for us. Mind you I love cheese but I never gave a thought to pairing cheeses with wine. What an AH moment this stop turned out to be. The staff was amazing (probably saw we were novices eating cheeses along with tasting the wine)! To our amazement, the staff recommended a “lining up our cheeses” to match up with their wine varients tastings. From that day forward, my wife and I enjoy pairing cheeses with the right wines to heighten the dining experience especially entertaining family and friends!
We both tend to favor red wines over white. But we do enjoy also a variety of white wines, especially during the hot summer months. What follows is our favorite red wines and the cheeses that bring out the best in each for an incredible palate experience!
Here is some suggested Red Wine cheese Pairing:
My Favorite Red Wine Cheese Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon with Aged or Sharp Cheddar
What I enjoy about Cabernet Sauvignon is its full body and rich flavors and even lower tannins in the lighter-bodied versions. In particular, the aroma of a Cab is incredible. For instance, the aromas include dark fruits like blackberries, cherries, plums along with hints of warm spices like vanilla or licorice root!
Now pair that with aged cheddar. You get a nutty taste and become more intense as it ages. The sharpness of Aged cheddar pairs well with tannic wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The strong intense flavors of these red wines are equally matched with the intense sharp flavors of Aged Cheddar!
My Next Best Red Wine Cheese Pairing: Zinfandel and Asiago
I love the explosion of flavors in Zinfandels. You get blueberry, cherry, and black pepper flavors all in one drink. Plus that first sip gives you a spicy kick rush with a charcoal aftertaste.
A great match with this wine is Asiago. This cheese reminds me a bit of Parmesan. However, it also has a mild nutty and creamy flavor. However, when it is aged for about 9 months, it brings out the sharpness in this cheese. When you pair Zinfandel’s berry and smoky taste with Asiago, they bring out each other’s character so well.
Merlot and Gouda
This wine varietal is in the middle of the red spectrum in richness and flavor. Due to its medium tannin, acidity, and alcohol, this is a smooth flavorful wine. Your plate will pick up cherry, plum, or raspberry flavors with a slight hint of spice leaving an easy-drinking finish on your tongue!
Gouda has a rich savory flavor and as it matures you can detect subtle butterscotch or caramel flavor. As a result, Gouda pairs well with both white to red wines. In fact, Merlot’s acidity level is comparable to Gouda’s making it an amazing red wine pairing with cheese. This is my favorite combination when watching NFL games with friends! Furthermore, Other cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Gruyere, and Herb Cheeses pair well with Merlot.
Syrah and Roquefort
Syrah has a deep red coloring with a hearty intense taste. This is a full-bodied dry wine that is well balanced and not sour or bitter. You will experience hints of bacon, floral from the violet flower, and smoke making this a perfect wine pairing for any occasion.
So if you are looking for a more adventurous flavor pairing with your reds, try Syrah with Roquefort. This blue-veined cheese is a tangy and creamy cheese with a distinct smell. Its powerful taste and sharp metallic flavor are balanced by sheep milk’s sweet distinct burnt caramel. Thus Syrah with its smoky and meat flavor pairs well with Roquefort. Other cheeses that do well with Syrah include aged cheeses, gorgonzola, and pecorino.
Pinot Noir and Gruyere
If you enjoy a flavorful dry wine with subtleties of fruit and berries mixed with oak, this wine is for you! Its bright acidic taste from its tannins makes for a refreshing drink during warmer weather or paired with appetizers before dinner.
One such appetizer is Gruyere cheese. This softer, creamy Swiss variety with a nutty flavor complements the nutty flavor of Gruyere. The wine’s berry fruit flavors match up well with this medium-firm cheese without overpowering it. The combination of both aroma and complexity makes them a perfect match!
My Favorite All-Time Red Wine Cheese Pairing: Malbec and Aged or Vintage Cheese
If you love full-bodied, deep red color wines, then Malbec is a good choice for a red wine cheese pairing. This wine has flavors of blackberry and red plum with remind you of juicy jams and chocolate cake but without being too sweet or heavy if you prefer dry wine types.
So vintage cheeses with their strong, savory, and nutty flavors pair well with Malbec. The robust flavor of vintage cheese is complemented by a medium to full-bodied red wine that holds its own against the intense vintage cheese flavors. Malbec besides the fruit and anise notes also has herbal qualities which pair well with aged cheeses!
Red Wine Cheese Pairing Conclusion
Wine and Cheese pairing has been around for hundreds of years. This is a great setup for appetizers before the main dinner entrée. Or even if you are hosting a social or having guests over for a casual evening. For the best wine cheese pairing events, there is a simple rule. The secret to creating an amazing tasty event is pairing the bolder rich wines with cheese that are just as bold. Bon Appetite!