Food and Wine Pairing : A Sensory Experience

282 Chapter 12 Wine and Cheese: A Natural Affinity?

Table 12.8 Cheese and Wines Needed for Exercise 12.1

Cheeses

Fresh / soft:Che` vre, Montrachet, or regional equivalent

Semisoft:Bel Paese, Doux de Montagne, Havarti, Livarot

Soft ripened:Boursault, Brie, Brillat-Savarin, Camembert, Saint-Andre ́

Firm:Cantal, aged Cheddar, Double Gloucester, Emmenthal, Manchego

Hard:Asiago, Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino

Blue-veined:Maytag, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton

Wines

Dry white:Chenin Blanc, Gavi, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc

Medium red:Barbera, Lemberger, Beaujolais, Dolcetto

Full-bodied:Nebbiolo, Syrah, Rioja, Chianti Riserva

Other possibilities:Brut sparkling wine, Moscato d’Asti, off-dry whites, Amarone

Fortified:Ruby or Tawny Port, Madeira, Marsala, Sherry

STEPS

1.Divide the cheeses into 1–1^1 ⁄ 2 oz tasting samples per person and arrange on a small plate. Cheeses should be served at room
temperature.

2.Evaluate each cheese, keeping all of the food elements in mind (using Figure 11.2b and/or Figure 11.2c).

3.Pour a sample of each wine for each student, enough to evaluate and to try with each cheese sample.

4.Taste the wine samples and assess all wine elements. Record in Figure 11.2a and/or Figure 11.2c.

5.Taste the cheeses with each wine in ascending order (starting with lightest wines through the most powerful) and record your
perceived level of match on Figure 12.1 and/or at the bottom of Figure 11.2c. Once tasted, you can then go back and forth
between them to ensure consistent measures, if desired.

6.Discuss and record any sensory observations based on the relationship between wines and cheese. Which wine and cheese had
the best match? Was it predicted? Which wine and cheese had the lowest level of match? Were any of the matches truly
synergistic? Are there other wines that you feel would create a better match? Any surprises?

7.Rank the match level of each cheese with each wine, from lowest to highest level of match.

a.Fresh/soft cheese

Least match!1. 2. 3.

4. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
      b.Semisoft cheese
      Least match!1. 2. 3.
   
   
   
   


5. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
      c.Soft ripened cheese
      Least match!1. 2. 3.
   
   
   
   


6. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
      d.Firm cheese
      Least match!1. 2. 3.
   
   
   
   


7. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
      e.Hard cheese
      Least match!1. 2. 3.
   
   
   
   


8. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
      f.Blue-veined cheese
      Least match!1. 2. 3.
   
   
   
   


9. 
   
   
   
   5. !Best match
   
   
   
   

8.Write down any other comments, thoughts, and observations that you identified during this evaluation process. Did the predicted
match coincide with your perceived level of match when the cheese and wine were tasted together? Was there a predominant
category of elements that impacted the level of match across all of the cheese and wine combinations? If so, was it the com-
ponents, texture, or flavors?