It's easy to be seduced by the dark fruit flavors and smoky finish of a glass of malbec. This enchanting, full-bodied wine boasts a strong kick, with notes of black cherry, dark forest fruits and hints of cocoa, coffee, and chocolate. And that makes choosing the right cheese for a malbec wine pairing pretty fascinating. Gouda is a good but obvious choice. Provolone makes things a little more interesting. But if you really want to match malbec's swagger, consider gorgonzola. The wine's fruit-forward flavors bring out the complexity in this milder blue cheese.
Here in Wisconsin, we have tons of the soft to semi-firm cow's milk cheeses that are excellent for a malbec wine pairing. With lots of award-winning gouda, asiago, and some homegrown Colby cheese to choose from, malbec never has to look far to find the perfect partner.
Browse our website to find more malbec pairings and other red wine and cheese pairing ideas. Search our recipes for inspiration for your next charcuterie cheese board. Or read on for additional pairing recommendations.
When considering a malbec wine pairing, look for semi-hard cheeses that aren't too salty.
Malbecs love semi-hard cheeses that aren't too salty. Asiago, cheddar, Colby, and gouda are all excellent choices. Malbecs can also go up against a soft blue cheese.
The dark fruit flavors of this big red wine do not pair well with creamy cheeses, goat's cheese, or sheep's milk cheeses.
Human beings have been pairing wine and cheese for hundreds of years. Recent science suggests that it's the "mouthfeel" from this combination that appeals to us. The astringency of the wine combines perfectly with the fat content in the cheese to create a harmonious balance that is extremely pleasing.
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With more than 600 flavors and styles of cheese, Wisconsin makes it easy to find the perfect variety for a malbec wine pairing, a merlot pairing, a port wine and cheese pairing – well, you get the idea.
Why so much variety? When you love cheese as much as we do, you want to explore every possible facet of this most amazing taste sensation.
That's why 90% of the milk from Wisconsin's famed dairyland is reserved for the cheesemaking process. It's why we developed the only Master Cheesemaker program in the world apart from the one in Switzerland. And it's why we're so bent on perfection that we've won over 5500 awards for our cheese – more than any other state in the country or nation in the world.
So next time you're looking for a malbec wine pairing – or a pairing for a fruit and cheese platter or a cheese party – we're certain there's a Wisconsin cheese that will knock it out of the park.
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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