With wineries shut down and many people having extra free time due to COVID-19, virtual happy hours are becoming more commonplace. While you’re connecting over video chat, you can impress your family and friends by teaching them about the magnificent flavors that wine and cheese bring out in each other. A little education can help you confidently suggest the right bottle of wine to pair with goat cheese, cheddar, or brie. Below are five suggestions for pairings you can present during a virtual tasting. 

Which Wines Go With Which Cheeses?

1. Strong Wine & Strong Cheese

You want to balance strong cheeses out with strong wines, or else one will overpower the other. The richer, bolder wines are usually at least 14.5% ABV and pair well with strong-flavored cheese. For example, a glass of bold-nosed cabernet sauvignon and a few slices of Gruyere, a hard yellow salty-sweet Swiss cheese, will go together well.

Less intense wines are usually 12% ABV or less and pair well with more delicate cheeses. A glass of light pinot grigio will taste divine with provolone, a deliciously smooth and buttery cheese.

2. Bold Wines & Old Cheese

Aged cheeses lose some of their water content, so they have a stronger, richer flavor and a higher fat content. Since bolder wines usually contain more tannins, the higher fat content can help offset them.

An aged cheese should at least be one year old. Some examples include cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. These will go well with the highly tannic shiraz wine.

3. Sweet Wines & Fragrant Cheese

If you have a unique-tasting cheese but are unsure what to drink with it, suggest uncorking a bottle of sweet dessert wine to mellow out the strength of the cheese. You will still taste the deliciously strong taste of your blue or goat cheese while the wine creates a creamier environment in your mouth. Sometimes sweet wines can turn too overwhelmingly sweet after a few sips. A stinky cheese will balance out the sweetness of a port or moscato.

4. Sparkling Wines & Soft Cheese

Have your friends or family unwrap a stinky cheese, like brie or cremont, to have with a highly carbonated sparkling wine. The wine is highly acidic, but the creamy cheese will transform the acid and carbonation into a wonderfully pleasing taste in your mouth and settle well in your stomach.

5. Fail-Safes

When in doubt, choose a strong, nutty cheese to go with whatever wine people are enjoying. Cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and Gruyere complement most wines, balancing out the tannins of strong ones and drawing out the delicate flavor of lighter options.

For expert advice on wine and cheese pairings to try during your next virtual happy hour, turn to JJ International Delicatessen in Port Jervis, NY. You can choose from over 65 European cheeses and meats and take advantage of their large menu of sandwiches, heroes, and hot daily items. You can place an order for pickup or delivery by calling (845) 858-1142. To learn more about their deli and specialty grocery items, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.