Gordon Elliott and Andrea Immer, Wine and Cheese pairing and tasting. The Shops at Woodlake, Kohler, Wis. RELATED LINKS 15 Wines Under $15

A great wine and food match creates a flavor that neither the food nor the wine has on its own.

Wine and Cheese:

• Pair sweet, port-style wines with mellow, subtle cheeses like Mobay, an artisan cheese produced in two halves, one side made with goat's milk, and the other made with sheep's milk. With a sweet wine, the savory flavors of the cheese turn it into less of a dessert wine.

• Wines that have been barrel-aged for a long time, such as a well-aged tawny port, pair well with almond-covered chocolate by enhancing the nutty flavor.

• With its crumbly texture, well-aged cheddar matches well with muscatel wine, which is made from muscat grapes.

Sausage and Wine:

• With its intense flavor, summer sausage balances well with wine that has a "big" flavor, such as an Australian Shiraz.

• Bratwurst sausage's peppery taste is a good contrast for a Sonoma County wine like red Zinfandel.

• A bologna-type, less spicy sausage goes well with white wine that has a tangy flavor, such as apple wine.

Classic Matches:

• French Chablis brings out the natural flavor of fresh oysters.

• The essence of lamb is enhanced by a companion French Bordeaux.