A Useful Guide to Pairing Wine & Cheese
All new, totally revamped on April 21, 2024! Finding the perfect harmony between a complex wine and a nuanced cheese can be a challenge, but it's also rewarding. This guide will outline some basic concepts to help you achieve a tasting experience that transcends the individual components, and it provides five ready-made wine and cheese pairings to get you started.
Why use my guide instead of others: most of the advice on the Internet about how to pair wine with cheese comes from the cheesemakers (and cheesemongers). They treat wine grapes as interchangeable, but most grapes can be produced in a variety of styles which may or may not go well with that cheese.
My guide tells you which styles of each grape to pair with each cheese, and I even recommend specific wines to try with each cheese. Wherever possible, I’ve selected wines that are pretty widely available. Much more useful!
FYI: I find great wine deals so you don’t have to. To keep me on the hunt, I earn a commission when you buy wine (or cheese) based on my recommendations.
Wine & Cheese Pairing Tips
Is it better to pair red or white wine with cheese?
There is no single right way to pair wine with cheese. Wine & cheese can go together like peanut butter and jelly, or they can go together like oil and water. It's a matter of choosing the right white wines for the right cheeses and the right red wines for the right cheeses.
Here are some tenets widely-accepted as tried-and-true wine and cheese pairing tips, but of course there are exceptions to every rule. If you’re new to the adventure, this will help get you started.
- Young cheeses pair well with young white wines. Young cheeses are often described as “fresh” and include fresh goat cheese, buffalo mozzarella, feta, and halloumi. Wines to explore: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or Chenin Blanc.
- Aged cheeses pair with older red wines. The intensity of aged or mature cheese can stand up to the bolder flavor profiles of red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Merlot.
- Blue cheese, while often paired with red wine, opens up many opportunities for disastrous pairings with those same red wines. Stick to a sweet dessert wine like a Sauternes to hold up to Blue cheeses’ boldness without clashing with the strong moldy flavors.
- If you’re serving a cheese that’s fairly acidic (like Cheddar or Feta) you’ll want to choose wines with good acidity, too. In wine, there are a few common buzzwords describing acidity: crisp, fresh, bright, and racy. Both red wines and white wines can have ample acidity.
- “What grows together, goes together” is NOT a good rule of thumb for pairing cheese and wine. There are exceptions, but in general it’s not safe to assume that if a wine and a cheese come from the same region they are compatible.
- Some wines just don’t go well with cheese: heavily oaked wines, especially oaky whites like the “classic” Chardonnay profile from Napa; tannic reds (young, bold reds). If you must pair these wines, try dry, aged cheeses (like Parmigiano Reggiano or very old Cheddar, but don’t say I didn’t warn you).
Where to Buy Great Cheese
When it comes to buying great cheese, you can stop by your local grocer or order online.
If you know what you’re looking for and it’s widely available, shop in person. Outside of major cities it is unlikely you’ll have a great local cheese shop, but start there if you do. No cheese shop? I recommend Whole Foods and gourmet grocers when shopping for cheeses.
If you live near a Ralphs or Kroger-brand store, you might find a Murray’s Cheese shop right inside your grocery store. This is the easiest way to buy if you know what you’re looking for. You can even order your cheese locally and get it delivered via Instacart.
If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you live somewhere with a limited cheese selection, or you would like to explore pre-selected cheese assortments, I recommend the following places to buy cheese online:
- Murray’s Cheese from New York. Buy individual cheeses, pre-made cheese platters (with or without charcuterie), or sign up for a cheese subscription (a straightforward selection of clubs are available, all cheese-driven). They also offer meats which are just as delicious as their cheeses.
- Di Bruno Brothers from Philadelphia. Buy individual cheeses, pre-made Italian cheese platters (with or without charcuterie), or sign up for a cheese subscription (a selection of clubs are available, but they’re not all cheese-centric). They also offer meats which are just as delicious as their cheeses.
- Boarderie. This is the perfect place when you want to buy a readymade cheese and charcuterie board, either for your own party or as a gift for a host. They are PRICEY, but they’re beautiful, they do ALL of the work for you, and you can keep the acacia wood serving trays after all the cheese and meats have been enjoyed.
