Wine and Cheese Pairing 1

Let me start by saying I absolutely love cheese. I've become a huge fan of charcuterie boards and trying different cheeses. Not only is it fun to put together an aesthetic board, but tasting different combinations and flavors is one of the best parts in my opinion. So, doing this wine and cheese pairing sparked a great interest in me. I did this pairing with my parents, and they were quite thrilled to be participating!

Our first pairing was this Pinot Noir and Gruyère cheese. The wine is a 2022 Ammunition Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, CA. For the wine, without pairing first, I smelled cherry and a little bit of daisy. You could tell the wine was earthy from its aroma as well. As for its taste, I picked up earthiness the most. The alcohol flavor was also quite strong, and this wine was pretty dry. For the cheese, it tasted very milky and smooth, a little sweet and nutty, and not salty. Together, the cheese took away the earthy flavor and some of the tannins. The wine also had a less overpowering alcohol flavor when paired and brings out a tiny tart flavor in the cheese. I thought these paired very well together and would definitely try them both again.

Next, we paired this Rosé and Havarti cheese. The wine was a 2022 Lapostolle Rosé from San José Apalta Valley in Chile. The wine by itself smelled slightly earthy, and I picked up yeast as one of the first aromas. It also had a slight vegetal aroma and apple. The first taste I picked up was a hint of spice. It had a green apple flavor and was a bit tart; I also tasted grapefruit as a top flavor. Additionally, it was a tad earthy and on the drier side; I liked this wine by itself. The Havarti had a slight tang to it and tasted very milky and not very salty. With both, the wine brought out a bit of saltiness to the cheese. However, I thought the wine masks the cheese. Despite enjoying both the wine and cheese separately, I didn't think they paired well together because the wine overpowers the cheese, and the flavors did not mesh well together.

Our final pairing was a Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Cheddar cheese. The wine was a 2021 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County, CA. After sniffing the wine, I smelled a slight earthiness and cherry. I also picked up a hint of chocolate and charred wood. Pepper was also a big aroma. As for taste, it was very nutty and chalky; I also thought it was extremely tannic and peppery with some spice. This wine by itself was not a favorite and was very, very dry. The Cheddar was a little saltier and much bolder and sharp. Paired, the wine overpowered the cheese; however, the cheese made the wine a little less peppery and took away the chalkiness. I did not think these paired the best together because they are both very bold products and don't mesh well, as the wine masks the cheese.

Overall, this experience was one of my favorites. I loved not only doing one of my favorite activities, trying different cheeses, but pairing them with different wines. My parents were also very into this experience!