Learn the Perfect Wine Cheese Pairings For Your Wine Tasting Party

It's no secret to anyone...wine and cheese go hand in hand. Different cheese selections affect the palate influence for different wines. If your hosting a wine and cheese tasting party you will want to make sure and pair your cheese selections with the types of wines you will be featuring.

For example...a good blue cheese can make a younger and lower end Cabernet Savignon taste like a much higher quality wine. The tanins of the Cab go extremely well with the fatty heaviness of the bleu cheese.

Have your guests take a sample of the wine first. Then introduce the blue cheese and have them taste the wine again. Their assessment of the wine after the blue cheese has coated their mouth will probably be much higher than their original assessment of the wine without the cheese.

Here's a short list of sample cheese and wine pairings:

Merlot-consider a brie, cheddar, gruyere, parmesan or gargonzola

Cabernet Sauvignon-consider camembert, roquefort (blue cheese), cheddar, colby, gouda or parmesan

Chenin Blanc-consider a camembert or goat cheese

Sauvignon Blanc-consider brie, feta, asiago, goat cheese, cheddar or parmesan

Pinot Noir-consider monterey jack, swiss, brie, gruyere or muenster

Pinot Grigio-consider cheddar, edam, goat cheese, gouda, mozarella and muenster

Riesling-consider blue cheese, gouda, edam, brie or monterey jack

Chardonnay-consider provolone, brie, gouda, gruyere, parmesan or camembert

Chianti-consider mozarella, parmesan, fontina or provolone

Beaujolais-consider goat cheese, brie or camembert

Have fun with your wine cheese tasting parties and please be sure to read our other articles on types of wine tastings and how to host a wine tasting party.

Jane McGowan is a wine enthusiast. If you'd like to learn more about how to host a themed wine tasting party you can visit her website at - Types Of Wine Tastings where she has lots of information on how to host a wine tasting party, types of wine tastings and where you can find in home wine tasting party kits and invitations. Wondering what temperatures to serve your wine at or which cheeses and foods to serve with which wines. There's lots of detailed information on that too at Wine And Cheese Pairings and How To Chill Wine.

Wine, Cheese and Food Pairings - Festivals

Ok ladies... forget fitting into that bikini (that is why the tankini was invented) and have some fun instead! Check out some of the hottest Food and Wine Festivals from around the country

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. Well... there aren't many places that know food better then the Big Easy. Your friends will have to roll you back on the plane with sponsors like Brennans, Commander's Palace, Galatoires, Morton's and NOLA... and that is just a few out of the 75. Wait... it gets better. With over 175 wineries such as Artesa, Cakebread, Folie a Duex, Foxen, and Jordan you will find something for even your pickiest oenophile.

The New York City Ninth Avenue Food Festival. While this street party is not as grand as the New Orleans festival... it is fun just the same. If you are looking for something fun and funky that showcases ethnic food and music... this is the festival for you. Bonus... if you ditch the cabs and the subway and walk everywhere... you may fit into that bikini after all... or not!

Nantucket Wine Festival. Here you will find something for everyone. From tastings in some of Nantucket's finest houses, to wine and cheese pairings, auctions to seminars this is one of the most refined wine festivals around. The best thing about this festival?? If you have ever been to Nantucket in the summer then you already know the answer... yep... no crowds!

Palm Springs Restaurant Week. Ok... technically it is mostly in June and "week" is actually two separate weeks of festivals but... hey... it is fun all the same. Imagine perfect weather, palm trees, and the most fabulous local restaurants offering pre-fixed menus at a reasonable price. Maybe you will even have some cash left over for shopping!

Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival. Listen up ladies... if you have never had crawfish then here is your chance! This quaint Texas town comes alive with music and mudbugs. Enjoy the local wineries, antique shops and a taste of Cajun food deep in the heart of Texas.

Houston Wine and Food Week. Located just north of Houston in the Woodlands, this up and coming wine festival is not just for the locals anymore. Where else can you grab a steak Texas style (that means one steak large enough to satisfy your weekly beef quota) and sample over 500 wines from all over the world. If some how the wine is not enough to hold your interest... the local shopping will... Sur La Table... Bath Junkie... lululemon... Smith & Hawken... I could do this all day...

For more information check out http://www.greatgirltrips.com. This website features free travel information to women of all ages and life stages, including detailed itineraries and insider tips on where to go and what to do when traveling together. Happy Wanderings. Darcie

Gourmet Cheese Course - Food Pairing Inspirations

Whether you are hosting a soiree or a casual get-together, your mission is to provide your guests with warm hospitality, lively conversation and a delectable spread of food and drink. Whether the menu is complicated or simple it better be delicious. Serving a sumptuous gourmet cheese course is perfect as a starter or centerpiece of the meal. Not only is the preparation simple (no cooking!) but like fine wine, serving a gourmet cheese course can be mystifying. You may find yourself asking - What sort of foods to serve alongside? How do I select the right food and cheese pairings?

Not to fret! The good news is, you really can't go wrong. Just keep in mind that a cheese course is about observing and enjoying contrasting and complementary flavors. There are no hard and fast rules. Experiment and discover your favorites by using the recommendations for traditional food and beverage matches as a starting point.

Bread/Crackers - Bread such as a baguette and plain or mildly flavored crackers serve to cleanse the palate.
Fruits such as apples, figs, pears, grapes, berries, nectarines and melon are traditional accompaniments as their juicy and/or crisp textures contrast with the cheese. Their sweetness provides a counterpoint to the salty flavors of cheese.
Dried fruits offer a chewy texture that contrasts with harder cheese.
Fruity jams, pastes, and chutneys also provide sweet and sometimes savory notes.
Toasted nuts enhance the nuttiness of the cheeses. Try toasted almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts.
Olives - The briny flavor of olives contrasts with the richness of the cheeses.
Cured meats such as prosciutto add a salty and textural difference.

About Sara Kahn
Even though her passion for gourmet cheese was undying, Sara Kahn found shopping for it to be overwhelming, time consuming and confusing. She established http://www.thecheeseambassador.com to offer a simple way to select and serve the world's finest cheeses. By providing the perfect combination of exquisite cheese along with a comprehensive cheese course guide, enjoying gourmet cheese is now a deliciously enriching experience.