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Best Cheeses to Pair with Red Wines

Want to unleash your inner sommelier? Use some of the best cheeses to pair with red wines next time you make a wine and cheese tasting menu!

By Riley Raul ReesePublished 7 years ago 3 min read
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Red wines are not exactly the normal pairing when it comes to cheese platters. Most people just assume white wines are the best cheese pairing option — regardless of the cheeses that are on the platter. While a nice white wine can be a great choice for certain cheeses, it's not always the best choice.

In fact, there are some cheeses out there that tend to pair equally well, if not even better, with red wine. According to cheese experts and sommeliers, these are the best cheeses to pair with red wines — and which wines work best with them.

Chevres

Chevres, also known as young, soft goat cheeses, tend to pair incredibly well with light red wines. The reason why is because they are very tangy and very flavorful — and surprisingly, also react somewhat well to the earthy flavor that tannins imbue on red wine.

The best chevre cheeses to match with red wines are the ones that are herb encrusted. The bold, smoky herb flavors tend to fare very well with bolder red wines.

That being said, this might not be one of the best cheeses to pair with red wine if you don't like a tart flavor that might bring out the flavor of alcohol. Certain alcohol-heavy reds, like cabernets, should be avoided due to ABV percentages that make this issue worse.

Best reds to pair with:

  • Bordeaux
  • Merlot
  • Lambrusco

Worst reds to pair with:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Any wine over 12 percent ABV

Gruyère (Or Other Nutty Cow Cheeses)

Gruyère is a very mellow-flavored cheese, and to a point, almost tends to have a more creamy taste to it. Most people would think that the mellowness of the cheese may make it better paired with a white wine, and while it's definitely true that whites can work well with a white, it's reds that really bring out the goodness.

Many of the best cheeses to pair with red wine have that mellow, almost peanutty flavor profile. The key to picking out a good red wine that works with this kind of cheese is to look for a very light, delicate, and equally soft wine.

So, most sommeliers suggest to pair gruyère, comté, and other similarly nutty cow cheeses with something like a Pinot Noir. Avoid wines over 12 percent ABV, as the alcohol can overpower flavors.

Best red wine pairings:

  • Pinot Noir
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Merlot

Worst reds to pair with:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Zinfandel

Gouda

Gouda and red wines go together like green eggs and ham. They're famous for working well together, and it's for a number of reasons. The tannins bind to the fat and cleanse the palate after every bite. The richness of red wine meshes with the creaminess of the cheese.

Hard, strong cheeses like goudas tend to be the best cheeses to pair with red wines — and also seem to pair with some of the largest ranges of reds in the spectrum. So, it's possible to be successful with a merlot or a port here, as long as the wine is quality enough.

Best red wine pairings:

  • Merlot
  • Port
  • Cabernet Sauvignons
  • Sangiovese

Worst reds to pair with:

  • Zinfandel

Asiago

Asiago cheese and other aged cheeses, are some of the best cheeses for pairing with red wines that pack a powerful punch. Simply put, the strong flavor (and smell) of these kinds of cheeses tend to require a red wine that's equally strong to stand up for them.

In the case of Asiago cheese, the tannins in red wine will act as a major palate cleanser. So, it also can help remove flavor buildup as you try other cheeses. Not a bad look, if you ask us.

Basically, any aged cheese will work well with red wine pairings.

Best red wine pairings:

  • Zinfandel
  • Sangiovese
  • Wines with 14 percent or more ABV

Worst wines to pair with:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Pinot Noir

Gorgonzola

Blue cheeses shouldn't be that big of a surprise to find on any list of the best cheeses to pair with red wines. They have an incredibly potent taste, and to a point, are known for their funky smell, too.

The funny thing about pungent cheeses is that they tend to be wonderful with sweeter red wines, as well as more powerful reds. This makes gorgonzola and Stilton-type cheeses perfect for darker reds and dessert reds.

Best red wine pairings:

  • Port wines
  • Sauternes

Worst wines to pair with:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

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About the Creator

Riley Raul Reese

Riley Reese is comic book fanatic who loves anything that has to do with science-fiction, anime, action movies, and Monster Energy drink.

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