We’ve taught you how to pair wine with chocolate, specifically highlighting our favorite chocolate pairings with SYLTBAR, and now it’s time to share with you another one of our favorite foods to pair with wine… CHEESE!

Cheese could very well be one of the most popular and most consumed food products ever. Not only is it used as an ingredient in countless different recipes and sprinkled as a topping on a variety of dishes, it’s also eaten alone — and quite honestly, that’s our favorite way to enjoy it.

Wine and Cheese Pairing

Cheese, just like chocolate and wine, goes through a very detailed and specific production process. There are so many different kinds of cheeses. Some come solely from cow’s milk, some from goat’s or sheep’s, and some are a combination of any of these three milk-producing animals. Some are creamy and decadent, while others are dense and pungent. Some are hard, some are soft, and some meet somewhere in the middle. The flavors, aromas, and textures all vary depending on the way it’s made and where it comes from. In this way, cheese has a lot in common with wine, so it’s no surprise that it is such a common pairing that is loved by so many.

We love a good cheese platter paired with Prosecco or Champagne, as do most people! It’s the perfect snack, and the best to serve at parties or for pre-dinner appetizers.

Of course cheese is wonderful served with all kinds of wine, we especially love enjoying it with a glass or two of Mr SYLTBAR Premium Prosecco. Selecting the right cheese for your favorite bottles of bubbly is an art. You want to make sure the cheese marries well with the effervescence of your Prosecco or Champagne, and doesn’t overwhelm its delicate flavors and aromas.

Here is how to choose the right cheese for your Champagne or Prosecco:

Choose something soft. Cheese with a softer texture, like a double- or triple-cream Brie, are the perfect contrast to the sharp, crisp, refreshing bubbles in a Prosecco or Champagne. Brie has a richness to it that needs acid to cut through the fat, and sparkling wines provide the much-needed contrast. Brie cheese can be enjoyed cold on its own, or more commonly, melted in the oven, topped with fruit jams and/or nuts, and spread on crackers or crostini. Sometimes the brie is even enveloped in puff pastry before baking in the oven, adding an extra element of flavor and texture.

Another creamy cheese that pairs beautifully with Prosecco or Champagne is Camembert. Camembert and Brie cheeses have a lot in common. Both of these cow’s milk cheeses originate from France, and are equally as rich and creamy in texture. Camembert, however, typically has a lower butterfat content than Brie.

For a creamy cow’s milk alternative, a goat’s milk chévre is also a perfect pick to pair with Prosecco or Champagne.

Choose something salty. One of the most iconic Italian cheeses has got to be Parmigiano Reggiano. Pairing this hard, sharp, salty cheese with a crisp, chilled glass of Prosecco is the perfect match. Parmigiano Reggiano has an intense flavor, but it’s not so intense that it will overpower your bubbly. In fact, it provides the perfect contrast. You probably know this cow’s milk cheese as the traditional cheese that is ground up and grated over pasta, but it can also be purchased in a block so that it can be sliced into chunks and served on a cheese board along with other tasty items like dried fruit, jams, meats, and bread.

For a salty cow’s milk alternative, sheep’s milk pecorino romano will also pair beautifully with Prosecco or Champagne.

Keep these pairing ideas in mind the next time you are hosting guests or just feel like kicking back and relaxing at home with a glass of Mr and some cheese to snack on. Plan ahead by stocking up on Mr by visiting syltbar.com, or using our locator to find a retailer near you that sells Mr SYLTBAR Premium Prosecco.