It’s almost the weekend, and if you’re planning a girls night in or a Wine and Cheese party, then I have some great tips and pairings for you! My husband loves wine, (but not cheese) and I love cheese with my wine, so while he doesn’t know how to pair them, its always been something I wanted to do! So I’ve broken it down below!
I paired them below with SkinnyGirl wines, but if you have a different brand at home, don’t worry!
First, some Hosting Tips!
Image Credit: Tablespoon.com
1. Estimate at least one ounce of each cheese per person. To start, 3-5 cheeses and 4-6 wines should be the perfect amount.
2. Make a pretty display of a few different cheeses using place cards or a slate cheese tray with the names of each written in chalk.
3. Use chalkboard paper or butcher paper to label the wines and pairings. Spread the paper on the table as a runner, and set out chalk/markers to label the wines and draw arrows to suggest pairing ideas.
4. Cut squares of chalkboard paper and stick them on wine glasses, or provide plain wine glasses and glass paint for guests to decorate their own. Now they won’t worry about which glass is theirs, plus they’ll have a fun favor to take home!
5. Ask each guest to bring a bottle of wine and set a price limit based on your budget.
6. In addition to wine and cheese, provide other snacks for guests to enjoy alongside the wine. I love gourmet olives, figs, fresh veggies, spicy salami and fruits such as strawberries, grapes, blueberries, melons and apples.
7. Work from dry to sweet with white wines, and from light to full-bodied with red wines.
Wine & Cheese Pairing Ideas
Fresh Cheese
o Wine: Skinnygirl® Rose, Sauvignon Blanc
o Cheese: Goat cheese, burrata, feta
o Why it works: Delicate milky or tangy soft cheeses pair nicely with light-bodied wines with citrus and floral notes
Mild or Creamy Cheeses
o Wine: Skinnygirl® Pinot Noir, Skinnygirl® Prosecco, Skinnygirl® Chardonnay, Beaujolais
o Cheese: Brie, Camembert, cheddars, Havarti, jacks, double and triple crèmes
o Why it works: Soft-ripened cheeses work great with the effervescence and fruit flavors of a Prosecco, and also pair well with the lighter-bodied style of a Pinot Noir
Funky Cheeses
o Wine: Skinnygirl® Pinot Noir, Riesling, Burgundy
o Cheese: Muenster, Fontina, Pecorino, Asiago
o Why it works: Pinot Noirs and Rieslings can stand up to stinky cheeses, with their fruit flavors and high/juicy acidity
Firmer Aged Cheeses
o Wine: Skinnygirl® Chardonnay, Skinnygirl® Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Dry sherry
o Cheese: Manchego, Gruyère, cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda
o Why it works: Red wines with some tannin, full-bodied whites or sherry work well with flavorful firmer cheeses
Blue Cheeses
o Wine: Skinnygirl® Moscato, Skinnygirl® Cabernet Sauvignon, California Zinfandels, dessert wines such as sweet sherry and port
o Cheese: Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola Dolce
o Why it works: Rich dessert wines and full-bodied, fruity California Cabernets or Zinfandels pair nicely with the strong flavor of blue cheese
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Limor is an on-air lifestyle and entertaining expert. She loves to share her favorite finds and recipes.