I recently published a Chardonnay Food Pairing guide and yet all the comments and messages have been inquiring about Chardonnay Cheese Pairing specifically. Now, I am not one to disappoint my fans (all 3 of you!) so without further ado, here is a quick and easy guide to pairing Chardonnay and Cheese for your next charcuterie board or late night snack.
What Cheese Goes with Chardonnay?
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in the world. Cheese is pretty amazing itself. Together, Chardonnay and Cheese can be very harmonious….if you pick the right Chardonnay, that is.
Now, Chardonnay can never make our lives easy when it comes to cheese pairings. That’s because Chardonnay is a rather neutral grape that adapts very easily to its growing environment and the winemaker’s style. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll break it down to 2 styles: oaked Chardonnay and unoaked Chardonnay.
Oaked Chardonnay is Chardonnay that has been aged and/or fermented in oak barrels. This oak treatment adds body, flavor, and texture to a Chardonnay. Oaked Chardonnays are often described as buttery and creamy with smells of vanilla, apples, and spices. (If you’re a nerd and want to know the chemistry behind that process, check out this post about malolactic fermentation.)
Unoaked Chardonnay, as you may have guessed, has not been aged in oak but rather fermented in stainless steel tanks. Unoaked Chardonnay is lighter in body, has more acidity, and smells like green apples and lemons.
Chardonnay Cheese Pairing Tips
- Match intensity.
- An aged, blue, or stinky cheese should be paired with a similarly intense Chardonnay.
- A mild cheese will pair best with a simpler style of Chardonnay (bonus, this is usually the budget option!).
- Match flavor elements.
- The best Chardonnay cheese pairing with a tangy cheese is a Chardonnay with more acidity and citrus notes, usually found in unoaked Chardonnay.
- Cheese with nutty characteristics will pair with an older vintage of Chardonnay.
- Melty, gooey cheeses pair best with a creamy and butter (ie oaked) Chardonnay.
- Regional cheeses with Chardonnays from the same region.
- If you want a very special Chardonnay cheese pairing, find the cheese that is grown in your favorite Chardonnay region.
Cheeses That Pair with Oaked Chardonnay
Oaked Chardonnay pairs best with bolder and more pungent cheeses because oaked Chardonnay is bolder and more pungent itself. This creates a flavor balance so neither the wine or the cheese is overpowered by the other. Aged cheeses, blue cheeses, and stinky cheeses are great with Chardonnay. Here are my favorites.
Chardonnay & Aged Cheddar
Cheddar is a cow’s milk cheese that hails from England, though it can be produced all over the world. As cheddar ages it becomes more pungent and crumbly. With oaked Chardonnay opt for a cheddar that’s been aged at least 6 months.
Chardonnay & Brie
Brie has a reputation for being rather stinky, often compared to feet. Now how this instantly makes it more appealing to me is something I’ll need to take up with my therapist. Brie is a staple in my house, it feels like an indulgence. Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese that’s melty and creamy. This consistency is a delightful match with oaked Chardonnay’s buttery texture. Don’t snooze on Camembert, it’s a bit stinkier than Brie but still a good Chardonnay cheese pairing.
Chardonnay & Raclette
Raclette is both a type of cheese and the fondue-like style in which you eat it. Raclette is a Swiss cow’s cheese that’s full fat and melts easily. It’s an ooey-gooey delicious treat. Grilled or melted Raclette is most often served with potatoes, salami, and veggies. Chardonnay, particularly Meursault, will fit in perfectly with this cheesy medley of flavors. If you become addicted to Raclette like I have recently become, I highly suggest this Raclette grill.
Chardonnay & Gouda
Gouda is another classic cheese to throw on your charcuterie board. It’s semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from the Netherlands. The key here is to match flavors and intensity, therefore Gouda pairs best with a middle of the road, not too oaky Chardonnay.
Cheeses That Pair with Unoaked Chardonnay
Unoaked Chardonnay is lighter in body and higher in acidity. The fruit flavors of Chardonnay stand out more when oak is not introduced. It isn’t as imposing as oaked versions. Unoaked Chardonnay pairs best with less stinky cheeses. Try these milder but delicious cheeses with unoaked Chardonnay.
Chardonnay & Manchego
I’ve been stocking up on my Spanish cheeses in anticipation for my trip to Spain later this year. I’ve also had a soft spot for Manchego. Manchego is a sheep’s milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain. It has an zesty and intense flavor which is perfect with the tartness of unoaked Chardonnay.
Chardonnay & Mozzarella
From Burrata to semi-hard styles, Mozzarella is universally well paired with Chardonnay. The delicate flavors of fresh mozzarella go nicely with unoaked Chardonnay but the wine can still withstand a big ol’ slice of pizza.
Chardonnay & Feta
You know my Chardonnay cheese pairing guide would have to have a Greek cheese, right? Feta is a salty Greek cheese made from sheep and goat’s milk. It is particularly well paired with Chardonnay because of the lemony tart flavor. As I always say, think of wine like a condiment. Most meals that contain feta usually have a big squeeze of lemon juice on them. The Chardonnay complements these flavors. This is also the same reason Halloumi from Cyprus would also be a great pairing with Chardonnay.
Chardonnay & Ricotta
The delicate flavors of Ricotta are beautifully paired with an oaked Chardonnay like one from Chablis. Ricotta is a whey cheese usually made from sheep or goat’s milk but in Italy the most delicious comes from water buffalo’s milk.
A BONUS Chardonnay Cheese Pairing
Recently, I’ve been lucky to have become friends with this wonderful French couple. They go back and forth to France and always bring a new French wine and a new French cheese for us to try together. The last pairing was a bottle of white Burgundy (Chardonnay is the main white grape of Burgundy) and Délice de Bourgogne, a triple-crème cheese from Burgundy. I’m a firm believer in what grows together, goes together, but I was not expecting how perfectly the tartness of the Chardonnay matched the tang in the cheese. Absolutely delicious Chardonnay and Cheese pairing, 10 out of 10 would recommend. Get yourself some French friends is all I’m saying.
