Our Wine & Cheese Pairing Tips
Love Cheese? Love Wine? Let us give you a guide to pairing your favourites to get the most from your cheeseboard. Our cheese selection is available locally but do not fear if you are further away - our deli selection of toasts/crackers, chutneys and olives can be sent nationally - simply add your favourite cheese and wine!
CLASSIC LANCASHIRE
We are Lancashire born and bred and love our regional cheese. Soft and light, but with complex flavour, Lancashire makes for a great pairing with soft, light wines. Our Dewlay Creamy Lancashire has a beautifully fluffy texture and creamy flavour. Try a South American Pinot Noir such as Pacifico Sur Reserva or Miolo Family, or go for a Cabernet Sauvignon such as Indomita Nostros Gran Reserva, or the brilliant Pacifico Sur Single Vineyard offering. Dry Pinot Gris will also match well, such as Germany's 50 Degrees, Alsace Hunawihr or Marlborough Snapper Rock
TRADITIONAL CHEDDAR
The maturity of Cheddar should be reflected in its accompanying wine. Our Dewlay White Mature Cheddar has a firm texture and is carefully aged to provide a strong, mature flavour that lingers. Good quality Claret from Bordeaux is a classic pairing, such as Chateau la Fleur du Barail, Chateau des Landes Saint Emilion, or the luxury of Chateau Haut Pezat Grand Cru Saint Emilion will work wonders. If you prefer Italian, go for Sangiovese with Campomaggio Chianti Classico Reserva, or Fattoria Brusco dei Barbi. Oaked white wines always win out with that hint of wood, vanilla and butter. Try Thistledown Great Escape from Adelaide Hills, Spain's great value Sabina Estate, or go for full extravagance with Romanian Cramele Recas Solo Quinta, French elegance Les Crays Pouilly Fuisse, or Tony Bish’s aptly named Fat & Sassy from New Zealand Hawke's Bay.
These wines work great with other hard cheeses such as Red Leicester, which has a twist with our Flakebridge Cheese from Appleby Creamery in Cumbria. Based on a modified recipe, it is a smooth, hard-pressed, coloured cheese with a firm, slightly flaky texture and a subtle tangy taste.
SAVOURY SMOKED
If you go for smoked cheese, you can't do better than our Cherry Smoked Cheddar. Extremely impressive with a distinctive taste due to the smoking being done over cherry, instead of the more usual applewood. This beautiful smoked cherry is enhanced by a bold Marlborough Pinot Noir such as Zephyr, or add that hint of spice from a good Rioja such as Muriel Crianza, Palacio de Otono Reserva, or Finca Manzanos Gran Reserva.
SWEET SPICE
Talking of spice, our Flamin Eck Cheese from Rostock Dairy in Garstang will ceratinly make you say its name! Flaming Jalapenos & sweet chillies give a spicy bite within a moreish cheddar cheese. Try a wine made for spicy food to keep up with its flavours. India's Soul Tree and Thailand's Monsoon Valley work hard to create wines made for spiced up cuisine. Akemi's Oaked Viura from Rioja was made specifically to suit a Michelin Star chef's East Asian fusion cuisine and will not disappoint!
Caramelised onion is always a winner with cheese to bring sweetness alongside the spice. Our Abbot's Gold Cheddar & Caramelised Onion takes creamy, classic Cheddar infused with rich, sweet caramelised onions tastes of tangy onion soup with an amazing burst of flavour. You can even add to plain Cheddar with our Onion Chutney from the Fine Cheese Co. This sweet spice can be matched with a Georgian semi-sweet red, one of the country’s famed specialities. Dependent on your taste, you can try a Kvanchkara, Pirosmani or Napareuli from esteemed winemakers Tbilvino.
CREAMY WENSLEYDALE
It's all about the honey and buttery creaminess balancing zest that makes Wensleydale so moreish, and its wine pairings should emphasise this. The Wensleydale we offer has a supple, crumbly, moist texture, resembling a young Caerphilly, with flavours suggesting wild honey balanced with fresh acidity. Chardonnay is a perfect match, or try something different with South Africa's Painted Wolf Viognier or Cederberg Chenin Blanc, or the beautiful Feteasca Regala grape in Romania's Vine In Flames or Paparuda.
Another favourite adds the fruit flavours of cranberries in the mix and requires a sweet and fruity wine to match. Our Wensleydale with Cranberries is a hand-made Yorkshire cheese sold fresh and young at only three weeks old. The sweet flavour of succulent cranberries mingles perfectly with honeyed undertones. Boost the fruit with a South American Malbec such as Inacayal or Zuccardi, or try the beautifully easy drinking Tikves Kratosija, a grape thought to be a relation to deep, fruity Zinfandel. Robust rose wine will also work well such as Gaillac Sous La Tonnelle or Croatia's Veralda Refosco.
SHEEP'S MILK
If you like creamy sheep's milk cheeses, pair with a fresh, lively wine. Our Sykes Fell is a delicately smooth and creamy cheese hand crafted from locally sourced fresh, pure sheep’s milk. A perfect alternative for people who are allergic to cow or goat milk and also very healthy with high levels of easily-absorbed calcium and zinc.
Try pairing with a Cotes du Rhone red such as Domaines Andre Aubert, Grand Retour Plan de Dieu or Chateau de Montmirail Vacqueyras. A bold yet fresh Sauvignon Blanc will also work, such as Charmilles Sancerre, Moldovan Chateau Purcari or German Kalkstein.
BRIE LOVES FETA
A favourite of many, cheeses with good, sharp acidity and tangy freshness need wine to match. Our English version of Brie is the beautiful Garstang White made with local Jersey cows milk. Rich buttery notes perfectly complement the classic acidity and tang. For even more zestiness, our Greek Feta Cheese balances its slightly tangy flavour with a crumbly texture. The Gamay grape in Domaine de Milhomme Beaujolais, Domaine dit Barron Brouilly, or Domaine de Montangeron Fleurie works in harmony, as does Italy’s Valpolicella blend of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella shown in our Castelforte and San Cassiano ranges. For white wine, try a dry Riesling from Germany’s 50 Degrees or New Zealand’s Two Rivers.
ALL THE BLUES
Blue cheeses are renowned to pair well with sweet white dessert wines, fortified red wines or Tradtional Method sparkling. You can't get more blue than our Stilton from Tuxford & Tebbutt Creamery in Melton Mowbray. A guarantee of award-winning Stilton which delights the palate, made to traditional recipes for a rich and creamy cheese with complex flavours. Have a look at our Dessert & Fortified Wines for your perfect match, or if you fancy some fizz, try Dopff au Moulin Cremant D’Alsace, Traditional Method Re: Brut or one of our classic Champagne wines.
Give it a go and find your perfect cheeseboard match!