Wine & Cheese Pairing Ideas
Which cheeses go better with white wine?
When it comes to cheese pairings, white wines offer the most flexibility, complementing a wider range of cheeses from young to aged varieties. A recent magical experience of my own came with a Central Coast Chenin Blanc and Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar.
That said, Sauvignon Blanc goes great with fresh cheeses like Goat cheese and Brie, and Chardonnay goes great with medium-intensity cheeses like Provolone and some cheddars. Here are curated cheese and white wine adventures for you to try at home.
Sauvignon Blanc & Cheese Pairings Ideas
One of the more delightful pairing combinations for wine and cheese lovers is fresh cheese paired with bright young wines with a fruity palate. In the US, the most readily available wine that fits this description is Sauvignon Blanc.
Just as not all cheeses are created equal, not all Sauvignon Blancs are either. It is known by a variety of names including: Pouilly-Fumé (Chablis), Fumé Blanc (California), and Sancerre (Loire Valley). It’s flavor profiles range from “green” (apple, gooseberry, and cut grass) to “tropical fruit” (pineapple and passion fruit) to citrus (mostly grapefruit and lemon) but it can also be floral, steely, and vary in its brightness (acidity).
Here are three great cheeses for Sauvignon Blanc and the perfect wines to try with them.
The cheese: Bucheron
Lemony, Floral, Mushroomy / Cow, Goat Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 9 Days / Buy it for $25 / lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($12): Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc / Taste match: Lemon
Upgrade ($35): Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc / Taste match: Lime, lemon
The cheese: Selles-sur-cher
Briny, Tangy, Grassy / Goat Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 3-5 Weeks / Buy it for $21 / 6 oz wheel
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($12): Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc / Taste match: Grapefruit, grassy
Upgrade ($25): Markham Sauvignon Blanc / Taste match: Citrus, grassy
The cheese: Murray’s French Double Crème Brie
Fresh Milk, Salted Butter, Rich / Cow Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 2 Months Buy it for $9 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($10): Matua Sauvignon Blanc / Taste match: Bright acidity
Upgrade ($47): Comte Jean Marechal (Sancerre) / Taste match: Sharp fruitiness
My personal favorite brie is from Costco: Isigny Ste. Mère from Normandy (it’s a steal, but prices vary by location).
Chardonnay & Cheese Pairing Ideas
When it comes to Chardonnay (the chameleon of wines), the style of the wine absolutely dictates the "right" cheese pairings. Chardonnay can be fruity, saline, buttery, or oaky — and each style has its own cheese best friend. The cheesemongers sometimes break Chardonnay into "Old World" and "New World" but I find that distinction useless for cheese pairing — you can find oaky or steely selections of Chardonnay in both New World and Old World regions.
Here are three great cheeses for Chardonnay and the perfect wines to try with them.
The cheese: Murray’s 18 Month Aged Comté
Brown Butter, Hazelnut, Dried Fruit / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 18 Months / Buy it for $18 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($12): Sycamore Lane Chardonnay / Taste match: Medium- to full bodied, balance, oak influence
Upgrade ($35): Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay / Taste match: Hazelnut, toasty oak, creamy
The cheese: Ciresa Fontina Fontal
Buttery, Fruity, Mushroomy / Cow Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 3 Months / Buy it for $11.50 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($11): Josh Cellars Chardonnay / Taste match: Citrus, tropical fruit, buttery/creamy
Upgrade ($40): WALT Sonoma Coast Chardonnay / Taste match: Buttery notes, apple, fresh acidity
The cheese: Vermont Creamery Coupole
Bright, Sweet, Cooked Milk / Goat Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 2 Weeks / Buy it for $22 / 6 oz wheel
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($14): J Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay / Taste match: Apricot, honey, lemon, mineral
Upgrade ($35): Stag's Leap Wine Cellars KARIA Chardonnay / Taste match: Medium to full-bodied, minerality, citrus, nutmeg
Which cheeses go better with red wine?
The intensity and tannins of red wine often leave a lot of room for cheese flavors to clash with the wine. When it comes to red wine, lighter-bodied and fruity options with lower alcohol will do better with younger cheeses. Older wines go well with aged cheeses, heavy reds go better with stronger cheeses like aged cheddar or Grana Padano.
