Though cheese and wine are often touted as the soulmates of the cocktail party – “Daaahling, you simply must come to my wine and cheese soirée…” – there’s more in your fridge and liquor cabinet to consider before embarking on your next cheese binge.
In fact, Julia Rogers, cheese and wine specialist and owner of Toronto-based education, events and consulting company Cheese Culture, regards beer as the most versatile accompaniment to your cheese board.
“Cheese and beer combinations are the most fail-safe. Beer doesn’t have the acid/tannin structure of wine, which can sometimes clash with salty/bitter components in cheese rinds and moulds,” she says.
“Beer is also lower in alcohol than wine and spirits, and therefore more quaffable – something that’s important when eating a rich, salty food like cheese. The carbonation is a big plus on this front as well.”
Coupling cheese with spirits presents the greatest challenge – Rogers chalks this up to the impactfulness and steep ABV of strong drinks compared to beer and wine – but it’s by no means impossible. Attend a whisky tasting and chances are pretty good that a sharp cheddar or salty blue will make an appearance.
Afrim Pristine, maître fromager (that’s a cheese sommelier) at the famous Cheese Boutique (45 Ripley, 416-762-6292), likens his approach to spirits pairing to selecting fighters for a boxing match: it ruins the fun if one dominates the other.
“If you pair the heavyweight with a lightweight boxer, the lightweight doesn’t have a chance to compete,” he says.
“Bourbon, whisky, vodka, gin can all work well with cheese. It’s all about finding what works for you and your palate. The beauty of cheese is the variety: the different textures, flavours, aromas – there are so many to choose from. The fun part is the trial and error, which is something I practise everyday.”
He notes that a recent game of R&D resulted in the discovery that chilled vodka pairs wickedly with fresh Grey Owl, an ash-rind goat cheese from Quebec.
“There isn’t really a right or wrong answer when pairing,” says Pristine. “What pairs well for me may not be the case for you, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But there is something to say for classic pairings.”
Don’t reject wine altogether, but give your choice careful consideration.
“Firm, classic, moderately aged cheeses (Manchego, cheddar, Swiss varieties, pecorino) are generally wine-friendly, says Rogers.
“When selecting wine to go with ‘edgier’ cheeses (funky chèvre, pungent washed rinds, assertive blues) look to classic pairings like Sancerre with goat cheese, for example. Wines with some degree of sweetness are also good bets generally,” Rogers notes.
Pristine suggests looking to classic pairings as a point of reference.
“Good aged Parmigiano Reggiano with crisp champagne for me is a classic and one of the best pairings,” he says. (I agree, because Champagne with everything.)
“Pair port with Stilton blue cheese and acidic fresh Chenin Blanc with ripe creamy goat cheese, pale ale with a pungent washed-rind cheese,” he says.
So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – though a little tweaking never hurts. There’s little reason a cheese that works with port wouldn’t also compliment a PX sherry.
Deliciousness results if you respect tradition but aren’t afraid to experiment. And above all, eat more cheese.
