Will Cabernet Go with My Feta?

I knew the day would eventually come when I would have to write about pairing wine with cheese.

Odd that I’ve been dreading it, don’t you think?  After all, doesn’t everybody know that wine goes with cheese like gravy with mashed potatoes or butter with popcorn?

Well, actually, that’s a myth.  The truth is cheeses are pretty particular as to which wines they pair with.  You cannot simply buy a bunch of types of cheese and serve them with an assortment of wine—unless you’re a glutton for culinary disaster. Pairing wine with cheese takes planning, thought, skill and a bit of good luck.

Think about it this way:  what are the basic rules I’ve been hammering on in this column:

• Drink red wine with meat
• Drink white wine with fish;
• Match textures;
• Pair sweet with spice;
• Don’t drink a “big” wine with a delicate food
• Don’t drink delicate wines with “big” food; and
• Try high acid wines with creamy sauces. 

But none of these rules really work for cheese. 

After all, cheese is neither a meat nor a fish.  The texture of cheese is in a class by itself and doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the texture of wine. Cheeses don’t tend to be sweet or spicy.  And most cheeses don’t really qualify as “big” or “delicate”.

In fact, the only consistent rule I can come up with that seems to work fairly universally with cheese is “match creamy with acid”.  Many cheeses are creamy (feta and parmesan being notable exceptions) and therefore, a high acid sauvignon blanc is a good bet if you are desperate, but how boring to serve the same wine over and over at every party or dinner.

So how does one find the “right” wine for cheese?  I got to put combination theory with practice just a few weeks ago, when I got a call from the owners of Cada Dia Cheese, Pat and Cher Sullivan.

This couple moved to Crook County a couple years ago, bought a place on Sharp Road and brought their dairy operations with them.  They currently raise Jersey cows and make cheese.  Occasionally, they are asked what wines go with their cheese.  They had sourced out a few ideas of their own, but wondered if I might make some recommendations as well.  Given that wine is my favorite food and cheese is my husband’s, the opportunity seemed like a no-brainer.

I pulled a general description of the cheeses off the website (www.cadadiacheese.com, which also contains information about visiting, if you’re interested), made an educated guess about some wines that might work and headed out to Cada Dia to see what we might put together.

Fortunately, the Cada Dia cheeses (which were terrific by the way) are not uncommon varieties, although they are unique in their own way:  Because Cada Dia cheeses are made without preservatives and are also made from unpasteurized milk, they have unique flavors that went particularly well with our wines.  However, I suspect that other brands of the same types of cheese available in local grocery stores will also go with the wines we ultimately selected.

So if you find yourself in need of a wine to pair with a cheese, here are a few ideas:

Cheddar:  It turns out that a Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend Zinfandel (California; $9) was terrific with this wine.  The nice tannins and medium acid of the wine complimented the lovely texture and slight nuttiness of this cheese.  Other good matches would likely be Ranch Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel (California; $9) or Cline California Zinfandel ($8).

Pepper Cheddar/Jack:  The Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington; $13) set this wine off perfectly.  Some other good choices would probably be Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend Cabernet (California; $12) or Hawk Crest Cabernet (California; $12).

Black Peppercorn with Red Pepper Flakes Cheddar:  This was absolutely my favorite cheese.  The bite of the peppers beautifully complimented the creaminess of the cheese, and I was sure a Gewurztraminer was going to ultimately be the best pairing.  While it was good, however, the very best pairing was with Kendall-Jackson Sauvignon Blanc (California; $10).  I would also recommend a New Zealand sauvignon blanc or Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc (California; $10). And I’m not backing off the Gewurztraminer (or a Riesling for that matter), both of which are good choices for those who prefer their wines with a little sweetness.

Sharp Cheddar: From the start, it was clear that white wines weren’t going to stand up to this cheese.  Zinfandel fares better, but ultimately, it was the Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon that danced gorgeously with this lovely cheese.  Despite this slight preference for cabernet, it turns out that sharp cheddar pairs well with most red wines, so zinfandel, merlot and shiraz are all likely partners.  The only one I would caution against would be pinot noir.  I think the cheese would overwhelm the wine’s delicate flavors and aromas.

Feta:  It’s a little unusual to make feta from cow’s milk, but Cada Dia makes a great one.  The best pairing with this cheese was definitely the Firesteed Pinot Gris (Oregon; $13).  The pinot gris balanced the saltiness of the cheese without being overwhelmed.  A slightly sweet wine would also be nice with feta.  Try the Oak Knoll Niagara (Oregon; $7).

So after a wonderful Saturday afternoon of cheese and wine pairing, what rules can I leave you with about how to pair cheese and wine successfully?  I think I would make four basic recommendations:

• For sharp or aged cheeses (sharp cheddar, parmesan, aged gouda and other hard cheeses), go with tannic red (Cabernets and syrahs are your best bet.)
• For blue cheeses, stick with a sweet wine such as Port.  Definitely stay away from any white wine.
• For cheeses with pepper or herbs try wines with grassy or herbal notes, especially sauvignon blanc (also known as fumé blanc)
• Salty cheeses (feta) need to be balanced by something sweet such as Riesling or gewürztraminer or perhaps, a pinot blanc.
• A creamy or buttery cheese (brie or camembert) will go well with a creamy buttery wine—any chardonnay that has gone through malolactic fermentation, in particular.
• When all else fails, serve pinot gris or a semi-sweet like Riesling or gewürztraminer.  (It may not be best choice, but you won’t hate the combination.)

Like every rule, these were made to be broken. There really is not substitute for trial and error, so happy tasting!  (Oh, and “no”, the cab will not go with your feta.)