Which Wine to pair with Cheese: Find the Best Pairings!

Which wine goes with cheese? This question, almost as old as the pleasure of tasting, deserves our full attention.

You've probably already found yourself faced with a cheese platter, hesitating between opening a bottle of red, a dry white, or a sweet wine. It must be said that the marriage of wine and cheese is a true science of balance.

Each cheese, with its texture and intensity, calls for a wine capable of enhancing its nuances.

A creamy Camembert, a fresh goat's cheese or even a powerful Roquefort do not require the same pairings.

So why settle for approximate choices?

At La Cave du Canal, we love sharing our pairing discoveries.
Because a good, well-chosen wine can reveal unsuspected flavors and enhance the cheese being tasted.
These are the moments when the terroir speaks, and your taste buds listen.

We'll tell you everything now.

Cheese and Wine: A Popular Pairing

Why such alchemy?
It is above all a question of complementary flavors and textures.

The fat in the cheese is balanced by the acidity and tannins in the wine.
In short, each bite becomes a real explosion in the mouth.

Did you know that some French cheeses like Comté or Roquefort were even designed to be enjoyed with wines from their region?

The Basic Rules for Pairing Wine with Cheese

There are just a few simple principles you need to follow to successfully pair wine and cheese:

• Balance the flavors : a powerful cheese calls for a wine with character, while a mild cheese prefers a delicate wine.
• Rely on the regions : local products often blend naturally with each other.
• Experiment with contrasts : for example, a sweet wine can soften a salty cheese like Roquefort.

These principles will guide you in your choices, but we can go further.

Texture, Taste and Balance

Soft Paste, Hard Paste or Blue-Veined Paste

The texture of the cheese directly influences the type of wine that will pair with it.

A soft cheese, like Brie or Camembert, requires a wine that will balance its creamy sweetness.
Round, aromatic whites, such as an unoaked Chardonnay, are ideal companions.
Light reds, such as a Burgundy Pinot Noir, also bring an elegant finesse.

For hard cheeses, such as Comté or Cantal, richness and maturation require more structure. A dry, lively white wine, such as a Savagnin or a Riesling, can be a pleasant surprise.
Fruity reds, like Gamay, offer a gourmet alternative.

Finally, blue cheeses, like Roquefort, call for sweet wines.
A Sauternes or a Banyuls perfectly plays on the sweet and salty contrast here. The intense texture of the blue cheese complements the captivating sweetness of the wine.

Mild, Strong or Salty

The taste of a cheese is as important as its texture.

A mild cheese with a subtle flavor pairs best with a light, fruity white wine. Imagine a fresh goat cheese enhanced by a Sancerre: you'll experience a burst of freshness.

For full-bodied cheeses, such as Munster or Époisses, it's best to choose a wine with character. A Gewurztraminer or a Vin Jaune will complement their aromatic intensity.

Salty wines find their balance in sweetness. Cheeses like Roquefort or mature Tommes shine with sweet wines. Sweet wines, with their roundness, temper the saline power.

The goal is the same: that one complements the other, without ever dominating.

The balance between the richness of cheese and the freshness of wine

Perfect agreement is often based on a balancing act.

A rich cheese, marked by its fat or intensity, calls for a wine capable of bringing a touch of freshness.
This is why dry white wines, often more acidic than reds, are excellent with most cheeses.
A runny Camembert, for example, is illuminated by a lively white wine, which contrasts with its texture.

Conversely, a fruity red wine, like a Merlot, can enhance the sweet notes of a Saint-Nectaire.

Balance also comes through contrast.

A rich, blue-veined cheese, saturated with aromas, pairs perfectly with the lightness of a sweet wine. The harmony lies in this subtle contrast between freshness and richness.

👉 Now that we have established the main principles, let's look at the big dilemma: white or red?

The Great Dilemma

It's often said that white wine is cheese's best friend. And for good reason! It's not tannic (with the exception of certain orange wines), which helps to better enhance the flavor of the cheese.

Dry white wines, especially those from Burgundy, are particularly recommended to accompany goat or sheep cheeses.

That said, a light red wine like a Burgundy Pinot Noir can be an excellent companion to mild or lightly aged cheeses.

But be careful to avoid red wines that are too tannic, which risk dominating the taste of the cheese.

Which Wines Pair With Different Types of Cheese?

Want to Perfect Your Pairings?

Whether you're having a raclette evening, a blue cheese platter, or soft cheeses with a rind, each pairing requires attention.

So don't hesitate to ask us for advice, by coming to see us directly or by messaging us on Instagram.

Whether it's for strong cheeses, hard cheeses, or even more delicate choices like soft cheeses, we will guide you, step by step.

Our expertise doesn't stop there.

We'll help you understand which wine to serve for each occasion, recognize the wines that pair perfectly with cheese, and choose the right cheese for a wonderful evening with exceptional wines.

We also offer themed tasting evenings to enrich your wine culture.
👉 You can click here to apply .

See you soon 🍷