Wines that pair great with cheese that you can buy in CT

Aug 25, 2023

Wine and cheese is a classic combination that can't be beat.

Les Athlètes du Vin Chenin, 2020Loire, France, $19

Chenin blanc makes an exquisite accord vin for cheese, whether vinified sweet, dry or sparkling. A group of Loire Valley winemakers joined together to utilize the harvest's remaining grapes for producing affordable, quality wines. The winemakers are multigenerational, and the producers often remain anonymous. The eye-catching artist labels are a bonus.

This light-bodied and dry, 100 percent chenin blanc pours pale yellow. The nose exudes the spicy and floral aromas of acacia and the perfumed notes of jasmine before unfolding to reveal a core of citrus blossoms, pomelo and lime. The tongue is tantalized by honeysuckle and Meyer lemon zest, and just a hint of marzipan, before concluding with a slightly buttery finish of salted lime curd. Fruity and floral with an energetic mouthfeel, this fun and well-crafted bottle begs to be imbibed en plein air.

Pair it with: soft, fresh and young cheeses such as Brie, d’Affinois, Camembert, chèvre, feta, and delice de Bourgogne.

Sybille Kuntz Mosel-Riesling Qualitätswein, 2020Mosel, Germany, $26

If you could choose only one wine to pair with all cheese, riesling would certainly make the shortlist. Sybille Kuntz crafts rieslings from grapes grown on their own roots in slate soils on steep-sided slopes. She offers varying levels of sweetness, sure to please any palate (and pair with any cheese).

This dry (trocken) riesling reflects a sunny golden-yellow hue in the glass. The puissant nose opens with a plethora of petrol, slowly subsiding to reveal apricot, green apple and tropical fruit notes. The wine has a wonderfully weighty feel in the mouth, where guava and pink grapefruit combine with honeysuckle and a sprinkling of white pepper. The lengthy finish highlights citrus zest and ends on a bit of beeswax. Crisp and medium-bodied, this standout riesling can easily accompany both young and slightly aged cheeses.

Pair it with: semi-soft to semi-hard slightly aged cheese, or classic "stinky" cheese, such as Comté, Gruyère, Raclette, Emmentaler, fontina and Taleggio.

Cims de Porrera Vi de Vila Priorat, 2018Priorat, Spain, $36

When it comes to pairing with aged cheeses, you could certainly reach for your favorite cab. But why not reach instead for a big red from Priorat, the only other Spanish region to be awarded the same quality classification as Rioja? This wine is produced at a cooperative in Porrera with cariñena and garnacha grapes that hail from this small town.

The wine flows crimson purple from the bottle. On the nose, an intense core of ripe black cherries is enveloped by oaky notes of vanilla and baking spices. Earthy, gamey notes are detectable, along with hints of dried herbs and licorice. The palate builds on the aromatics, adding cassis, blackberry sauce and a delightful minerality in the form of clay dust. The dry finish persists. Fruity and fresh, with fine tannins, medium body and plenty of cheese-loving acid. Will benefit from breathing.

Pair it with: well-aged and hard cheeses, such as cheddar, manchego, Piave, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pratomagno. Avoid blue cheeses.

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Renée B. Allen, CSW, FWS, CSWS, CSS, is a wine and spirits expert and the director of the award-winning Wine Institute of New England, which offers wine and spirits education and events. She is a professor at the University of New Haven, and a wine competition director and judge.

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