How to pair cheeses with wine?

This is a guide for you to create your own cheese and wine tasting. As well as the wine pairings, the marriage of cheeses is an art. The harmonious joining of flavors and textures that not only complement but also bring to the palate exquisite notes together.

Since the discovery of cheese, it has been a basic element of cooking. What probably started with a merchant who stored milk in a bag or a jar, milk curdled to what we know as a solid mass. Even a shepherd who carried his milk in a bag made with the stomach of a lamb, the enzymes of the container made the milk curd to a solid mass with the consistency of ricotta or cottage.

To be able to make a perfect match, you must first know that like wines, cheeses also have different classifications and will be of better quality if the circumstances in which they are created are better. The quality of the milk does not only depend on the milk; but of the animal, its race and the food that is given to it.

The breed and feeding of the animal can affect the concentration of fats and proteins in the cheese. To know the cheese you have to know its classifications

Table of Contents

TYPE OF MILK

Whether cow, goat, sheep or any other ruminant mammal. The cheese has to mention the type of milk with which it was made.

AMOUNT OF FAT

LEAN CHEESES

With 25% or less of fat.
fresh goat cheese, mozzarella, fresh cheese, cheddar, camembert.

SEMI FATS – From 25% to 40% fat.
Manchego, Brie, Gouda, Parmesan.

FATS

From 40% to 60% fat.
Roquefort, Cabrales, Gorgonzola, Gruyère.

ELABORATION PROCESS

FRESH

Fresh cheeses only go through a fermentation process. At the end of this, fresh cheeses are marketed.
Panela, Cottage cheese.

MATURE

The mature cheeses mature in cava after the fermentation process. They are subjected to ripening to obtain aromatic and gustatory properties.
Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Roquefort, Camembert.

TEXTURE

SOFT

From 50% to 80% humidity. They are creamy and easy to spread.
Cottage, Mascarpone, Cream

SEMI SOFT

From 45% to 50% humidity. With semi creamy texture, they can be cut or spread.
Brie, port salut, feta.

SEMI HARD

From 30% to 45% humidity. Most cheeses that can be cut without breaking belong to this category.
Edam, gouda, cheddar.

HARD

30% humidity or less. These cheeses that crack when cut.
Parmesan, sbrinz, pecorino.

RIND

NO RIND

All fresh cheeses.
Oaxaca, cotija, panela.

DRY RIND

The crust is created when drying. With time, the bark will get bigger and harder.
Reblochón, chaumes, idiázabal.

BLOOMY RIND

These cheeses are created a rind of mold, usually edible, which causes distinctive flavors.

ARTIFICIAL RIND

These cheeses are placed an artificial bark to protect or flavor them. The crusts vary among waxes, ashes, herbs among others.
Sea of silver, cheddar, edam.

To make a good pairing you must first take into account the intensity of the cheese. What is recommended is to pair cheeses of aroma and mild flavor with wines of similar characteristics. If on the other hand you have a cheese with a strong flavor, you want to pair it with an intense and structured wine.

It is generally recommended to pair soft cheeses with dry white wines and young reds. For cheeses with a strong flavor it is recommended to pair with strong red wines or dessert. The regions of the cheeses and the wines are another factor that is taken into account when making the pairing. You can match cheeses and wines from the same region or country.