Wine n' Cheese

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What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say wine? It has to be 'cheese.' Don't ask me why? Maybe 'wine and cheese' sounds good together or maybe both have a lot in common- both are made from natural products, both age with time and they are more expensive when they do.

Any season is appropriate for a cheese and wine party. To be sure if a wine and a cheese pair well, you have to try them. Try all combinations and you will soon realize what tantalizes your palates and what you savour. It is to an individual's discretion what he prefers. So as per the availability of both wine and cheese it is advisable to first try them before serving. Most argue that wine and cheese is purely a personal decision. Well maybe so.

The universally accepted combination and which is so naturally accepted is red wine with hard cheese, and white wine with soft cheeses. High acidic wines matches perfectly with the pungent acidic cheese. Light and fruity wines work best with almost any cheese. Serve aged cheese with milder, older wines, for instance, aged Gouda with Syrah and Cheddar with Cabernet Sauvignon. Here also there comes the point of personal preference.

Cheese can give a range of results, depending upon its age and condition. With time it ages, and its taste undergoes a gradual change. A cow's milk cheese can turn fruity with time. Only good wines, not necessarily expensive ones, are needed to make heavenly matches with great cheeses. To awaken the flavor of cheese, remember to remove it from the refrigerator one hour before serving.

No two ever taste alike and mostly the same combination when tried again also varies in taste because both wine and cheese age with time. The nature and the intensity of new flavors can be astonishing. Only when tried can they be savoured.

Here are a few combinations of wine and cheese.

Baby Swiss: Asti Spumanti
Bleu: Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry
Boursin: Gewurztraminer
Brie, Vintage: Champagne, Sweet Sherry
Brie, US: Cabernet, Beaujolais
Camembert: Cabernet, Chenin Blanc
Caraway: Gewurztraminer
Cheddar, Mild: Champagne, Chardonnay
Cheddar, Strong: Cabernet, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc
Cheshire: Riesling
Chevre: Gewurztraminer, Champagne
Colby: Riesling, Champagne
Cream Cheese: White Zinfandel
Danish Blue: Cabernet
Edam: Riesling, Dry Champagne
Feta: Beaujolais
Goat Cheese: Sancerre, Vouvray