Top 5 Wine and Cheese Pairings

Wine and cheese has always been a very popular combination at dinner parties and many other types of gatherings. The pairing of the two can offer you a taste of other parts of the country, depending on what wine and cheese you choose. Some of the wine and cheese choices you have are significantly more expensive than others. However, you can always find a wine and cheese combination that will stay within your budget. But if you are going to splurge on something, a quality wine and cheese is definitely worth the extra expense. Sometimes it's hard to know what particular wine will pair well with a certain type of cheese. I've listed my top 5 favorite wine and cheese pairs. The ones that always seem to complement each other and gets nothing but rave reviews every time I serve them together.

The first on my list would be the pairing of a goat cheese like Spanish Manchego with a light, full bodied wine. My favorite wine of choice is an Argentinean Malbec, which is a wonderful full bodied wine with an interesting fruit flavor. And a Spanish Montego cheese, which is a sheep's milk cheese made in Spain. This cheese pairs up very well with a rich, full bodied Rioja. Valencay cheese is a classic that is made of raw milk and ripened by mold. It is crafted in the regions of France and pairs very well with an ice cold bottle of Chablis.
Second on my wine and cheese pairing list would have to be the combination of a coated rind cheese like Brie with a light to medium bodied red wine. Brie is a creamy, cows milk cheese that originated in France, it pairs excellently with an ice cold bottle of merlot. Or a milky white, creamy camembert cheese with a bottle of red Bordeaux has everyone wanting more every time I serve them together. Munster cheese is a strong tasting, French cheese that is aged for about 3 months before it is served. This type of cheese pairs up deliciously with a Gamay, which is a light and fruity tasting wine that has the distinct flavor of berries. Temparanillo, which is a Spanish grape wine with distinct warm and mellow flavors, also pairs up well with any of these coated rind cheeses.
Third on the list are hard cheeses such as gouda and swiss paired with an Italian Amarone. An Italian Amarone is made in Italy and is considered one of the absolute best Italian wines. The Amarone can be sweet and fruity to rasiny in taste and has a high alcohol content at just under 15 percent. You can purchase this wine for $12 to $18 dollars a bottle and it pairs well with swiss cheese. Swiss cheese can be made anywhere from Serbia to the United States and it has a nutty, bittersweet taste.
The number 4th place on the greatest wine and cheese pairings list would have to go to the famous blue cheeses such as gorgonzola paired with a Bordeauz, Port or Madeira.

And finally in 5th place are the most famous hard cheeses like parmigiano and reggiano, which are wonderful when served with a mellow red wine. As you can see cheese and wine go together like, well, cheese and wine. There are so many wonderful and delicious combinations of wine and cheese. Without ever leaving the comfort of your home, your wine and cheese pairings can take you on a tour of the world. Bringing a little taste of the old country right into your own dining room. Champagne is another great wine of choice for many people who enjoy the upper class lifestyle and of course nothing goes better with champagne than a delicious creamy cheese. For other delicious wine and cheese pairings visitwww.life123.com/.../wine-pairings.htm.