Here are curated cheese and red wine adventures for you to try at home.
Pinot Noir & Cheese Pairing Ideas
Pinot Noir and cheese aren’t fast friends. Careful consideration should be made when choosing the right cheeses for Pinot Noir’s primary characteristics: cherry, red fruit, cola, spice, earthiness. Some Pinot Noir are round and well-balanced, others are brighty (acidic) and these two characteristics will also change which cheeses you pair them with. Alpine cheeses like Gruyere are a good place to start, as Pinot Noir often grows best at higher elevations (like the mountains), particularly in France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.
Here are three great cheeses for Pinot Noir and the perfect wines to try with them.
The cheese: Jasper Hill Farm Whitney
Velvety, Caramelized Onion, Mild Funk / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 2-7 Months / Buy it for $16 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($14): Mark West Pinot Noir / Taste match: Cranberry, red fruit, spice, bright
Upgrade ($50): WALT Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir / Taste match: Black cherry, cardamom, firm tannins
The cheese: 18-month Emmentaler
Nutty, Salty, Savory / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 18 Months / Buy it for $17.50 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($12): Bread & Butter Pinot Noir / Taste match: Ripe fruit, smokiness, bacon
Upgrade ($38): La Crema Willamette Pinot Noir / Taste match: Red fruit, earthy undertones, silky tannins, balanced acidity
The cheese: Jasper Hill Farm Alpha Tolman
Milky, Fruity, Nutty / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 12 Months / Buy it for $17 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($15): Murphy-Goode California Pinot Noir / Taste match: Vibrant dark fruit, bright acidity
Upgrade ($47): Tyler Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir / Taste match: Bright red fruit, floral, silky
Cabernet Sauvignon & Cheese Pairing Idea
When considering pairings for Cabernet Sauvignon, aged cheeses are almost always the right choice. Aged cheese brings an intense flavor that can hold up to a Cab. In some cases Blue cheese makes a great pairing for Cabernet and in other cases it does not. The Smokey Blue is very wine friendly, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon. A pungent Camembert can be great with Graves red wines (Bordeaux).
Here are three great cheeses for Cabernet Sauvignon and the perfect wines to try with them.
The cheese: Grana Padano Oro 20-Month
Velvety, Caramelized Onion, Mild Funk / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 2-7 Months / Buy it for $10.50 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($14): J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon / Taste match: Dark cherry, black currant, clove
Upgrade ($40): Martin Ray Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon / Taste match: Plum, cherry, cassis, clove, and bright acidity
The cheese: Ossau Iraty
Buttery, Nutty, Smooth / Sheep Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 6 Months / Buy it for $24 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($19): Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet / Taste match: Dark fruits, cassis, warm barrel spice
Upgrade ($60): Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon / Taste match: Dark fruit, spice, silky tannins
The cheese: Quicke’s Mature Cheddar
Crumbly, Savory, Acidic / Cow Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 12 Months / Buy it for $17 / 0.5 lb
The wine pairings
Budget-friendly ($17): Koyle Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon / Taste match: Explosive dark berry flavors, soft tannins
Upgrade ($48): Sanctuary Cabernet Sauvignon / Taste match: Dark plum, refined tannins, bright acidity
French Wine & Cheese Pairing Ideas
Many of the world’s great wines come from France, as do many of the world’s great cheeses! I’ve already included a few of the cheeses as pairings with wines (all of which are of French origin, even though most are California wines). For this pairing I’m going to serve up Murray’s French Cheese Assortment and recommend a couple of pairs of wines to try with it. The wines should complement at least two of the five cheeses, but it’s fun to see what works and what doesn’t work for yourself.
