Wine And Cheese Gift – What To Consider

Wine and cheese is an ideal combination. A good, full-flavoured cheese is definitely a perfect companion for a bottle of wine. You are able to purchase a wine and cheese gift ready made up as a basket, however, wouldn’t it be a nice thought to select some cheese to match the wine present you have picked for that special wine connaisseur of yours?

Well, there are some proved criterions for finding the right cheese for your wine. Wine and cheese together have been tasted over the centuries. It is said that the Ancient Greek have appreciated cheese with wine together, in fact, they grated it straight into their glasses. Anyway, I don’t think that feta infused retsina would meet today’s taste. Therefore, wine lovers and gourmets alike can look back on hundreds of years of experience.

When it comes to wine and cheese, it is Port and Stilton what most likely springs into people’s mind. Port is a sweet dessert wine, made in Portugal’s Duoro Valley. The delightful Port is the perfect partner for the strong and piquant Stilton, which is a blue cheese. They both go so well together, that you are able to find quite a lot of recipes about it. You will discover Port and Stilton sauces, Port and Stilton pâtés and even Kettle Chips created Port and Stilton potato chips at one time in the UK.

Dubliner, a cheese from Ireland and Cabecou Feuille, a cheese from the Midi-Pyrenees region of France go both very well with Shiraz. Their nutty flavours complement the wine in a perfect way.

Merlot requires creamy, washed rind white cheeses like Mozzarella. Buffalo Mozzarella would even be a better choice, or select a Pont L’Eveque.

Anyway, we could clearly continue listing specific examples. Still, what are the general guidelines for creating a perfect wine and cheese gift?

Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and Ricotta keep more of their moisture than harder cheeses, which have a greater whey content. They are best teamed with light white or rosé wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.

Blue cheeses with their piquant and tangy flavour love to be accompanied by a red dessert wine. We have referred to Port and Stilton so far. However, you may well try this with a red Zinfandel or a Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Munster or a Monterey Jack, which are part of the semi-soft cheese family will complement best a fruity white wine like Riesling or a Chenin Blanc.

For a hard cheese such as Provolone or the various Swiss cheeses choose a crisp white wine like a Pinot Grigio and for extra hard grating cheese, like Parmesan or Romano, select a full bodied red wine. For Italien food lovers, Parmesan and Chianti would be the ultimate gift. Even so, this wine and cheese gift might not be the optimal choice, since the Parmesan needs cold storage contrary to the Chianti, which must be served at room temperature.

With a basic understanding of these rules and some creativity, choosing the perfect wine and cheese gift should be an easy task.

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