Cheese and Wine Pairing Guide

Welcome to our exclusive cheese and wine pairing guide! This cheat sheet features all our truly unique wines and their finest cheese match.

The intense flavours and different textures of hard cheese need an ad hoc pairing as there is just so many variables to consider. Here we have selected three wines for the four most popular hard cheeses.

Manchego: deliciously salty with a drier texture.

• Raimes Blanc De Noirs (England) - a superb English fizz with grapefruit and crab apple.
• Vila Nova Vinho Verde (Portugal) - spritz white with bright colour and a lemon-lime zing on the palate.
• Anton Finkenauer Kreuznacher Riesling (Germany) - young, dry and fruity Riesling with a gentle spritz.

Mature Cheddar: Intense flavour with a creamy texture.

• Fratelli Sangiovese 2016 (India) - smoky, cherry aromas lead into a juicy palate with a fusion of baked cherries, elegant tannins and hints of tobacco.
• Rumelia Merul Mavrud 2018 (Bulgaria) - tannic, spicy and rich varietal red from one of Bulgaria's finest producers.
• Pegoes Colheita Seleccionada White 2016 (Portugal) - full bodied selected harvest white wine with waxy aromas of orange blossom, peach and pineapple. 

 Swiss Gruyere: strong, salty flavour and drier texture.

• Polkura Random Unexpected Wine (Chile) - smooth, rich red wine brimming with fruit
• Alpha Estate Hedgehog Xinomavro (Greece) - dry red with aromas of pepper, clove and spice with a palate of fresh berries and cracked black pepper.
• Chateu Ksara Sunset Rose 2016 (Lebanon) - a dry rose with ripe summer berry fruit, a hint of spice and subtle vanilla notes.

Comte: a strong and flavourful cheese with a creamy texture.

• Babylonstoren Shiraz 2016 (South Africa) - aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and violets transform into gorgeous ripe cherry fruits, prunes and a tingle of spice.
• Beykush Artainia Red (Ukraine) - full bodied red, with cherries plums and vanilla with a bit of oak that can match up to the punch of Comte
• Babylonstoren Limited Edition Chardonnay 2017 (South Africa) - classic and elegant, subtle citrus fruit, vanilla and a nutty complexity with fresh mineral tones and a tangy finish.

Soft cheese is delicious and spreadable can be really enhanced by choosing the right type of cracker or bread and, of course, a glass of the right wine!

White Nancy Goat's: crumbly, fresh and tangy.

• Biblia Chora Ovilos Assyrtiko Semillon (Greece) - dry white with aromas of peach and a palate that oozes with pink grapefruit, fresh citrus and a wonderful weight.
• Aldwick English Bacchus (England) - light and crisp white with a delicate floral, grassy aroma and intense gooseberry fruit on the palate.
• Cottonworth Rose Sparkling NV (England) - light, salmon-pink coloured fizz with lovely finesse. 

Brie: creamy, delicate and indulgent.

• a'Becketts Rams Cliff Rose (England) - a moreish dry rose bursting with strawberries and cream
• Chateau Musar 1999 (Lebanon) - mature vintage with aromas of cassis, cherries and black tea and a rich palate with subtle spice. 
• Colomba Bianca Vitese Zibibbo (Sicily) - rounded and elegant white bursting with peach, orange zest and lime. 

Camembert: intense, creamy and decadent.

• Casa Valduga Arte Tradicional Brut (Brazil) - racy, fresh traditional method sparkling with delicate tropical and toasty aromas.
• Budureasca Premium Feteasca Neagra (Romania) - deeply coloured red with a mixture of dark berries and spice flavours.
• Domaine Koquelicot Belaigra Grand Cru (Croatia) - Ricky falvoursome white from 100% Chardonnay grapes with aromas of orange peel and apricot.

Reblochon: semi-soft, creamy and delicious.

• DiBonis DiFranc (Serbia) - intense, bold red wine with aromas of sweet coconut, black cherry, chocolate and blackberry jam.
• Fratelli Sette by Masi Piero (India) - ripe flavours of plum, blackberry accented with notes of spice and vanilla and hints of coffee. 
• Colomba Bianca Kore Nero d'Avola (Sicily) - seductive aromas of forest fruit and spice, rich, ripe blackberries and plum. 

Smoked and blue cheese are a delicious alternative to regular cheese. Their intense flavour makes them perfect to pair with a variety of interesting wines. 