The French cheeses / Buy it for $95 / 2.5 lb
- Murray’s Mini Brie / Creamy, Mushroom, Butter / Cow Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 2 Months
- Langres / Buttery, Bacony, Savory / Cow Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 14 Days
- Ossau Iraty / Buttery, Nutty, Smooth / Sheep Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 6 Months
- Murray’s 18 Month Aged Comté / Brown Butter, Hazelnut, Dried Fruit / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 18 Months
- Brebirousse d’Argental / Nutty, Grassy, Lanolin / Sheep Milk / Pasteurized / Age: 14 Days
This wine sampler was specially selected for a similar French cheese assortment to this one, by my friend Laurent Yung, the proprietor of SomMailier — an importer and seller of fine French wine of unique quality and taste. Make it easy and buy this featured sampler or check out my other pairing recommendations below.
- Champagne Duc de Chancay / Lime blossom, white flowers, ripe pear and apple, brioche and almond
- Comte Jean Marechal 2020 Sancerre / Citrus, exotic fruit, fresh cut grass, sharp
- Château de Portets Grand Vin 2016 Graves Red / Blackcurrant, strong and fruity body, fresh, silky tannings
- Buy it at SomMailier for $128
Budget-friendly pairing #1: Classic
- White wine: Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay / Ripe apple, citrus, hints of butter, crisp oak, nuttiness / $17
- Red wine: / Chateau Daugay 'Le Piaf' Saint-Emilion / Floral, fruity, silky tannins / $30
Budget-friendly pairing #2: Adventurous
- White wine: Rhone Wolf Sierra Foothills White Wine / Ripe melon, citrus, mineral, crisp acidity / $25
- Red wine: Halos De Jupiter Syrah / Violet, red berries, bacon, rich mouthfeel / $17
Upgrade pairing #1: Classic
- White wine: Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuissé / Opulent, peach, lemon, melon, oak / $35
- Red wine: Chateau de Pez Saint-Estephe / Blackberry, cassis, well-integrated oak, concentrated / $62
Upgrade pairing #2: Adventurous
- White wine: E. Guigal Condrieu / Apricot, citrus, round, rich, full-bodied / $40 (Half bottle) or $79
- Red wine: Cave Saint-Desirat Cuvée La Croix Maurice Saint-Joseph / Bright red fruits compete with dry young tannins, notes of oak, baking spice / $35
Dessert Wine & Blue Cheese Pairing Ideas
While many people quickly think of pairing blue cheeses with red wine, they’re overlooking the magic of a dessert wine with a blue. Some classical pairings for Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola are the dessert wines which go by the name of Sauternes (Frances), Tokaij (Hungary), and Late Harvest (in the New World).
What makes Sauternes and blue cheese a magical pairing is how the sweetness of the wine contrasts the sharp and salty tang of the cheese without being overwhelmed by it. Simultaneously, the acid in the wine contrasts with the creaminess. Each has a long finish which allows for a continued exploration of the flavors together.
The cheese: Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese
Spicy, Buttery, Creamy / Cow Milk / Raw / Age: 2-4 Months / Buy it for $14.50 / 0.5 lb
The dessert wine pairings
Learn More About Cheese Pairing
Janet Fletcher. I’ve received Janet Fletcher’s Planet Cheese emails for some time. In addition to a weekly dose of cheese knowledge to your inbox, you can buy Janet Fletcher’s book Cheese & Wine, A Guide to Selecting, Pairing, and Enjoying (which was hiding on my bookshelf in plain sight). While she’s not the only well-known cheese expert, I trust everything Janet Fletcher says (about cheese).
Additional Wine-centric Reading. Terroir Review offers a great guide to wine and cheese pairing in addition to several posts about specific cheeses. Wine Folly covers cheese pairing (like Goat Cheese) in a more wine-centric manner than most cheese websites.
Cook’s Illustrated offers an incredible compendium of cheese knowledge. I found fantastic articles covering Pecorino Romano, Goat Cheese, Gruyere, Blue Cheese, Fontina, and even Vegan Cheeses.
Pairing Cheese with Other Adult Beverages. If you want to dig in deeper, try your hand at Beer & Cheese pairings, or even Spirits & Cheese pairings, check out this guide at Murray’s Cheese to get you started.
Pairing Wine with Food That’s Not Cheese. While researching this guide, I came across an excellent website for food and wine pairings called VinYang (a play on the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang). You can pair ingredients or whole meals. It recommends the best kind of wine to pair and three alternatives. They talk about cheese pairings, too.
