No pairing will ever be as classic as wine and cheese—it’s so classic, it’s actually ancient! Both have been around since the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and through the centuries have always been served together. The fattiness and saltiness in every bite of cheese finds a perfect match in the acidity and tannin of wine, and as in any good pairing, a taste of one will always keep you coming back for the other!
But while wine and cheese are generally great together by default, some cheeses really sing with certain wines, and vice-versa. That said: some wine and cheese pairings are actually better, bringing out the best in each other’s flavor profiles.
But which cheese goes with which wine? We asked (Super)Natural’s GM and resident wine expert Chie Gaerlan for her tips and tricks on how to pair wine and cheese, perfect for the next time you’re out to buy natural wine in Manila for your next charcuterie night!
Pairing Wine With Fresh Cheese
Mozzarella, Burrata, Feta, Ricotta, Kesong Puti
Unaged and unripened, fresh cheese has an unrivalled lightness—and favorites like mozzarella and and feta are mainstays on any cheese board. Fresh cheese leans more towards delicate and clean, making them the perfect centerpiece to salads and pastas. That said, you need a wine that won’t go too hard and overpower it.
“These light, milky and slightly tangy cheeses definitely don't need an overly aggressive wine,” says Gaerlan. “Pair like with like and open up a delicate white with subtle minerality. More like a co-star and not the leading man.”
Best wines for fresh cheese: Microbio White 2020 and Jean-Claude Lapalu Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2020
Pairing Wine With Goat Cheese
Also known as chevre, goat’s cheese is also fresh like mozzarella. However, it packs quite a punch in comparison, with plenty of zestiness, tanginess, and creaminess all in one—making it one of the first things you’ll taste in a salad or sandwich, if it’s in there. Not something you could call delicate.
“Goat's cheese will not back down from something just as bold and forward,” describes Gaerlan. “Ditch the light whites and go with something with more character.” A white with good acidity and strong flavors is a must here!
Best wines for goat cheese: Maria & Sepp Muster Sgaminegg 2018
Pairing Wine With Soft Cheese
Brie, Camembert
There’s a very good reason that soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert are crowd favorites on any cheeseboard. With a soft rind and a rich and silky interior, they often bring on a delicious richness and, depending on where it’s from, an addicting funk. That creaminess would be the best thing to highlight when you’re looking for a wine to pair.
“Rich and creamy cheeses are usually the perfect backdrop for sparkling wines with crisp acidity and some toasty brioche notes,” advises Gaerlan. These toasty notes are often found in Champagne, as well as many cremants in France. “Imagine cheese and crackers, but glammed up several notches.”
Best wines for soft cheese: Triptyque Brut Nature Premier Cru NV and Jean-Franćois Ganevat “La Combe Rotalier” Cremant du Jura NV
Pairing Wine With Semi-Soft Cheese
Provolone, Havarti, Munster
Semi-soft cheeses like Provolone and Havarti have an addicting al dente bite, and often light right in the middle of the spectrum of soft and strong flavors—meaning they’re often some of the most versatile when it comes to pairing with wine.
“These balanced cheeses straddle the wine zone perfectly well and can take on both red and white,” says Gaerlan. “I would likely go for a medium bodied red that's friendly on the palate with moderate tannins.”
Best wine for semi-soft cheese: Vinyes Tortuga Doolittle 2020
Pairing Wine With Semi-Hard Cheese
Gouda, Gruyère, Emmental
Left to age, cheese develops a little more complexity and structure—which is what sets a semi-soft cheese from one that’s semi-hard. Many of these have a firmer texture better for shredding and slicing and often have deeper, nuttier notes. In this case, find a wine that will complement them!
Gaerlan says, “Nutty with a slight sweetness, these cheeses will find love with a skin-contact wine that also shares the same nuttiness and some aromatics.”
Best wine for semi-hard cheese: Milan Nestarec Gin Tonic 2017 and Domaine Matassa Marguerite Blanc 2022
Pairing Wine With Hard Cheese
Cheddar, Grana Padano, Manchego, Parmigiano
In terms of age and toughening up, you can say harder types like cheddar, Manchego, and Parmigiano are cheese’s final form. Dry, potent, and deeply savory, a hard cheese is what you get when you’re after strong flavor—and it needs a wine that can keep up.
“Bring out the tannins,” advises Gaerlan. “These sharp cheeses with salt crystals need them. Personally, I enjoy these with a rouge that has some red fruit and spice.“
Best wines for hard cheese: Zeroine L18 Gaga and Christian Tschida Kapitel I
Pairing Wine With Blue Cheese
Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton
Blue cheese like gorgonzola and Stilton are in a league of their own in the world of cheese—they’ve got plenty of richness and creaminess like a soft cheese would, while also packing the potent punch and pungence of a harder one. This can make finding a wine to pair with it a bit trickier, but you can definitely rule out delicate wines.
“Cheeses with this much character cannot be paired with a shrinking violet,” says Gaerlan. “Rich, robust, reds or even a sweet, velvety wine will definitely do the trick.”
Best wines for blue cheese: Coco Farm & Winery Mata Yaronne NV and Andrea Calek Chatons de Garde 2019
Where to buy natural wine in Metro Manila
When in doubt about which wine to pair with cheese, we’ve found that natural wine is often the most food-friendly—versatile when it comes to pairing with many different cheeses and dishes. We have white wines perfect for fresh cheese and goats cheese, red wines for your favorite hard cheeses, and great sparkling wine, rosé, and orange wine for everything in between—all made by highly-esteemed winemakers from all around the world!
Shop natural wine online in Manila at (Super)Natural. Place your order before 2PM and enjoy same-day delivery to any Metro Manila address!
