THE BEST WINES to PAIR with CHARCUTERIE & CHEESE (IMHO)
If you’re looking for a straightforward pairing, the truth is that the options are truly endless. However, if you’re less inclined towards experimentation, we recommend the following three wines to accompany a variety of charcuterie and cheese combinations.
Reccomdation # 1
Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spatlese 2018 /2019
This vibrant Spatlese is very expressive of the red slate soils of Erdener Treppchen, Mosel, Germany. Bright, tantalizing aromas of yellow peach, golden delicious apple, raspberry and a hint of moist earthiness. Ripe and opulent on the palate, with flavors of mirabelle plum, rhubarb, and a smoky minerality. Its sweetness is perfectly balanced by lip smacking acidity.
Low alcohol – only 8 %.
Price $ 28.99 – $ 36.99 (approx)
Reccomdation # 2
2018-20 Daniel Bouland Morgon “Corcelette Sable” Vieilles Vignes
This wine from Corcelette Villie-Morgon, France is a generous, demonstrative wine bursting with aromas of plummy fruit, cherries, licorice and spices. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with fine concentration, velvety structuring tannins and succulent acids.
Price $39.99 – $ 42.99 (approx)
Reccomdation # 3
MARCHESI DI GRÉSY BARBARESCO MARTINENGA DOCG
Barbaresco is a great choice when you serve both cured meat and piquant cheeses. This wine comes from the Piedmont region of theastern Italy. Fine, gently floral nose with wild cherry and redcurrant fruit. Spicy and lifted with notes of dried herbs. More sour cherry fruit on the palate, which combines richness and structure with complex layers of balsamic, toasty notes, dried fruits and liquorice. Fresh acidity gives balance, and the finish is savoury and textured with integrated oak. Price: $ 56.99 – $ 62.99 (approx)
PARTY TIME! – BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE(S)!
If you really want to have some fun and expand your palette, have each friend bring a different bottle of wine (or two) to your next get-together. You can play with a variety of small bites that go along with each. It’s difficult to pick just one wine that would cover the breadth of flavor and texture profiles on your board, so it’s best to have a party of it. Each person can sample the wine with the cheese and/or meat of their choice. Good or Bad it’s a fun filled evening.
For example, with cheese, each flavor profile can be quite specific. We chose a double smoked aged Gouda as an example. As it ages, it forms crunchy salt crystals that shine in a salty/sweet combination, and a Viognier or Chenin Blanc would do equally well with it.
Then, with Manchego, it might be a little nutty depending on the age and maker. You might want to lean towards a mid-balanced acid (try a white from Burgundy) or a Spanish wine instead—but, serving it with your sweet pick for the Gouda would risk overpowering the nutty profile. Above all else, though, have fun!
If your gathering calls for a little more than spray cheese. Lay down your foundations for picking the right wine(s). It’s as easy as knowing how salt, acid, fat, and spice play with each other. Look at your charcuterie and cheese offerings, and you’ll have an inkling of what type of wine will pair well.
When you’re looking at wine pairing in general, whether it’s a charcuterie board, a 10-course meal, or macaroni and cheese for dinner, you want to go acid versus fat and protein, fruit, and residual sugar versus spice. If you’re going to do spicier meats like chorizos and bresaola’s, typically lean towards wines that have a little residual sugar or maybe a little more aromatic and fruit weight to them.
PAIR SWEET with SPICE
Spicier meats and sweeter wines complement each other because the sugar in the wine will counteract capsaicin, the chemical responsible for spice. If you’re looking for a white wine, try Viognier from either California or the Rhône, or Chenin Blanc.
Chenin has a little more acid to it, but if it’s harvested a little later or if it’s a warm year, that could provide the perfect balance to spice as well. If you’re in the market for a red, you’ll again want to pick one that is fruiter and lower in acid. Zin from California or a Spanish wine should be among your top picks.
ACID and FAT
Adding foie gras, pâté, creamy cheese, or Iberian ham to your board? You’ll want an acidic wine to balance them out. Acid helps cut through fattier foods and gives them a little bit of a lift. A special gathering might call for Champagne, but on a regular day, a sparkling wine from South Africa or California will do.
A Pierre Moncuit Blanc de Blancs is something that is high acid with a beautiful chardonnay expression. Green apples and toast. It has a little brioche-y toasty note to it in a way. It plays really well with richer, fattier flavors of liver, (pate), and things of that nature.
Additionally, you could instead opt for a Pinot Noir or Merlot. Wines from northern and central Italy, in particular wines made from Sangiovese grapes.
IN CONCLUSION
There doesn’t always need to be a balance between salty and sweet, fat and acid. For the real bon viviants and true hedonists among us, a like-with-like pairing might to just the trick.
“You could choose a buttery Chardonnay, and the creaminess of the cheese and the creaminess of the wine would be interesting together. Things may get a bit more interesting when you do an opposite pairing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While there is clearly much room for interpretation when drumming up your next charcuterie wine pairing, there are still a couple best practices that will make the experience just that much better.
Make sure your wine is at the proper temperature. Serve whites at 55 degrees and reds at 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thinly slice your meats. There’s nothing worse than getting a really good selection of cured meat that’s cut thick, and while you’re gnawing on it, you’ll miss all the nuances of its savory flavor and fat because it’s cut way too thick.
Oh, and by the way, did I mention – HAVE FUN!
