Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide
Wine and cheese is the most romantic pairing in the book and the most misunderstood. Big red wine and cheese is the cliche, but the truth is that whites, sparkling, and sweet wines do most of the heavy lifting. Here is how to build a board that actually works.
The great myth of wine and cheese is that red is the default. In practice, the high acidity and lack of tannin in white and sparkling wine make them far more flexible, because cheese is fatty and salty, and acidity is what cuts the fat and refreshes the palate. The two real rules are simple: match the intensity of the wine to the intensity of the cheese, and remember that a little sweetness in the wine is the magic key to salty, pungent cheeses. Salt tames the bitterness of tannin and amplifies the fruit and sweetness in wine, which is why the boldest cheeses meet their match in dessert wines.
Pairing by cheese type
Fresh and soft cheeses like goat cheese, mozzarella, and ricotta want crisp, high-acid whites. Sauvignon Blanc and fresh goat cheese is a textbook bridge, since they share grassy, green aromas and read as one flavor. Bloomy cheeses like Brie and Camembert are rich and buttery, and Champagne is the classic, its bubbles and acidity slicing through the cream. Hard aged cheeses like cheddar, Gouda, and Parmesan have the intensity to meet a red at last, so reach for a medium-bodied Cabernet or a nutty Sherry, or echo the Italian table with Parmigiano and a glass of Barolo.
The sweet wine secret
The strongest cheeses defeat most dry wines, but bloom under sweet ones. Blue cheese and Port is one of the most famous pairings on earth, born in cold English dining rooms and never improved upon, while Roquefort and Sauternes is its French cousin. The sweetness balances the salt and pungency, and the richness stands up to the funk. Washed-rind cheeses like Epoisses, powerfully aromatic, also love an off-dry or sweet wine, or a rich Gewurztraminer.
Building a wine and cheese board
If you are serving one wine to a whole board, a dry sparkling wine or an off-dry Riesling is the most versatile single bottle, flexible enough to flatter nearly everything. If you want one red, keep it medium-bodied and fruit-forward rather than big and tannic. And do not overthink it: a great board is about contrast and generosity, not perfection in every glass.
Hosting a gathering? Our wine pairing tool and party calculator take the guesswork out, or start with the complete pairing guide.
Building a cheese board?
Tell the pairing tool what is on the plate and get three bottles to look for, with the reason each one works.
Open the wine pairing toolWine and cheese, answered
What wine goes best with cheese?
There is no single answer, but crisp whites and sparkling wines are the most versatile because their acidity cuts through fatty, salty cheese. Match the intensity of the wine to the cheese, and use sweet wines for the strongest cheeses like blue.
What wine goes with brie?
Champagne or another dry sparkling wine is the classic match for brie and other bloomy cheeses. The bubbles and high acidity slice through the rich, buttery texture.
What wine goes with blue cheese?
A sweet wine such as Port or Sauternes. The sweetness balances the salt and pungency of blue cheese, a pairing made famous by Stilton and Port.
Is red or white wine better with cheese?
White wine is more versatile with cheese than most people expect, thanks to its acidity and lack of tannin. Reds work best with hard, aged cheeses, while whites, sparkling, and sweet wines flatter the widest range.
What is the best wine for a cheese board?
A dry sparkling wine or an off-dry Riesling is the single most flexible bottle for a varied board, with the acidity and touch of sweetness to flatter nearly every cheese on it.