cheesereviews.org cheese scored on real attributes

Pairing chart

Wine and cheese pairing chart

Every cheese below is matched to a wine style based on its scored flavor and texture — sharp and aged toward bold reds, creamy toward sparkling, pungent blues toward sweet wines, mild and fresh toward crisp whites.

a medium-bodied red like Merlot, or an unoaked Chardonnay
Abondance a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Asiago a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered Babybel a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Bel Paese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Bra cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Caerphilly cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Cheshire Cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Colby a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Comté cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered Danbo a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Double Gloucester cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Dunlop cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Edam a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Emmental a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Esrom a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Fontina a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Gouda a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Graviera a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Halloumi a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Havarti a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Herrgårdsost a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Leerdammer a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Leyden cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Mahón cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered Monterey Jack a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Morbier a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Muenster a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Port Salut a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered Raclette du Valais a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Red Leicester a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered Salers a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered São Jorge cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 6) is best met halfway, not overpowered Tête de Moine a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Tilsit cheese a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 5) is best met halfway, not overpowered Tomme de Savoie a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 4) is best met halfway, not overpowered Wensleydale a milder semi-hard cheese (sharpness 3) is best met halfway, not overpowered
a versatile, fruit-forward red like Beaujolais, or an off-dry white
American Cheese an easygoing, crowd-pleasing cheese calls for an equally flexible, easygoing pour
a dry sparkling wine or Champagne (or a light Pinot Noir)
Boursin cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (9) instead of getting lost in it Brie the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (9) instead of getting lost in it Brillat-Savarin cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (10) instead of getting lost in it Buffalo mozzarella the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it Burrata the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (10) instead of getting lost in it Camembert the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (9) instead of getting lost in it Chaource cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (9) instead of getting lost in it Coulommiers cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it Cream Cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (10) instead of getting lost in it Mascarpone the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (10) instead of getting lost in it Neufchâtel the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it Pélardon the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (6) instead of getting lost in it Quark the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it Ricotta the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it Sainte-Maure de Touraine the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (6) instead of getting lost in it Selles-sur-Cher cheese the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (6) instead of getting lost in it Stracchino the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (8) instead of getting lost in it The Laughing Cow the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (9) instead of getting lost in it Valençay the bubbles and acidity cut through its high creaminess (6) instead of getting lost in it