I have noticed a growth in cheese selections offered in the specialty sections of Honolulu’s top markets, including quite a few offerings that I had previously only read about. It has been an interesting learning opportunity.
For those who enjoy fine cheeses, exploring new selections is also a way of better enjoying wine at home, a small change I hope to encourage in 2021. In the Old World, after all, wine is frequently well integrated into daily life.
I’m sure you’ve heard countless times how wonderful wine and cheese work together, and with some sampling you’ll learn, as I have, how thoughtful pairings can lead to greater enjoyment.
First consider that cheese and salumi, or cured meats, often served together, are salty, even if you don’t notice this at first. High tannins and higher alcohol levels (often characteristics of big cabernet- based red wines) clash with these higher salt levels, often exaggerating the bitterness and alcohol components of the wine.
So, what wines?
>> One simple thought: Think regional. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for instance, comes from Italy’s Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions. The Paltrinieri Lambrusco di Sorbara (roughly $14.95 a bottle) — a remarkably light, frisky, fizzy, Italian red — also comes from Emilia-Romagna. Coincidence? Maybe, but this refreshing, lower-alcohol wine is a real eye-opener, especially when served well chilled, and a new experience when tried with various regional cheeses and cured meats.
>> Many of the finest classically made goat cheeses come from France’s Loire Valley, as do some of the world’s finest sauvingnon blancs. In particular, wines from the lesser-known villages of Cheverny (Domaine du Salvard, $22), Reuilly (Denis Jamain, $26) and Pouilly-Fume (Regis Minet, $26) share a mesmerizing mineral lift that works with the more earthy, surprisingly tart nuances of goat cheese. I could also make a case for the Champalou Vouvray ($23), a Loire Valley chenin blanc that is a shining star from its village, pretty and remarkably airy. The wine’s slight sweetness adds a wonderful dimension to the pairing.
>> When it comes to semihard cheeses like Spanish manchego, I’ve been really impressed — and surprised — by how well they work with off-dry German rieslings (like Hooked, $14.99). The wine’s ever-so-slight sweetness and fruitiness offset the saltiness and the tangy, pungent edge of the sheep’s milk in the cheese. This wine worked wonders as well with the saltiness of the cow’s milk in aged Gouda from the Netherlands.
You could also have some fun with a highly aromatic white wine, like the Hans Wirsching Scheurebe ($22.99) from a 14th-generation family winery in Franconia, Germany. The wine’s subtle exotic fragrance and innate minerality lift the cheese’s creaminess, and its acidity keeps the palate fresh between bites.
>> For richer double-cream cheeses such as brie, I’ve enjoyed charming, gulpable red wines, such as the Marcel Lapierre “Raisins Gaulois” ($19.99), served well chilled, from a game-changing winery in France’s Beaujolais region. This wine, a sensational value, also works with a wide range of cured meats in a most pleasurable way, beyond just washing down the morsels with each gulp.
Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and co-host of the weekly podcast “Chuck Furuya Uncorked.” Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.
