Are you game for the wine-and-cheese pairing challenge? Take a tip from the Giant Eagle^® kitchen, and learn the art of pairing wines and cheeses.

The three wine and cheese pairing challenges

You, too, can become a wine-and-cheese pairing expert. Just consider the following three challenges of perfect pairing:

1. Texture — Softer cheeses coat your palate, preventing you from fully appreciating the flavor and body of many wines.
   
   Solution: White wines feature a characteristic, refreshing acidity, and thus provide a palate-cleansing effect. They're perfect for soft or creamy cheeses.


2. Sweetness —Certain mild cheeses have a sweet flavor — and make dry wines taste acidic and tart in their company.
   
   Solution: Choose a semi-dry or sweet wine; dessert wines are a popular choice.


3. Flavor — Very ripe, spicy, or pungent cheeses have overpowering flavors that overwhelm most wines.
   
   Solution: Strong cheeses require strong wines. Red wines (packed with fruit, acidity, and flavor); sweet or aromatic whites, and fortified wines like ports and sherries are all good choices.

General wine-and-cheese pairing tips

• Mild, hard cheeses complement a wider range of wines than soft, ripe, or mature cheeses do.
• Overall, white wines go better with cheese than red wines.
• Sweeter whites tend to be more versatile than drier whites when paired with cheeses.
• Tannic red wine (or, red wine with dry, rich notes) suits the hardest cheeses best.

Reliably Delicious Pairings

Wine and cheese promise an exceptional evening — whether it's an intimate gathering or a big celebration. The following pairings are time-tested to wow guests, no matter the occasion.

• Brie — Sancerre, Frascati, Medoc, Bordeaux reds, and Cotes du Roussillon
• Cheddar — Burgundy, Barolo, Zinfandel, and tawny ports
• Danish Blue — Full-bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and St. Emilion
• Feta — Dry Greek wines, Retsina, ouzo, light reds, Beaujolais, and Gewurztraminer
• Fontina (Italian) — merlot, Pinot grigio, most white wines, Corvo Bianco, and verdicchio
• Fontina (Swedish) — Dry reds; Barolo, and Bardolino
• Gloucester — Pommard, Sancerre, Pinot noir, and Chenin Blanc
• Goat Cheese — Fruity white wines; Vouvray, Chenin Blanc, and most reds
• Gorgonzola — Full-bodied, robust reds; Chianti Classico, Barolo, or Sardinian
• Gouda — Most wines, especially reds; Valpolicella or Greves red or white; Pinot Chardonnay; rosé; dry or cream sherries; ports, and most dessert wines
• Gruyere — French reds or whites; most rosé, sherries, and champagnes
• Havarti — Dry reds such as Chianti; Bordeaux reds and Rioja reds, or dry whites like Meursault or Bordeaux white
• Jarlsberg — All wines, especially reds and French country whites
• Parmigiano-Reggiano — Dry reds such as Amarone, Barolo, and Chianti; dry Italian whites
• Provolone — Full-bodied reds; Chianti, Pinot noir, and Rioja reds; light whites

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