Wine & Cheese

At the risk of sounding like a wino, one of my favorite things to eat is wine & cheese. I am completely content having a dinner of crusty bread, yummy cheese some fruit & a glass of wine. There are a few wine bars in the Scottsdale area that we like to go to with our friends. This is fun because they will expertly pair your wine with the cheeses. I was excited when I came across these pairings to share with you.

1. Parmigiano or Romano styled cheeses with almost any wine, a particular favorite being Champagne. This is the match to use if one is selling wine because average wine seems to taste better in tandem with the nutty flavors. The old French expression is to sell wine with cheese and buy wine with bread, because the richness of the cheese can hide faults and soften bitter edges to the wine.

2. Stilton, or other high quality blue-veined cheeses, dance elegantly with Port. The best match is a vintage or LBV (late bottled vintage) Port, as opposed to a tawny. The assertive flavors and higher alcohol levels of the Port are brought into submission by the rich and salty cheese. This pairing rivals the classic match-up of peanut butter with chocolate. (Off the cheese note for a moment, personally I love a dark chocolate truffle with a glass of port)

3. Roquefort, not unlike the Stilton with Port marriage, is magical with a French Sauternes. A poorer man's version of this would be to substitute a late harvest Muscat, such as the Bonny Doon "Vin De Glacière" from California, or a late-harvest Australian Semillon.

4. Goat cheese is fantastic, the fresher the better, served with the "king" of Sauvignon Blancs, Sancerre from the Loire Valley of France. Some domestic Sauvignon Blancs that would rise to this occasion include Honig, Matanzas Creek, Groth, Cakebread, as well as the more affordable Wente, Concannon and Chateau St. Michelle's "Horse Heaven Vineyard".

5. Brie is miraculous with Champagne. Opt for even more decadence by serving the Brie warmed, or even in a baked flour crust, and expect applause from your dining companions. Some noteworthy domestic Brut sparkling wines to substitute include the Mumm Napa, Domaine Chandon, and the Gruet from New Mexico.

These are some very fancy pairings, I am sure your guests would be impressed, but remember if you don't want to put that much thought into it, my guests are always happy with the old stand bys of Alloette & Port Wine Cheddar!