Cheese and wine pairing has a reputation for being fancy. It doesn't have to be. You need a few simple rules, a couple of good cheeses and a glass of something you like. Here's how we pair, plus our picks for the cheeses on our shelf.
Quick answer: Match intensity (mild cheese with light wine, bold cheese with bold wine), pair salty cheese with something sweet, and when in doubt, pour bubbles. Sparkling wine gets along with almost every cheese on the board.
Four easy rules for cheese and wine pairing
- Match the weight. Delicate cheeses get lost next to a big red. Strong, aged cheeses can stand up to one.
- Sweet loves salty. Blue cheese and a sweet dessert wine is a classic for a reason.
- Bubbles fix everything. Sparkling wine cuts through rich, creamy cheese and resets your palate between bites.
- Drink what you like. These are guidelines, not laws. The best pairing is the one you want a second bite of.
One more trick: what grows together goes together. Cheeses and wines from the same region often taste like they were made for each other, because for a long time, they were.
Which wines are easiest to pair with cheese?
Sparkling wine, dry Riesling and Pinot Noir are the friendliest. They have bright acidity and softer tannins, so they flatter a wide range of cheeses without clashing. Big, tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon are trickier and work best with hard, aged cheeses like sharp cheddar.
What to pair with our Wisconsin cheeses
Merlot Cheddar
Our Merlot Cheddar is marbled with Merlot, pairing sharp cheddar with a little red wine sweetness. Pour the obvious: a glass of Merlot. A soft Pinot Noir works beautifully too. Add crackers and fresh fruit, like grapes or sliced pears, and you've got the prettiest corner of the board. Bonus: the wine in the cheese and the wine in your glass make it the easiest cheese and wine pairing on the planet.
Bourbon Cheddar
Made with Lucky Guys Distillery bourbon, our Bourbon Cheddar wants something with backbone. Try a jammy Zinfandel, or skip the wine and pour a robust porter, a stout or a small glass of bourbon. Crisp apple slices on the side keep it fresh.
Midnight in Milan gorgonzola
Blue cheese is bold, salty and tangy, so it loves sweetness. Pour a Port or a late-harvest dessert wine, then drizzle the gorgonzola with honey. Pears and walnuts make it a full-on moment. Prefer a dry wine? A big, fruity red can hold its own.
Blueberry Maple Cheddar
Creamy, tangy and a little sweet, this one plays well with fruit-forward wines. Try an off-dry Riesling, a light, fruity red like Beaujolais, or a glass of bubbly for brunch. It's also fantastic with a cup of coffee, no wine required. Tuck it onto a brunch board with mimosas, fresh berries and a stack of waffle crisps and watch it disappear.
6 Pepper Cheddar
Spicy cheese and high-alcohol, tannic reds can turn up the burn. Cool it down with an off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer, where a touch of sweetness tames the heat. Not a wine night? A cold beer is this cheese's best friend.
More pairing ideas for the rest of the board
- Blue goat cheese: goat cheese and crisp Sauvignon Blanc are an easy match.
- Aged Welsh cheddar: try a brown ale or a dry cider.
- Herby cheeses like Basil Jack: a crisp white like Pinot Grigio keeps things garden fresh.
- Savory cheeses like Portabella & Chive: earthy Pinot Noir is a lovely fit.
How to set up a cheese and wine tasting at home
Pick three to five cheeses with different textures and flavors, then pour two or three wines. Go from mild to bold, both in the cheese and in the glass, so nothing gets overpowered early. Take cheese out of the fridge about 30 to 60 minutes before guests arrive so the flavors wake up.
Add a few supporting players: crackers, a baguette, fruit, nuts, honey and a jam. Then let everyone mix and match. Half the fun is finding a pairing nobody expected. Keep a little notepad on the table so everyone can vote for their favorite combo. Winner picks the next bottle.
New to some of these cheeses? Our guide to the types of cheese breaks down every family.
Give the pairing as a gift
Cheese makes the easiest hostess gift on the planet. Bring a bottle and a brick of cheese and you're the favorite guest. Our cheese gift boxes ship nationwide, so you can send the pairing to someone across the country, too.
Ready to taste? Shop the full artisan cheese collection online and we'll ship it nationwide (cheese takes a break in June, July and August so it arrives fresh). Local to River Falls? Choose pickup at checkout. More cheesy questions? Ask the Cheesemonger.
