The Ultimate Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide

Wine and cheese are two of life’s great pleasures, and finding the perfect match can be a delicious adventure. Things to take into consideration include texture, acidity, fat and saltiness versus sweetness. But it’s also important to have fun - so get familiar with the classics and experiment with new flavours. And afterall with good wine and good cheese it’s hard to go wrong.

Think About Regionality

Trust the locals and match wines and cheeses from the same region. Every region has its own identity with cheese and wine evolving alongside each other and if you’re looking for authentic combinations it can be worth pairing from the same region. We suggest exploring the tastes of the Yarra Valley with the Black Savourine semi-matured ashed goat’s cheese with a Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aged Cheese

As cheese ages and loses water-content, it becomes richer in flavour with the increase in fat content. This makes aged cheddar ideal for matching bold red wines as the fat content in the cheese counteracts the high-tannins in the wine. We recommend pairing a classic cheddar with a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.

Soft French Cheeses

Sparkling wines have high acidity and carbonation, complementing the creamy, sticky cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and Époisses de Bourgogne. Sparkling varieties can both compliment the silky flavours of the cheese whilst still being able to cut through any fat or saltiness, cleansing the palate. Our organic and vegan Prosecco pairs perfectly with both the Petit Langres and Camembert Le Conquerant.

Hard Cheeses

With the intensity and depth of flavour hard cheeses pair best with red wines. The Vacche Rosse Reggiano matches well with a Shiraz and the dusky, musky barnyard notes of the Mahon Curado with the smokey, leathery notes found in a Cabernet Merlot.

Goat Cheese

Whether hard chevre or soft and creamy, all goats cheeses possess a deep, grassy, intense flavour that goes well with medium bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The mild creaminess of the goats cheeses just calms down the astringency and brings out more fruits of the red varieties. You’ll also find that a crisp and fruity Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc imparts extra herbal flavours to the already earthy goats cheese.

Funky Cheese

Wonderfully stinky, washed-rind and blue-veined cheeses pair well with sweeter wines like Moscato. The sweetness in the wine helps balance the “funk” in the cheese and makes it taste creamier. Also, the “stink” of the cheese will help balance the sweet taste of the wine. Classic pairings you must try are Mons Roquefort with either our Moscato d’Asti or a Riesling.

Fresh Cheeses

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, young cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta. You’ll want to pair these with an equally fresh Pinot Grigio with delicate fruit flavours and a mouth-watering crisp finish.

Now you’ve got the wines sorted time to prep the cheese board with a visit to our Cheese Shop here.