Living the Good Life
By Jim & Della Bogaty
Owners Veramar Vineyard
www.veramar.com
A Classic Twosome ---- Wine & Cheese
Any simple gathering can become a gourmet-tasting event with the classic twosome, the combination of wine and cheese.
Wine and cheese seem like natural marriages, after all, weren't wine and cheese parties a staple of the 1970s? However, generally speaking, cheese is one of the trickiest foods for which to choose a wine partner. Cheese is frequently strong and pungently flavored, it is often very salty and it can have a gluey, mouth-coating texture. Some cheeses even manage to combine all these taste bud challenging features. The whole subject is made more complicated by the fact that wines and cheeses vary as much from producer to producer and according to maturity. If you find an affinity, the wine and cheese can amplify each other's qualities, but sometimes, they can clash. Generally, it will be the cheese that overwhelms the wine.
Please begin the wine and cheese pairing journey remembering that pairing foods with wines is very much like discovering a mate. Just as the right combination of ingredients complements and highlights each other to create a loving relationship, pairing the right wine with a cheese creates a combination that celebrates and enhances the experience of both the wine and the cheese, just like a good marriage.
However, let’s not take all of this to seriously. Remember- when setting up a wine and cheese pairing,
the only thing you have to know is--- If it tastes good - do it and have fun!
Here is a simple roadmap for matching various cheese types with the wines that best suit them. Sample some of the marriages made in heaven and discover pairings that suit your own personal taste. Start with some basics and then rebel into the unfamiliar. You never know which couple will end up being your choice classic dynamic duo.
Even though it comes down to personal taste, certain guidelines have been proven favorable by a majority of enthusiasts. Here are some of those basic truths just like mama told you:
• White wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors.
• Red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors.
• Fruity, sweet white and dessert wines work best with a wider range of cheeses.
• More pungent the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.
When offering several cheese choices in a wine and cheese pairing spread, white wines fair better than reds. That’s because several cheeses, particularly soft and creamy ones, leave a layer of fat on the palate that interferes with the flavor in reds, rendering them monotonous and bland. For a safer bet when serving several wines, choose Parmigiano or Romano cheeses. They go with most wines.
Finding the perfect wine and cheese pairing may take a little time and a lot of tasting, but with the abundance of Virginia Wineries that is all the more chance to find a your Classic Twosome. HAVE FUN and enjoy the good life! Cheers for Veramar Vineyard!
Written by: James Bogaty
