Wine and Cheese Pairings (Part 1) - Swiss, Baby Swiss, Smoked Brick Wine and cheese have been used to enhance each other's flavor since ancient times. However, because the quality of much wine before the 1900's was questionable, it was commonplace to use cheese to actually mask the flavor of bad wine. So, much like the advent of oak aging was originally an accident (oak barrels were the best way to store wine during ocean shipping and people actually came to enjoy and prefer the oaked flavor), the same is true with cheese. Here are some simple rules to remember when pairing wines with cheese: Highly tannic and younger red wines (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec) do better with harder, sharper cheeses White wines are quite versatile in pairing with cheeses, but are better paired with softer, creamier cheeses Lighter, more elegant reds like red Burgundy (which is Pinot Noir), Pinot Noir, Merlot, and right bank Bordeaux (high Merlot content) pair wonderfully with buttery and/or nutty middle-of-the-road cheeses like Swiss, Mont d'Or, Port Salut, or Raclette

Champagne and other sparkling wines are a perfect match for Brie Blue cheeses and very pungent cheeses go best with sweet dessert wines or extremely strong and powerful reds DIY: Try it yourself with theese wine and cheese pairings Baby Swiss - baby Swiss is made with whole milk - meaning all of the butterfat becomes part of the cheese- and it's a perfect pairing with a balanced Chardonnay.where can i buy japanese wine Swiss - this award-winning Swiss cheese has a buttery, nutty flavor. good italian wine recommendationsPair it with a beautifully balanced Pinot Noir.best italian red wine 2015 Smoked Brick Cheesw - this delicious and smoky cheese is a no-brainer to pair with Zinfandel, which traditionally goes well with smoked meats or a bonfire. cheap wine liquor stores

Try this a Zinfandel from Wine Sonoma County that has very intense and exotic fruit flavors and some nice oak to provide a good backbone with the smoky cheese. or hit me up on twitter (@bobfwilson) if you have any questions or need any recommendations.  buy little beauty wine ukThe best wine and cheese parties are those that encourage the guests to interact by bringing their favorite wines and cheeses for the rest of the guests to sample. wine for me deutschIf your budget allows, invite a sommelier to speak about the wines and their growth process, as well as recommend favorite pairings. If you can't swing that, do a bit of research on your own and surprise and impress your friends with your knowledge of the grapes and cheese. Decide how many guests you want to invite and prepare invitations. Allow yourself at least two to three weeks for paper invitations (which also gives guests time to RSVP) and at least a week for evites.

Once invitations have been received and guests have RSVP'd, shop for your stemware and cheese plates. What you'll need for a party of 12 guests: Although this party is primarily focused on wine and cheese, it's important to also pick up palate cleansers, like fresh fruit, vegetables and water, so that guests can truly enjoy the differences in each sip and bite. Here's a sample shopping menu that's full of great variety and bargain cheese and wine as well: Bunches of fresh strawberries, grapes, blueberries, melons and apples An array of fresh vegetables, like broccoli heads, celery sticks, carrots and cauliflower A few meats, like prosciutto or spicy salami Blue or Gorgonzola cheeses Semifirm cheeses, such as cheddar, fontina or Saint-Nectaire A super-aged cheese, like Parmesan or Gouda A very pungent ("stinky" cheese like Langres or Livarot A mild and soft cheese, like Brie, goat cheese and Camembert A variety of dry and fruity reds, like merlot, pinot noir, zinfandel and rose

A variety of dry and sweet whites, like pinot grigio, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc One or two bottles of sparkling wines, like Champagne or Prosecco For each cheese, you'll want to buy at least one ounce per person. For beginner parties, limit yourself to three to five cheeses and four to six wines, so as not to overwhelm the palate (and the guests). When decorating for your party, keep things simple and classy since you don't want to draw focus away from the main highlights of the evening -- the wine and cheese! A great accessory to have on hand is a detailed book on wine and cheese, such as Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing and Enjoying by Janet Fletcher, so guests can look up facts on the wines and cheeses they are enjoying. Make sure the room is well-lit and even the addition of unscented candles (you don't want to detract from the aroma of the cheese) will make an impact. When setting up the cheese trays, put one to three varieties on each board to give guests a chance to try a few different kinds.

Be sure to have labels in front of or inserted into the cheese so guests know what they are trying. Put a few different bottles of wine with each tray, varying from one tray to another, so guests can sample different reds and whites with different ripe cheeses. Although games and crafts are not necessary to a great wine and cheese party, they are a fun way to interact with your guests and learn new things as well. One great game you can play is a blind tasting. Buy an expensive bottle of wine and a cheaper bottle of wine and pour each one into an identical pitcher. Then have your guests sample each one and try to guess which one is the more expensive bottle and which one is not! A fun craft for guests is to provide plain wine glasses and glass paint and have your guests decorate their own take-home wine glass. You can do this with plain ceramic cheese plates as well. Hosting your own wine and cheese party is a great way to learn about wines and familiarize yourself with cheeses.