Red or white wine with cheese?

Cheese and red wine pairing

This is one of the most common pairings. Whether you serve a Brie with pistachios or a Camembert terrine with dried fruit, don't hesitate to bring out a fine bottle of red wine with supple, melting tannins, such as a Margaux or a Médoc that has been cellared for several years.

A Margaux: Cheese is the ideal time to serve a great Bordeaux wine, such as a Margaux. The fruity aromas of this red wine are best enjoyed with a bite of St. Nectaire or Pyrenean sheep cheese.

A Saint-Emilion: Like the Margaux, the Saint-Emilion is one of the prestigious wines of Bordeaux. Classified growth or not, it is a red wine of great finesse. The ideal is to wait a few years before tasting it: its tannins will then have melted and will marry perfectly with cheese.

A Médoc: Tannic and round, Médoc wines have a very deep colour and aromas of black fruits and spices that balance the fatness of the cheese.

The cheese and white wine pairing

Blue-veined cheeses, such as Roquefort, Bleu or Gorgonzola, are best accompanied by sweet wines such as Sauternes. The mould of the cheese responds to the noble rot of the grapes to make a surprising pairing. Try a Roquefort terrine with dried fruit...

At Christmas, consider serving your cheeses with jams: black cherry enhances a sheep's milk cheese, while figs soften the strong taste of a blue-veined cheese.

A Sauternes: Sweet wines like Sauternes go particularly well with blue-veined cheeses. The honey, hazelnut and candied fruit aromas of this Bordeaux wine contrast with the strength of a Roquefort or Fourme d'Ambert cheese and bring a little sweetness to the cheese.

Sancerre: This dry white wine from the Loire Valley is ideal with a dry goat cheese, such as a Sainte-Maure de Touraine, a crottin de Chavignol or a Selles-sur-Cher. Its acidity contrasts with the texture of the cheese.