Pairing Wine and Cheese
Wine and cheese go together like tea and cookies, coffee and cake, and beer and pretzels. But just as a great cheese can make an average wine taste better, a poor cheese will make a spectacular bottle of wine a lot less satisfying. So how can a person match specific wines and cheeses in a way that will bring out the best flavors of both?
After a long career as a rock & roll tour manager, Chris Pollan discovered that food, wine and retail are his real passions in life. He now runs the Cheese Store of Silver Lake in Los Angeles, and offers the following advice for pairing gourmet cheeses with fine wines: - Regions.
According to Pollan, pairing wine with cheese shouldn't be a big mystery. One good strategy is to pick wines and cheeses that come from the same region. You might choose a specific area of France, say, or choose both your wine and cheese from your own local community.
- Complementary tastes.
Be aware of the acidity of both the wine and the cheese, and don't put two strong tastes together, as they will clash. Instead pair complimentary tastes, like sweet and salty. This creates a great sensation in your mouth by getting the enzymes going both ways. And that's what you strive for.
- Triple crème.
Triple crème cheese is a great match for champagne.
- Sheep's milk.
A Basque sheep's milk goes well with a red wine from southern France.
For more information about cheese, check out the following organizations or websites:
Cheese.com
www.cheese.com
I Love Cheese
www.ilovecheese.com
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