Wine and Cheese Pairings

Your Perfect Guide to Wine and Cheese

It’s summertime! The days are warmer and longer, but now what will you do to fill them? Why not have a picnic! Get outside and enjoy the sunshine with your friends and family and make some memories.

Finding the perfect snacks is the key to a successful picnic. Sandwiches, beer, chips and dip are so yesterday; if you really want to impress your guests bring out the wine and cheese! But how do you know what pairs well together? Don’t worry, we’re here to help!

Soft and Light Cheeses

With fresh cheeses like mozzarella, chevré, feta, ricotta and burrata it's smart to also keep the wine lighter and crisper. Consider a Rosé, Pinot Gris, or a Sauvignon Blanc. For those who love these cheeses but prefer red wine, remember to still keep it lighter, avoid full tannic reds, such as Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Medium-Aged and Semi-Hard Cheeses

Think of a wine and cheese pairing as a sliding scale, we’ve upped the intensity of the cheese a little, so now we can do the same for the wine. For cheeses like Havarti, young cheddar, Gruyere, and Manchego you will want a wine to match. Reach for a lighter, fruitier red like Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

Blue Cheeses

Most blue cheeses have a strong and earthy flavor, so you will need a more intense wine to match. For cheeses such as Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort many people choose a Port, Malbec, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Dessert wines are also a popular choice as the sweetness matches up nicely with the pungency of the cheese.

Hard Aged Cheeses

Cheeses such as Pecorino, aged Gouda, aged Cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Asiago pair well with tannic reds. Think of California red blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, and Zinfandel. If you would rather enjoy a white, go for something full-bodied like a Chardonnay or white blend.

This all sounds amazing, but packing up your picnic can be annoying, difficult, and heavy to carry. Come out to Rustic Ridge Vineyards and pick your favorite wine from the barrel, our new pouch growlers are sure to lighten your load and can be packed away easily when you finish your delicious Rosé, Sangria, Berry Sparkling wine, or estate Montepulciano.