The Ultimate Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide with Dan Murphys
Figuring out what wine and cheese go together can sometimes be a little intimidating. So Harper & Blohm founder, Olivia Sutton, in collaboration with Dan Murphys has put together the ultimate wine and cheese pairing guide. Here are a few important tips to help you get the most out of your selections.
- Serve your cheese at room temperature. That means taking it out of the fridge half-an-hour to an hour before you need it.
- Don’t over complicate your board with too many cheeses. It’s often better to serve one or two big chunks of cheese as a centrepiece.
- Avoid big heavy wines with delicate cheeses — otherwise you won’t taste either of them properly.
Some go-to cheese and drinks pairings
Goats cheese with Smith & Sheth CRU Sauvignon Blanc
Goats cheese is originally from the Loire Valley in France and so is sauvignon blanc. In terms of flavour, goats cheese has a fresh, citrus flavour and that's why it's just like sauvignon blanc.
Triple creme with Clover Hill Tasmanian Cuvée
This combination is more of a textural pairing. The bubbles in the sparkling will help to cut through the fat of the cheese.
French camembert with Willie Smith's Traditional Cider
This is a classically French combination inspired by the Normandy region, where they have lots of cows and grow lots of apples. A traditional french camembert has a lot of farmhouse, rustic-type flavour to it, similar to traditional apple ciders.
Cheddar with Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon
Cheddar is when you start pulling out the big red wines. When we talk about cheddar, we’re talking about English-style clothbound cheddar that are a lot different to mass produced ‘everyday’ cheddars. The wine and cheese complement each other by both having a really full-bodied flavour.
Blue cheese with Cockburn's Late Bottled Vintage Port
Blue cheese is very salty and very strong, which is why it works well with something contrasting, something sweet. A classic English-inspired blue cheese match is to serve Stilton with a glass of port or fortified wine.
Washed rind with Henry Fessy Beaujolais Vielles Vignes
Washed rinds are a more pungent, smellier-style soft cheese, which means they’ll go great with a lighter style red with tannins that won’t overpower the cheese. It tends to bring out more of an earthy flavour to both the wine and cheese.
Aged gouda with The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Gouda is a tough cheese to match because it can vary a lot in age and flavour. Here we’re talking about aged gouda, matured for 24 months with a hard texture and complex flavour. So go for a drink match that’s a bit bigger in flavour – a lovely aged single malt whisky.
While all of these pairings will get you started on the path to being a cheese and drinks aficionado, the best advice for learning more is simple.
Eat lots of different cheeses. If you haven’t tried a type of cheese — then go taste it.
