Choosing Your Cheddar

Because the styles of cheddar range all across the spectrum of mild to sharp, finding the perfect wine partner can be tricky. The variety makes the semihard cow's milk cheese wonderful to play with winewise. Based on doing just that, here's some of what we've found.

~Rich, creamy chardonnay goes especially well with mild cheddar because the cheese's mellow flavors don't clash with the oak flavors in wine.

~Pinot noir, because it's earthy and complex, but not overwhelmingly powerful, works well with most cheddars in the middle range.

~Extrasharp aged cheddars are fantastic with such dramatic southern French reds as Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas from the Rhone Valley.

~And finally, if cheddar is for dessert (rather than before a meal), serve it with reserve ruby Port. Smith & Woodhouse Lodge Reserve is packed with intense aromas of ripe red fruits, cassis, and floral hints. On the palate, full-bodied, smooth and well balanced, with a long and lingering aftertaste. It matches cheddar's intensity inch for incjh, and the textural contrast is mind-blowing.