The roses are scattered about the room. The fireplace is crackling, and you have donned your most sensual negligee. You even went to the hairdresser today, so your hair is styled as perfectly as your makeup. The only snag is that you are staring into your refrigerator not knowing what to serve. You want something calming, so caffeine is out, and you don’t want messy. He’s going to be here in an hour, and you are starting to panic. What are you going to do? First of all, do not panic. Look no further than that small wine rack in the hallway and the variety of cheeses you keep stashed in the refrigerator. Wine and cheese is the perfect combination to serve when romance is in the air and munchies are needed.

What Wine and Cheese Combinations do I Serve?

While it is, of course, not absolutely vital to follow these guidelines, there will be no wine and cheese police to arrest you for creating your own combinations, certain cheeses do lend themselves quite well to the flavors of specific types of wine. So much of it depends upon your tastes; however, a good rule of thumb is that hard goes with red while soft goes with white. Simply put, this means that if you have a taste for a good cabernet, it may be best to serve Camembert, Brie or Danish Blue cheeses.

You may also combine your cabernet with a strong cheddar cheese, but if that is missing from your wine rack, then try sauvignon blanc. Other red wine and cheese combinations include: bleu with a Madeira, havarti with a Bordeaux and feta with Beaujolais or Zinfandel. Now, the mention of Zinfandel eases us into a discussion of lighter wines, which we already know goes better with softer cheeses.

Should your romantic dinner be a celebration that is to include champagne, then you may want to serve a good Gouda or Colby cheese. However, if the mood is to be a bit lighter, then try these wine and cheese combinations: start by serving chardonnay with gruyere or a mild cheddar, cream cheese with white zinfandel, Cheshire with Riesling or baby swiss with that bottle of asti spumanti you bought on an whim. Since the lighter wines are often served chilled, they may work as a wonderful contrast to a blazing fire, or you may want to save these colder varieties for warmer months and picnics in the park.

Whether you choose to serve a white or a red wine, it is a good idea to have a good wine and cheese pairing to avoid contrasting tastes in the mouth. Again, these are not vital combinations, and you are certainly welcome to mix and match them depending upon your and your lover’s palates; however, these are tried and true combinations that may well give you a good jumping off place.

Have you ever been to a winery and had the opportunity to taste different styles bottled there? Have you ever been to a wine tasting at a local beer and wine store? How about one at a friend’s house? Have you ever wanted to, but did not know where to look, or how to act once you got there? Wine tasting events are popular and fun excursions for you and an adult partner who would also enjoy such an event.

Read the rest of this entry »

White wine with fish, or is it chicken? Red wine goes best with steak, or is it pork? What do I serve with ribs? How does lamb fall into this category? ARGH! Why is food and wine pairing so complicated? HELP!
Have you ever been tasked with creating an important dinner party, and did not know what to serve with what? Have you ever felt like pulling your hair out while standing at your local wine dealer’s knowing that this dinner has to be perfect, but not having the background to select the perfect wine? Well, join the ranks of those who have come before you, then take a deep breath and read on to help you understand complimentary food and wine pairings.

Read the rest of this entry »