How to pair your cheese and wine: pairing guide

Right, so you have planned the perfect evening.

A delicious meal is preparing in the kitchen, and the smells are wafting in. Beautiful flowers and decorations are arranged around the room. You have dimmed the lights, maybe even set a log fire burning in the grate to establish just the right mood… but we are not there yet. Every magical night needs to start or end with the right cheese and wine. Now what?

No problem – this is where we can help! Here you have the ultimate guide to wine and cheese pairings, so bookmark this page and read away…

Pro tip #1: For a blissful relationship between your cheese and wine, always think about geography: products from the same area match perfectly. So when you grab your Ile de France cheese, think French wine!

Pro tip #2: Sweet white wines and reds go best with strong cheeses, while dry whites are best paired with soft cheeses. Remember, white wine generally goes better with cheese.

Now that we have sorted out some basics – let us dive a little deeper.

Type of cheese: Ile de France Camembert and Brie

Wine pairing: Well, you have a few options here. You could go with a nice fruity red (not too tannic or woody) or even Champagne! Really this just depends on what you prefer. So when you shop for your Ile de France Brie or Camembert, look out for a rich red Burgundy from the Côte Chalonnaise, the Côte de Beaune, Pomerol, or Saint-Emilion, or perhaps a fun bottle of white bubbly (especially a young Blanc de Blancs).

Type of cheese: Ile de France Roquefort

Wine pairing: Always go with white wine! A sweet Sauterne, or Jurançon, is your best bet because these wines bring out the natural flavour of the cheese, creating a sweet and savoury balance to soften the cheese’s sharp tang.

Type of cheese: Ile de France Slices

Wine pairing: Ile de France Slices are a good match for fruity red wines that are neither too tannic nor woody, such as a Burgundy. Or why not be radical? You could even match Ile de France Slices with beer! Try pairing with a Pale Ale or IPA.

Type of cheese: Ile de France Chèvre and Chavroux

Wine pairing: Goat cheeses (Chèvre) have a deep, grassy, intense flavour that goes well with medium bodied reds – so go with a Cabernet Sauvignon, although a Sauvignon Blanc is also possible.