Cheese Merlot

Cheese and merlot: the best of friends

Merlot is like an amazing friend. Think of your most generous, unassuming buddy and your most interesting acquaintance all rolled into one. So, when it comes to pairing with cheese, merlot is easy. Need a pal for your pecorino? Or a buddy for your brie? Merlot will be there with bells on.

In Wisconsin, we love merlot's accommodating qualities. After all, our cheesemakers produce more than 600 flavors, styles, and varieties of cheese that are all looking for culinary mates. So when it comes to pairing Wisconsin cheese, merlot is our go-to. It's a wine we can always rely on – just like a great friend.

Take a spin through our website to friend all the cheeses merlot might pair with. Search our recipes for inspiration for gourmet cheese platters or the best cheeses for a charcuterie board or cheese party. Or scroll down for recommendations on the best ways to enjoy cheese and merlot.

Our favorite cheese and merlot pairings

While merlot matches up with lots of varieties, these are a few of our favorite merlot and cheese pairings:

  • Gruyere. The bold flavors of merlot are often accented by the nutty, salty taste of a semi-hard gruyere.
  • Havarti. This rich, buttery flavor of this smooth and supple cheese complements the tannin content of merlot.
  • Cheddar. The milder notes of many merlots are a nice contrast to the sharp flavors of strong cheddars.
  • Emmentaler. The fruity notes of merlot pair well with the mild, nutty taste of this alpine-style cheese.
  • Parmesan. The tannins in merlot are a good match for the crystalline texture and tang of parmesan.

Videos: Discover Your Next Favorite Cheese

FAQs: What is the best cheese and merlot pairing?

What is the best cheese and merlot pairing?

Merlot pairs easily with many kinds of cheeses. Semi-hard cheeses with nutty, salty flavors are ideal. But merlot is also a nice match for cheeses as diverse as parmesan, muenster, brie, colby, and gorgonzola.

What are some general guidelines for pairing merlot and cheese?

The general approach to pairing cheese and merlot also works for a chianti pairing, a zinfandel pairing, or a merlot pairing. You want to match the intensity of the wine and the cheese – delicate cheeses will be blown away by big, bold, tannic wines, while lighter wines won't hold their own against cheeses with strong, sharp flavor. Salty cheeses and stinky cheeses are nicely matched by sweet wines. And when considering texture, you can either complement or contrast the texture of the cheese and wine.

Merlot will always have a friend in Wisconsin

When choosing a cheese for merlot, selecting a Wisconsin cheese is always a sure bet. Because when that chunk of cheese in your hand has a Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge on the label, you know you're giving your merlot the best cheese on the planet.

See, Wisconsin cheesemakers have been obsessively making cheese since before we were a state. They've perfected Old World recipes to the point where, in the world championship of cheese, our parmesans, goudas, and gruyeres can win awards over their cousins in Italy, Holland, and Switzerland. And our cheesemakers have come up with some pretty astonishing Wisconsin originals: colby, baby swiss, and brick cheeses among them.

So, when you're pairing cheese and merlot, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better partner than Wisconsin cheese.

Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?

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