Make a wine and cheese gift basket
Wine and cheese gift baskets are always a great gift, but they are even better when you personalize them by choosing the contents yourself. Giving a customized gift basket to a client or colleague shows that you put some thought into your gift. But if you’re like many people, you’re lost when it comes to pairing wines and cheeses properly…I mean, how often do we do it? Well never fear…you don’t have to be a sommelier to create an expert selection for the connoisseur on your list. I’m going to give you some foolproof combinations that will please even the most discerning wine and cheese lover.
Dry White Wines
For a light to medium bodied wine, select creamy cheeses. A Riesling, Pinot Grigio or Pinot Blanc will pair well with cream based cheeses, either with no rind or with a bluish-grey natural rind. Most goat cheeses will work, but also try a nice mozzarella, Havarti, Ricotta, Emmental or Monterey Jack.
For a fuller bodied dry white, like a Chardonnay Reserve, think semi-soft cheese or soft cheeses with a white or reddish rind. Some classic pairings include Brie, Camembert, Oka and Taleggio cheese.
Dry Red Wines
Fruity, light reds like Pinot Noir and Merlot lend themselves well to a soft rinded cheese or fresh cheese. Think Edam, Gouda, Gruyere, Brick and Brie cheeses. You can also include mozzarella, Emmental and Monterey Jack.
For a headier medium body red, you still want a soft cheese but look for ones with a brownish or orangey-red rind. Here, we can get a little more adventurous and choose Limburger, Munster, Pied-de-Vent…but a raw milk Brie will compliment the wine just as nicely.
For a full body red, you want a hard, serious cheese. A Shiraz, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon begs for a good sharp aged cheddar, Asiago, Romano, Beaufort or Parmigiano Reggiano. Aged Gouda is also really nice.
Sweet Wines and Ice Wines
Here, we are going for all out decadence. A dessert wine or an ice-wine needs either a creamy cheese or a bold blue-veined cheese as a partner…or some of both. Mascarpone, the cheese used in tiramisu, is heavenly, as is a Devon Cream. Try a Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Saga or Blue Ermite as well.
Champagne
If you’re creating a gift basket for a holiday occasion, Champagne is a festive choice. Brie, Cheddar, Gouda, Parmesan, Colby and soft goat cheese are wonderful compliments to the sparkle.
A few quick tips to keep in mind when you’re pairing wine and cheese:
-try pairing wines and cheeses from the same region (a French wine with a French cheese, for example)
-the drier the wine is, the harder the cheese yo can pair it with
-acidic wines work best with creamy cheeses
-sweet wines and salty cheeses are always a winning combination
Creating the perfect wine and cheese gift basket is not an exact science, so don’t be afraid to experiment a little and ask questions. You can choose the wine first, and then ask your retailer what cheeses they would recommend, or select cheeses and bring the list in to the wine store with you and ask for help selecting the perfect compliment. And don’t forget the best part…sampling your choices along the way!
Other articles you might like;
