Wine, Cheese and Thanksgiving

Fridays on the BottleBlog will feature a food-related article, wine pairing, or travelogue. Today, Manager David Zinman recommends some cheese to pair with your Thanksgiving wine.

Beaujolais Nouveau, which always comes out the week before Thanksgiving, has arrived and with it the opportunity to partake of one of life’s simple pleasures - pairing a wine with cheese. Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape and Nouveau is the youngest, freshest wine produced. Meant for immediate consumption, the gentle fruitiness of Beaujolais Nouveau is extremely cheese friendly. Assembling a cheese plate that is sure to complement this wine and please both you and your guests is lots of fun. Accordingly, the following choices are presented:

Brie: The soft creamy cheese has an amazing affinity for berries (think how many times you have seen strawberries, cranberries or raspberries served alongside a wheel of brie) and the vibrant berry character of the wine plays well here.

Brillat-Savarin: This classic triple crème cheese with its luscious, buttery interior illustrates the principle of choosing a mild cheese that pairs well with a light-bodied red wine and serves as a backdrop to the fruit in the wine.

Garrotxa: An exceptional Spanish goat’s milk cheese from Catalonia with less tang than most goat cheeses, its mild flavor and subtle nuttiness serve as a lovely foil to the kiss of red raspberry in the wine.

Serra da Estrela: A sheep’s milk cheese from Portugal, it has a lovely herbaceous edge that arises from the introduction of thistle during production. When young, the cheese is soft and gooey, firming up as it ages. It is a wonderful partner to Beaujolais at any stage of its development.

Zamorano: Another sheep’s milk cheese, this time from the heart of Spain, with a long history of being a shepherd’s cheese. Its understated gaminess and nuttiness is reminiscent of Manchego (the classic Spanish cheese). The melt in your mouth texture synergizes beautifully with the wine.

Durrus: A raw cow’s milk cheese from Ireland, it is evocative of English farmhouse cheddars. The washed rind lends a hint of fruitiness to the cheese which harmonizes wonderfully with the wine.

Cheshire: A semi-hard English cheese with its roots in the 12th century, this cow’s milk cheese has a crumbly texture and a pleasing maritime salinity. The richness and mellow character make it a fine partner to Beaujolais.

The daring choice – Valdéon: a Spanish blue with recessed flavor and fine finish without being overwhelming makes this an interesting companion to Beaujolais Nouveau.

Putting these cheeses on your cheese plate and Beaujolais in your glass assures you of an ethereal introduction to your Thanksgiving meal.