Wine and cheese is a match made in heaven — as long as you don't overthink it. Here's a cheat sheet.
Match intensity
Delicate cheeses want delicate wines; bold cheeses can handle bold wines. Get that balance roughly right and you're most of the way there.
Quick pairings
Soft & creamy (Brie, Camembert): crisp white or sparkling. Hard & nutty (Cheddar, Comté): medium-bodied red. Blue (Stilton, Roquefort): something sweet, like a fortified or dessert wine. Goats' cheese: zesty Sauvignon Blanc.
The house rule
When in doubt, bubbles. A crisp sparkling wine cuts through almost any cheese and makes the whole board feel like a celebration.
Cheese board emergency?
You don't need to spend a fortune. A well-chosen bargain bottle and a decent hunk of cheese is one of life's great cheap luxuries.
Quick Questions
What wine goes with cheese?
Match intensity: crisp whites or sparkling for soft cheeses, medium reds for hard cheeses, sweet or fortified wines for blue cheese, and zesty Sauvignon Blanc for goats' cheese.
What is the safest all-round wine for a cheese board?
A crisp sparkling wine. Its acidity and bubbles cut through most cheeses and suit a mixed board better than almost anything else.
