Have some cheese with that wine! – Joie De Vin

Pairing cheese with wine. Winemaking and cheesemaking have been established, side-by-side, for centuries, so it’s no surprise that this food and drink combination go so well together. Both often take years of aging to reach maturation and optimum flavor, both require careful tending by producers, and both are often created in similar terroir, or growing area.

Still, wine and cheese have a yin and yang kind of relationship. Cheese is fatty. Wine is sharp. Yet these opposites attract to create a magical coupling of flavor and texture. It seems that scientists have discovered why these two are better together.

Researchers have determined that cheese improves the perception of fruit aromas, reduces the duration of astringency of red wines, and heightens the taste of white wine.

Cheese, usually high in fat, coats the mouth and blocks taste receptors to beverages. The acidity and sweetness of a well-paired wine cut through this creamy barrier to unlock a fuller flavor on the palate and create an excellent mouthfeel.

But, which of the thousands of cheeses and wines are more apt to pair well together? Here are a few tried and true ‘tips’ to get you atarted: