The Ultimate Cheese And Wine Pairing Guide
When it comes to pairing cheese and wine, the truth is there are no hard and fast rules. If it tastes good then eat, drink and be merry. Incidentally, we also hold no ceremony on how to cut cheese – our advice is to just dig in! However, if you want to enhance each bite and savour every last mouthful, there are certain considerations which could enhance the experience. Here is some advice to consider when pairing your cheese and wine.
Regions
Matching cheese and wine from the same region is one of the simplest, and most satisfying, ways to create harmony on the palate. It’s not just about geography; it’s about trusting centuries of local expertise. In traditional cheesemaking and winemaking regions, farmers and vintners have spent generations refining flavours that naturally complement one another. The same soil that nourishes the vines often sustains the pastures for grazing animals, and the local climate shapes both the milk and the grapes. This shared terroir creates a natural balance. Take Spain, for example: the dry plains produce wonderfully nutty, hard ewe’s milk cheeses such as Manchego, which pairs beautifully with a fruit-forward Rioja. In the Alps, the rich, grassy pastures give us Gruyère and Comté, which sit perfectly alongside aromatic Riesling, Beaujolais, or even a bold Zinfandel.
From France’s Occitanie region, a Fer Servadou’s gentle tannins and subtle minerality complement the buttery texture of Pérail without overpowering it, while in Champagne country, a traditional Langres is famously finished with a splash of local bubbly in its trademark hollow top.
If you’re ever unsure, a good rule of thumb is to start with cheese and wine from the same country or region. Nature and tradition has already done most of the pairing work for you.
Flavour intensity
When matching cheese and wine you should consider flavour intensity. Harmony exists when the intensity matches, so match mild with mild, strong with strong. As a general guide, a wines over 14.5% ABV is considered to be high-intensity. The same applies to texture and smell too, especially when considering accompaniments. The best method is to select your cheeses first to make sure you have a good range of intensities and textures. Choose a mild soft or goat’s cheese, a fresh springy cheese, a blue, a washed rind and a hard cheese, for instance. Character often comes from a cheese that looks unusual, or smells unique, and adds interest to the board. This then gives you the shopping list for your wine, from a sparkling or a rose through to a full bodied red and ending with a dessert wine, and find wines that are described in a similar fashion – bold and fruity, light and aromatic, etc.
Create a journey
Your senses are about to go on an exciting expedition of flavour, texture and smell. But they are extremely sensitive, so if you hit them hard at the start, you may find by the end you’re not able to appreciate more mild flavours. That’s why it’s recommended that you start out with your freshest and most delicate cheeses first, such as goat’s cheese and soft cheeses. The same applies to your wines – pair these cheeses with a delicate and crisp white wine, or something with fizz. Dry whites follow this well, which are great for some washed rind cheeses and semi-softs. Stronger flavours should be sampled next, with cheddars and blues paired with full-bodied wines. A sweet dessert wine can work well with cheddars too and anything that’s creamy.
Add a third flavour
Experts call it a bridge — a third flavour that connects and enhances both cheese and wine. It’s a classic chef’s trick, and it works beautifully on the cheeseboard too.
A fresh cheese like Selles-sur-Cher pairs wonderfully with fruity accompaniments such as berries, which in turn complement crisp, dry wines like Prosecco or a dry white. Bold blue cheeses, such as Isle of Wight Blue, can be salty and spicy, so sweeter partners like honey, fruit jams, or fruit cheeses make a perfect bridge. Those strong, savoury flavours also call for a bold wine — try a full-bodied Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cheddars and other hard cheeses are rich in fat and full of umami, leaving a savoury depth that lingers on the palate. These flavours come alive alongside nuts, dark chocolate, or sharp fruit like grapes and apple. A tannin-rich red such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Malbec will balance the richness beautifully. Strong, pungent cheeses like Époisses or Stinking Bishop are creamy and intense, making them ideal with sweet dessert wines. Add a bridge of salty nuts or dried fruits to round out the experience.
And don’t forget the biscuits — they can make as much difference as the wine. Think of them as another layer of flavour and texture. Salty blues pair best with sweeter biscuits, while Cheddars shine with buttery ones. Soft cheeses are delicious on crisp, sturdy crackers, perfect for dipping and scooping.
Temperature
Just as you would chill white or sparkling wine or open a red in advance to let it breathe, the temperature of cheese should be considered too. If the cheese is runny such as a Winslade, this should be left out for an hour before serving. Hard cheeses such as cheddars and Pecorino can and should also be left out for at least an hour. The only exception is fresh cheeses such as young goat’s and ewe’s milk, where 30 minutes will be sufficient. The reason temperature makes such a difference is that the fat molecules in cheese relax when they reach temperatures of around 20–22 °C, which releases the aroma and changes the texture of the cheese. Cheese is a live food with bacteria and enzymes which also become more active at the right temperatures, so by bringing it to the right temperature you are experiencing the cheese at it’s optimum. It allows the true texture of the cheese to come to life, and it makes a considerable difference to the flavour.
Age
When a cheese is matured, it loses moisture and flavours become more intense. Think of an 18 month cave-aged cheddar or gruyere, only a small bite can leave an explosion of flavour on your tongue. They have been left to develop intricate flavours, rich colours and distinct aromas. Wine too, when aged will develop it’s flavour. It does not become stronger, it just develops in complexity and depth. An aged wine therefore NEEDS a complex, characterful cheese, nothing else will cut it.
Pedigree
Wines can of course be extremely expensive, which is generally a reflection of their storage, their age, the weather of the year they were produced and the vineyard it came from. An expensive wine has had a lot of love and attention, it has been crafted by experts and given every care to create a quality product. From the planting and nurturing of the vineyard to the harvesting of the grape to the production techniques and storage. When you buy more expensive wine you are acknowledging the craft of wine-making, and the expertise of the wine maker.
Cheese too, comes in different degrees of pedigree. The cheapest cheese is mass-produced, with low quality ingredients for a high yield. Artisan cheeses are hand made, following recipes and processes that are sometimes centuries old, using milk from cattle that have been carefully fed and never over-utilised. The quality is apparent in the taste and texture, but also the price. So this should be a factor when pairing your cheese and wine – if you’ve splashed out on expensive wine it deserves a quality, artisan cheese to enjoy with it.