Oak-smoked Cheddar: deliciously smoky with a hint of sweetness.

• Sula Vineyards Dindori Reserve Shiraz (India) - smoky, spicy red bursting with blackberries, blueberries, chocolate and vanilla.
• Kabola Organic Amfora Malvasja (Croatia) - abundant aromas and flavours of dried fruit with nods to Cognac.
• Chateau Musar White 2003 (Lebanon) - rich white with strong character and notes of hazelnut, poached pear and lemon.

Roquefort Blue: creamy, punchy with a long finish. 

• Monsoon Valley late Harvest Chenin Blanc (Thailand) - sweet yet and refreshing, exploding with crushed cider apples, honey and quince flavours.
• Tokajcum Tokaj Aszu 5 Puttonyos (Hungary) - noble dessert wine with rich, ripe apricot nectar fruit flavours.
• Kardos Tundermese Fairytale (Hungary) - a dessert wine with fresh acidity, honey, melon, quince and pear flavours.

Morbier: richly flavoured with a soft texture and a hint of sweetness.

• Chateu Ksara Sunset Rose 2016 (Lebanon) - a dry rose with ripe summer berry fruit, a hint of spice and subtle vanilla notes.
• Painted Wolf Paarl Roussanne (South Africa) - award-winning dry white with a vibrant palate of citrus, white peach and cream.
• Haywire White Label Gamay (Canada) - a creamy-textured Gamay with ripe strawberry and cherry fruit. 

Stilton: crumbly with a melt-in-your mouth texture and a nutty finish.

• Monsoon Valley late Harvest Chenin Blanc (Thailand) - sweet yet and refreshing, exploding with crushed cider apples, honey and quince flavours.
• Ilocki Podrumi Traminac Premium (Croatia) - aromatic and floral with pungent lychee and alluring notes of roses, sultanas and honey.
• Quady's Starboard 2006 Vintage (USA) - stunning vintage fortified wine which is mature, tannic and brooding with dark fruit and vanilla. 

Sheep's and goat's cheeses have a distinctively different flavour and lower fat content that cheeses made from cow's milk. Accordingly, the wines to pair with this type of cheese must not overpower or clash with the cheese's flavour and texture. Here are our recommendations. 

Feta: salty, crumbly and tangy. 

• Biblia Chora Ovilos Assyrtikos (Greece) - aromas of peach and a palate that oozes with pink grapefruit, fresh citrus and a wonderful creamy texture.
• Frittman Kekfrankos (Hungary) - soft, rounded red complemented by spice, cherries and raspberry-like acidity.
• Oliver Zeter Grauburgunder (Germany) - a pure and expressive Pinot Gris with  aromas and flavours of ripe yellow fruit and lemon with a juicy finish.

Ossau-Iraty: smooth, creamy and firm. 

• Semeli Fest Red Agiorgitiko (Greece) - youthful, ruby-coloured red that is intensely perfumed with a soft, plummy palate and notes of red cherries.
• Babylonstoren Chenin Blanc (South Africa) - aromas of guava and tropical fruit with a palate of crisp, dry palate with notes of green pear, fresh melon, guava and vanilla cream.
• Casa Valduga Indentidade Pinot Noir (Brazil) - elegant red wine with ripe strawberries and layers of liquorice, mint and smoky tobacco. 

Ricotta: fresh, creamy and delicate.

• Grace Koshu Kayagatake (Japan) - light and delicate dry white wine which is clean and classy with delicate notes of lemon, grapefruit and a long refreshing finish.
• Tasca D'Almerita Nerello Mascalese (Sicily) - blueberry perfumed red is an explosion of raspberry, cinnamon, black cherry and liquorice on the palate. 
• Raimes Classic Sparkling (England) - bottled aromas of apple brioche and lively citrus entice you into a soft mousse bubbling with stone fruits, cream and lemon.

Capricorn: crumbly and goaty.

• Casa Valduga Raizes Sauvignon Blanc (Brazil) - an intense style with flavours of guava, herbs and gooseberry.
• Kabola Organic Amfora Malvasja (Croatia) - abundant aromas and flavours of dried fruit with nods to Cognac.
• Camel Valley Bacchus Dry (England) - pale, lime-green in colour with aromas of grass, limes and white peach morph into a juicy palate of greengage plums and hints of mango.