As the nation prepares for their festive parties and with Google searches for cheese and wine up by 172% from the start of November, the food experts at Cartwright and Butler have pulled together a guide on unique pairings that are a must-try this holiday season.

With so many wines and cheeses on the market, it can be hard to understand which ones pair well with each other. It’s recommended that you choose a wine and cheeses that are equally as intense as each other, which can be determined by the alcohol of the wine by volume percentage (ABV). Typically, any wines that are over 14.5% ABV go alongside very rich cheeses, such as blue cheeses or brie. On the other hand, wines with an ABV of 12% or less, go better with cheeses that have more of a delicate taste, such as cheddars.

Cartwright and Butler’s recommended cheese and wine pairings are as follows:

1. Merlot and Gorgonzola, creamy Gorgonzola matches perfectly with the softer flavours of Merlot.
2. Pinot Noir and Gruyere, the sweet and salty flavours of this cheese match perfectly with the fruitier flavours of the berries used to make Pinot Noir.
3. Sauvignon Blanc and gouda cheese, this acidity of this wine balance itself out against the rich, buttery taste of gouda.
4. Goat’s cheese and sauvignon, this wine helps to cut through the stronger, richer, and more fragrant tastes of goat’s cheese, helping to bring out some delicious flavours from the wine.
5. Chardonnay, or champagne, and a gooey, warm, camembert. This cheese has more of a nutty taste and can be difficult to pair up with wine due to its richness, however, champagnes or chardonnays pair perfectly with this.
   
6. Stilton and Port, both are rich in tastes which helps them pair well together, the strength of port alongside the “stinkiest” of Stilton’s pair beautifully to really get your tastebuds going.
7. Zinfandel and Pecorino, this peppery cheese begs for a wine along the same lines, which is where the dry, earthy tones of zinfandel come in.

Commenting on the pairings, Danielle Dutton, Marketing Manager at Cartwright and Butler said, “Cheese and wine is a firm favourite across the nation, especially during the festive periods, and with so many options out there on the ultimate pairings, we hope this guide helps narrow down some of the best for any foodies looking to try something new to wow their guests at festive parties this year.”

Further delicious cheese and wine pairings can be found here.