Wine and Cheese Gift – What To Consider

Wine and cheese is like a marriage made in heaven. A good, full-flavored cheese is certainly a perfect companion for a bottle of wine. You can buy a wine and cheese gift ready made up as a basket, however, wouldn’t it be a nice idea to select some cheese to go with the wine present you have chosen for that special wine lover of yours?

Well, there are some proved criteria for finding the right cheese for your wine. Wine and cheese together have been tasted over the centuries. It is said that the Ancient Greek have enjoyed cheese with wine together, in fact, they grated it directly into their glasses. Anyway, I doubt that feta infused retsina would meet today’s taste. Therefore, wine lovers and gourmets alike can look back on hundreds of years of experience.

When it comes to wine and cheese, it is Port and Stilton what most likely springs into people’s mind. Port is a sweet dessert wine, produced in Portugal’s Duoro Valley. The sweet Port is the ideal partner for the robust and salty Stilton, which is a blue cheese. They both go so well together, that you can find various recipes about it. You will find Port and Stilton sauces, Port and Stilton pâtés and even Kettle Chips created Port and Stilton potato chips at one time in the UK.

Dubliner, a cheese from Ireland and Cabecou Feuille, a cheese from the Midi-Pyrenees region of France are both an ideal match for Shiraz. Their nutty flavors complement the wine very well.French Cheese Selection

Merlot needs creamy, washed rind white cheeses like Mozzarella. Buffalo Mozzarella would even be a better choice, or select a Pont L’Eveque.

Anyway, we could clearly continue listing specific examples. However, what are the general rules for creating a perfect wine and cheese gift?

Soft cheeses like cottage cheese and Ricotta keep more of their moisture than harder cheeses, which have a higher whey content. They are best teamed with light white or rosé wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.

Blue cheeses with their sharp and tangy taste love to be accompanied by a red dessert wine. We have referred to Port and Stilton so far. Still, you may well try this with a red Zinfandel or a Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Muenster or a Monterey Jack, which belong to the semi-soft cheese family will go best with a fruity white wine like a Riesling or a Chenin Blanc.

For a hard cheese such as Provolone or the various Swiss cheeses choose a crisp white wine like a Pinot Grigio and for extra hard grating cheeses, like Parmesan or Romano, select a full bodied red wine. For Italian food lovers, Parmesan and Chianti would be the ultimate gift.

Even so, this wine and cheese gift might not be the optimal selection, because the Parmesan requires cold storage contrary to the Chianti, which has to be served at room temperature.

With a basic understanding of these rules and some creativity, choosing the right wine and cheese gift should be an easy task.

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