The social drinker

The great theologian Richard Niebuhr once said that wine, cheese and friends must be old to be good. I’m not sure I agree. Certainly new friends are fun, and much the same can be said for young wines and cheeses. What is true is that wine, cheese and friends belong together, and make for an easy evening.

A glass of red wine and a piece of cheese is such a beautiful sight that we tend to think red wine is always the best companion to cheese, but many white wines also pair well with it — especially sweeter white wines from northern Europe.

Perhaps the best-known combination of all is Stilton with port. As a lifelong Stilton hater, I cannot really comment, but port is certainly a great combination for other wonderful salty and blue-veined cheeses such as Danish or Cashel. While this is a classic combination for good reason, you might like to try other sweet white wines such as Sauternes, Tokaji, Icewine, or a German or Austrian late-harvest wine.

When it comes to Cheddar and hard cheeses such as Gouda or Pecorino, Chianti is a safe bet, but so too is a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Zinfandel.

Soft, French-style cheeses, such as Camembert or Brie, are better with white unoaked wines, such as Chardonnay or Chablis. Many creamy cheese lovers swear by Champagne, but I find the combination over the top.

The best pairing for goat’s cheese is probably a Sauvignon Blanc, such as Sancerre or Pouilly Fume, which acts as a foil to the curious and distinctive taste of the cheese. Failing this, try a dry Riesling or Semillon.

Finally, if you insist on serving smelly French cheeses that leave the house stinking for a week, mitigate the damage with a fruity Gewurztraminer or a dry Riesling.