Palate Stretchers
Exploring Cab and Cheese
TASTE - September 3, 2009
The nuanced textures, aromas and flavors of cheese appeal to those who savor the endless complexity of wine. But not all wine-cheese combinations are made in heaven. Here's a simple way to experience how wine and cheese play subtly upon one another.
You'll need your favorite full-bodied, robust Cab, like the Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon we chose. Collect a piece of creamy blue cheese, such as Maytag Blue or a good Danish blue, some water crackers and a wedge of washed-rind cheese, such as French Epoisses or Pont-l'Evêque or Livarot. Make sure they're room temperature.
To get the taste of each standing alone, sample both cheeses, cleanse your palate with a sip of water and a few crackers, and then try the wine. Now you're ready to explore. Take a sip of wine, eat a bite of blue cheese, take another sip, and repeat. The cheese and wine both become fruitier, tangier, a little creamier, and a little sweeter. Now take a bite of the French cheese and another sip of wine. The wine and the cheese both taste sharper. The wine loses some fruit flavor and the cheese seems a bit musty.
Bigger Cabernets go well with tangy blue cheese. Its sharp flavors and rich texture compliment the deep fruit and tannins of the Cab. But the same fruit and tannins clash with the soft texture and ripe flavors of the washed-rind cheeses. For those types of cheese try a light-bodied, fruity wine with little or no tannins, such as a Beaujolais, a Pinot Noir Rosé, or a sweet Sauterne.
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
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