Wine and English Cheese Pairings
Could we find a better way to have celebrated English wine week than a win at Wembley against our ancient rivals Germany?!! Here’s to amazing Raheem Sterling and our wonderful Captain Harry Kane.
As we continue to Rome and hopefully beyond, I thought we could celebrate a little differently, you know me!
INSPIRED by English wine week last week, and the Euro excitement this week, I thought English cheeses combined with European wine could make the best match snack!
Join my kind of footy party by enjoying a plate of English cheeses with a glass or two of some amazing European wines
Come on England!
“Teamwork makes the dream work…”
English Sparking Wine with Baron Bigod from Neal’s Yard
Baron Bigod is a cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy Rind, creamy with subtle hints of hazelnut and fruit aromas
Why I love with English Sparkling Wine : Bubbles go great with high fat foods since they crisp up the palate. The acidity cuts through the fat but the fruity nature of the prosecco brings out the delicate fruit aromas.
Try : English Sparking Wine, Champagne, Blanc de Blancs, Rose, dry Riesling, Beaujolais, Pinot Noir
“Refuse to Lose…”
Gerwurtztraminer with St James – Cartmel Cheeses
St James has an epoisses style – meaty, sweet and salty flavour with a chewy, creamy yet slightly firm texture! It can be a mare to pair!
Why I love with Gerwurtztraminer : Flamboyantly opulent aromas, textures and flavours of wine go perfectly well with opulent flavours, body and aromas of cheese. Gewurztraminer is one of the most cheese friendly wines – can go with cow, sheep, goats cheese.
Try : Burgundy red with aged cheese, Burgundy white with young cheese, Champagne, Sauternes, Marc de Bourgogne (made from the left-over pressings of burgundy wine grapes) – the recipe for the cheese is that it is washed by hand with the Marc.
“Championships are won at practice…”
Fino Sherry with Corra Lyn – La Fromagerie
Corra Lyn is a manchego style ery zesty sheep’s cheese, firm yet not dry.
Why I love with Fino Sherry : The nuttiness of the fino gives an extra dimension to the cheese whilst the salt/ olive briney element also enhances Why the zest you get naturally from the herbs in the cheese.
Try : Fino Sherry, Rioja, esp Riserva with aged Manchego like cheeses, Cava with young cheese, Ribera del Duero
“Always earned, never given…”
Sauvignon Blanc with Ragstone – Neal’s Yard
Ragstone’s Chevre style makes it a mild and creamy goat’s cheese
Why I love with Sauvignon de Touraine : Crisp acidity, flintiness, delicate grassy nature of wine complement creamy, fresh, delicate flavours of creamy goats cheese. Avoid oaked wines – would completely dominate the experience.
Try : Sauvignon Blanc from California, Pouilly Fume, Rose, Pinot gris, Beer, Beaujolais
“Play hard, smart, and together…”
Pinot Noir with Montgomery’s Cheddar – Paxton and Whitfield
Montgomery’s comte style is a cow’s cheese with a complex, nutty and caramelized flavour
Why I love with Pinot Noir : it has mellow tannins which therefore won’t clash with the cheese. It’s ripe fruit plus slightly earthy nature complete the complex, nutty flavour of the Cheddar without overpowering it.
Try : Pinot Noir, Burgundy, White esp Aligote, dry Riesling, Sancerre, Saint – Emilion, Vintage Port
“Attitude is everything…”
Italian Reds with Tunworth – Neal’s Yard
Tunworth is a camembert style cow’s cheese with a rich, buttery flavour and a lot of texture
Why I love with big Italian reds from the Puglia region : The wine’s very juicy and sweet fruit complement the rich, buttery flavour and its noticeable acidity means the fat of the cheese doesn’t cloy on the palate. This wine also has more tannins than a Pinot Noir: more texture and therefore complements the added texture and weight of this cheese.
Try : Bordeaux red esp aged, Beaujolais, Cab Sauvignon, Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Cider
“Sweat + Sacrifice = SUCCESS!”
LBV Port with Cropwell Bishop Beauvale – Waitrose
Cropwell Bishop’s roquefort style gives it a rich, creamy, sharp, tangy and salty flavour.
Why I love with a glass of LBV Port : Both have good weight and body to them and are fairly complex in flavours. The fruity sweetness of the port rounds out the pungent salty tang of the Cheese and adds another dimension to it. The youth, good acidity and zest of the port can also cut through the creamy butter fat of the Beauvale meaning it doesn’t cloy and the tannins of the port don’t clash. Both wine and cheese are rich and intense in flavour and therefore can stand up to each other and also enhance one another.
Try : Sauternes, Sweet wine esp full bodied, Riesling, Late Harvet wines, Chateauneuf- du- Pape