July 25: Wine & Cheese Day

The basic rule about pairing food with wine is that one shouldn’t overpower the other. Simply put, strong cheeses should pair well with strong wines, while mild cheeses would go well with mild wines.

Acidic wines go perfectly well with pungent cheeses. Brie goes well with sparkling wine or Chardonnay while goat cheese matches well with Sauvignon Blanc.

Sweetish wines go perfectly with soft cheeses. A slice of Camembert goes well with Chenin Blanc or Vouvray. Full bodied red wines pair perfectly with hard cheeses.

Even the humble common cheese like cheddar could be paired well with sweet wines such as Port, Vermouth, and Sherry. Aged cheddar, with its sharpness, could go well with a glass of Shiraz Cabernet, which is equally tangy.

When it comes to cheese and wine pairing, the best guide is one’s taste. If it seems good, then it must be a good much. Of course it takes time to discover the good matches, so one should not despair with a few errors in matching.

In a matter of time, you can be an expert cheese and wine matchmaker.