Perfect Pairings - Our Wine + Cheese Lineup

In a world full of cheeses and a world full of wines, it’s hard to know where to start. Especially when you’re staring down the cold end of a cheese counter, wondering what you should put on your upcoming charcuterie board that will compliment your drinks and wow your guests.

For a brief education in wine and cheese pairings that might just rock your world, read on.

Where do we begin? Our #1 cheese may just be the most accessible cheese on the planet. Prairie Breeze just a little sweeter than your typical cheddar and the 9 months of aging cause those oh-so-enjoyable crunchy crystals. It’s nutty and fruity and will keep you coming back for more! Try it with a light and fruity red like Glou Glou Gamay. Don’t care for reds? An off-dry Alsatian Riesling like Famille Hugel Classic Riesling will compliment the Prairie Breeze harmoniously.

If you have a blue cheese lover joining you at a holiday table, Point Reyes needs to make an appearance. Produced on their family farm since 2000, Point Reyes is rindless and gluten-free. This ultra-creamy blue has a sweet milk taste followed by a punchy pungency. It is an excellent stand-alone cheese, although, if you haven’t tried the divine pairing of blue and port, treat yourself! The juicy black cherry and rich plum flavor of Graham’s Six Grape port is a perfect accompaniment. Is port too sweet for you? Try a more mild fruity alternative, Selbach Oster’s Riesling Spatlese. The classic Riesling acidity will clean up your palate from the creaminess of Point Reyes Blue while the fruit will offset the salinity and pungency perfectly.

One of our favorite soft cheeses of all time, Jasper Hill Harbison is enigmatic. The flavor is sweet, citrusy, mustardy and woodsy all at the same time. When pairing a cheese that’s this soft and rich, you can go one of two ways. You can indulge in the rich texture by pairing a rich, oaked wine, or contrast it by doing something more sharp and acidic. If you’re more inclined for the rich option, we suggest the oaked and decadent Fog & Light chardonnay. To contrast, Dorchester Brewing’s Punch Barrel Sour will be perfect.

Whitney is a wine-washed Alpine style cheese made from the raw dairy from Jasper Hill’s own grass-fed cows. The complexity of flavor here is incredible; mildly floral, fruity, savory, and nutty, as the cheesemakers say, it is truly infinitely snackable. The pairing options here are plentiful. We suggest a sweeter, port-cask finished bourbon like Angel’s Envy, a classic Loire Chenin Blanc or a slightly sweet and bubbly hard cider.

Can’t decide between a Gouda and an Alpine style cheese? No need to worry, Alpengouda is a perfect blend of both. Get ready for the sweeter caramelly Gouda flavor balanced perfectly with the savory cured meat notes that Alpine cheeses can provide. Indulge in that sweetness by enjoying Alpengouda with Vermont Beer Maker’s Shadow Maple Stout or let the hoppiness of Far From the Tree’s Nova cleanse your palate.

Humboldt Fog has been given the title The Original American Original, and rightfully so. This cheese has two distinct textures – in the center, a traditional dense and crumbly chevre while around the edge, one will find a more brielike consistency. All of this is encapsulated in a rind that provides a serious punch of flavor. Enjoy the classic French pairing of Sauvignon Blanc and chevre with the Tour de Mirambeau White Bordeaux, or counter the tang of the goat cheese with the juicy berry fruit of Russian River Valley’s Mossback Pinot Noir.

We can keep going all day, but a blog post can only be so long. If you’re in the store, stop by the cheese counter to say hi to Peter and let him know what you’ve liked from this list! Or, if you’re browsing the wines, let Nate know which pairings are your favorite and he can point you to some more great choices.