Your Guide to Cheese & Red Wine
My love of cheese runs deep. I remember the very moment I had my first taste of “real” cheese. I was 13 years old and I was at my best friends house. Her mom pulled out a wheel of creamy Brie. I had seen “fancy” cheese in the well manicured isles of the deli but never un wrapped and in person. I had no idea what to expect since the staples of my childhood were big rectangles of orange cheese product. I bit into a slice and I felt deceived. Why had I not had this in the last thirteen years? Who was playing this cruel trick on me? What was this buttery goodness? What did life even mean anymore? It was my first existential crisis. Laugh if you will but I remember it well. What other foods were out there? What was I missing out on? I quickly figured out over the years that the list of foods I hadn’t tried yet was long. It was a joyful & painful discovery.
Years later nothing has changed except the marriage of wine with cheese. I am convinced no two products match so well, food soul mates. I know a lot of women who splurge on a manicure, cute clothes, maybe a tanning session..but not me. One of my favorite things to do is grab my husband and a new bottle of wine and some mystery cheese we cannot pronounce. I have tried hundreds of cheeses and only found one I couldn’t stomach.
Anyways let me get to the point. If you love cheese and wine as much as me…or even if you just like it… or if you want to get into food. Here is your guide for where and when to get both. I will also discuss pairings… disclaimer I am no sommelier... but I do know a little something....enjoy.
My recommendation to any wine and cheese noobie is to go to Trader Joe's. TJ's has an excellent selection of international wines & cheeses. The house wine of TJ's is Charles Shaw starting at $2.50 a bottle, it's good and can easily compare to a $10-$15 competitive bottle. I know that may seem to0 good to be true but in several blind taste tests conducted by various blogs it scored an 8 overall on a ten scale. This is one of those cheap bottles you will not be flushing down the toilet. Apart from the Charles Shaw brand wine in red & white..... the amazing deals and prices go on. You can get everything from Chianti to Chardonnay. Prices start at $2.5o and go to $50. (If you aren't lucky enough to have one close by there is always Total Wine which will ship those goodies straight to your front door.)
This is a blog and not a novel ...so let's get to my pairing recommendations. I will discuss basic reds as well as what cheese to eat with them bon appetite!
In the basic red category we have.....drum roll please...Merlot, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Savingon , Malbec, Pinot Noir.
1.) Merlot, which in French means The Little Blackbird, is the second most popular red grape in America (after Cabernet Sauvignon). Known for being soft and ripe. Merlots are easy drinking reds that go well both with food as well as on their own. It falls in a nice middle ground know for being strong but smooth with notes and plum and sometimes even a slight chocolate taste. Try: 14 hands $12.00
2.) Syrah is responsible for some of the darkest red wines in the world. If you swirl it around in your glass you will notice is has a full body and drips slowly off the side. It has dark fruit flavors from sweet blueberry to savory black olive. Try: Posa Robles $7.99 Pairs well with:Cheddar (sharp),Edam, &Gouda
3.) Cabernet Savingon is a little lighter than the Syrah but still dark on the scale. It is my personal favorite made from a perfected blend of reds. A nice Cab is earthy with notes of black berries sometimes even a little tobacco taste. It is the soul mate of red meat, which is perhaps why I love it. Try: Long Live Libertee $9.99, Pair with: Goat Cheese, Extra Sharp Cheddar, Manchego , Parmiganio , stinky cheeses like ( d'affinois.... my favorite)
4.) Malbec is an easy to drink wine with fruity notes. It is a full bodied red that mostly stems from South America. Try: Alamos $16.99 at total wine....$9.99 at trader joes. Pairs with:
White Cheddar (sharp),Comte, & Stilton.
5.) On the lighter side of the spectrum we have Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir has notes of cherry, caramel and vanilla...and is slightly sweeter than it's darker counter parts. Try: Petiole $9.99 Pairs with: Brie & Goat cheese and Taleggio
This is a basic guide and I hope to write more about wine in the future. Cheers to discovering what you like!!!