Do you love a touch of class with your hors d'oeuvres? If you’re interested in impressing your friends at your next dinner party, there’s nothing more chic to serve the next time you’re expecting company than cheese perfectly paired with selections from your local wine shop. Creating the perfect amalgamation of flavors can be challenging if you’re not a grape guru, so the wine and spirits experts at Universal Discount Package Store in Norwich, CT, offer a few classic pairings that may just convince your friends you spent some time studying to be a sommelier. 

Wine Shop’s Top 5 Cheese Pairings

1. Sweet Wine & Blue Cheese

There’s a reason that strong French cheeses often come on a plate accompanied by honey or dried figs. The pungent notes of a strong blue cheese or even a robust goat need something sweet to balance it out. This is why port makes the perfect pairing. Try your crumbly blue on a mild saltine or table cracker.

2. Red Wine & Gouda 

Red wine has a full-bodied, medium-flavor with fruity notes that come through when paired with a strong, smoky cheese like gouda or gruyere. The flavors are enhanced with a small side of grapes as well.

3. Dry White Wine & Mild Cheese

White wines like pinot grigio have a high acidity, so they will cleanse your palate like a piece of melon and wipe your taste buds ready for the next dish. This makes it an excellent choice to pair with a mild cheese since your mouth will be ready for more subtle hints and notes of flavor.

4. Bubbly Champagne & Parmesan

Parmesan and other hard cheeses contain a large amount of salt, so you’ll need something sweeter to balance it out. The bubbles also help cut through some of the stronger flavor creating a palate-pleasing combination.

5. Dessert Wine & Fondue

Fondue is one of the great pleasures of the cheese world! Its warm and gooey properties pair well with a sweet dessert wine. Wine shop recommend trying your next fondue night with a sweet Riesling or Viognier for a delightful treat.

Looking for the best wine and spirits to complete your perfect pairing? Head down to Universal Discount Package Store. This wine shop has a one of the largest wine selections in the area and their inventory will be sure to to satisfy the novice drinker and seasoned Sommelier alike. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff can make expert recommendations and help you find just what you’re looking for. Check out some of their amazing wines online or call (860) 889-6555 for more information.