Are you looking for creative ways to celebrate Valentine’s day this year? Or maybe you’re looking to have a night with your girlfriends and don’t know what to do? Maybe you’re snowed in and looking for something to do. An easy and fun idea is a wine and cheese night!
Spend time with loved ones sampling cheese, sipping on wine, and enjoying extras to bring out all the flavors!
Not sure where to start? Here are some items for your at-home pairing event!
Soft Cheese
Cheese: Délice de Bourgogne, Champignon Mushroom Brie, or Delice De Camembert, soft ripened goat
Wine: Prosecco/champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
Chocolate: Semi Sweet chocolate
Fruit: Strawberries or Raspberries
Why: The creamy and buttery texture of the cheese pairs wonderfully with the bubbly, sharp champagne or the light and slightly sweet notes of white wine. The bitter notes of semi sweet chocolate and the sweetness of the fruit all come together for a delicious tasting!
Blue Cheese
Cheese: Mild Gorgonzola dolce, medium Danish Blue, or Big English Stilton
Wine: Cabernet, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Port Wine
Chocolate: Dark chocolate
Fruit: cherries or honey
Why: Blue cheese is known for its big and tangy flavor which is why it is great to pair a blue cheese with a full body, dark, and warm wine that can hold its own to the cheese! The chocolate and fruit brings a sweet and slightly bitter taste to round out the tasting!
Semi Hard Cheese
Cheese: 12 month Manchego or Emmi Le Gruyere
Wine: Cabernet, Sangiovese, Chardonnay
Chocolate: Assorted truffles
Fruit: Apples or pears
Why: The semi-hard, nutty, fruity, and almost earthy cheese pairs wonderfully with a fruity yet rich wine. The truffles and fruit bring around a sweet, crisp, and grainy flavor to the whole pairing.
Hard Cheese
Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Castello Aged Havarti
Wine: Chianti, Barolo, Pinot Grigio
Chocolate: Dark Chocolate or White Chocolate
Fruit: Grapes, berries, or pineapple
Why: the salty, granular, nutty, and fruity notes of these hard cheeses pair well with dry and slightly fruity wines. The dark or white chocolate and fruits embody bitter, sweet, tangy, and juice flavors that bring out the range of flavors in the cheese
Fresh and Soft Cheese
Cheese: Burrata, Fresh Goat, Fontina Fontal,
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir
Chocolate: Milk chocolate
Fruit: Balsamic glaze, strawberries, or apricots
Why: The soft and fresh cheese brings a creamy, buttery, and rich flavor which tastes wonderfully with a light, crisp, and semi-sweet wine! The sweetness of milk chocolate and tangy and sweet notes of the balsamic, strawberries, and apricots create a well rounded tasting!
Happy tasting and Happy Valentine’s Day!
From Our Family To Yours
