easycook.com~Whys & How-To's of pairing wine and cheese

Dolores Borunda's
easycook.com
The Perfect Match
The Whys and How-To's of Pairing Wine and Cheese

By Sharon Bowers

Water is a fine thirst-quenching option when mealtime rolls around, but there's nothing quite like a crisp glass of Riesling with your grilled fish, or a fruity Beaujolais to complement your roast chicken. Wine is an ideal partner for nearly all foods because of its acidity. Acidic tastes make your mouth water, and that extra burst of saliva and its enzymes help bolster the flavor of food. But what is

it that makes a classic wine and cheese pairing so magical?

It's all a matter of chemistry. Tannin is an astringent substance that roughens your tongue and palate when you drink a harsh young red, such as a Chianti. The reason some wines can be left in a cellar and aged for so long is that they have a high tannin content, which mellows over time and helps develop more complex flavors in the wine.

However, a protein can smooth mild tannins on the tongue, which is why wine and cheese, or red wine and a steak, are classic combinations. The protein and fats in the cheese or meat coat your tongue and prevent the tannin from tasting harsh, and the tannin keeps the steak or cheese from tasting greasy and heavy. Eaten and drunk together, cheese and wine bring out the best in each other.

Even a mediocre wine will taste a little better with a bite of cheese, but there are some combinations that rise to new heights. Andrea Immer, beverage director of Starwood Hotels and author of Great Wines Made Simple (Broadway Books, October 2000), recommends a Parmigiano with Cabernet Sauvignon. A true Italian Parmigiano goes with nearly any wine, but a strong, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon is perfectly heightened by the cheese's sharp flavor.

Immer also recommends a dessert wine, such as a Sauternes or Port, with a blue cheese such as Roquefort or Stilton. Instead of generic blues from the local supermarket, buy a true French Roquefort or an English Stilton to experience fully the pleasure of the strong salty cheese with the sweetness of the dessert wine, be it the white Sauternes or the red Port.

Sauternes also makes a perfect accompaniment to rich, fatty foie gras, but the ingredients don't have to be gourmet for you to appreciate the interplay of wine and food. One of the more unusual pairings Immer suggests is an off-dry white wine, such as a Riesling, with chips and salsa. The acidity of the wine with its hint of sweetness mellow the spiciness of the salsa.

Not all wine and cheese combinations work well, however. Immer recommends avoiding cheeses with rinds, such as Brie, with wine. The moldy flavor of the rind competes with the wine.

Start to explore the flavors of various wines with different cheeses, and you'll discover new pairings the most pleasurable way possible--one bottle and one wedge at a time.

Dolores Borunda's
easycook.com
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