5 Cheese & Rosé Pairings

I always say that you don’t need to be a chef or sommelier to create delicious wine and cheese pairings. The simple advice I give to anyone who would like to craft amazing wine and cheese pairings is to select an array of cheeses and choose a selection of wines that have characteristics that complement the cheeses. In general, young and fresh cheeses pair best with fresh, crisp wines, and aged cheeses marry well with fuller-bodied wines with more complexity. Then, add an excellent quality of charcuterie and breads as well as some sweet and salty accompaniments such as olives, cocktail tomatoes, grapes, dried fruit, and perhaps some spreads such as fig mustard. Voilà, you have a memorable experience.

Do what inspires you because there are almost no limits to creativity here. You can easily create something beautiful to impress your guests and yourself. Speaking of trying what inspires you, rosé is such a popular spring and summer wine that I thought it would be a welcome tip to know that you can create a cheese plate around a particular wine such as rosé or even choose a selection of rosés to serve. Rosé wines are generally best paired with fresh, soft and semi-soft cheeses, but there can be exceptions as you’ll see below. Personally, I like to enjoy these cheeses with a fresh, chilled glass of rosé on my patio – or even better, on the deck of one of our beautiful ships.

Hot Habanero Cheese | A perfect blend of spice adds a wonderful zest to your plate. Try pairing it with an American zinfandel rosé or a white zinfandel that is moderately sweet with flavors of strawberry, cotton candy, lemon and green melon.

Goat Cheese | This cheese has an acidic flavor that naturally pairs well with bright wines that have acidic characteristics, just like rosé. Soft goat cheese pairs best with rosé, but I also enjoy experimenting a bit with aged varieties. Try pairing it with a mourvèdre rosé, which is rounder and fuller-bodied than many other rosés and shows flavors of red plums, cherries and dried herbs.

Feta Cheese | Tangy, salty feta is an excellent match for the lively acidity in rosé. The crispness of rosé also helps wipe the palate clean, preparing it for more salty cheese. A lovely wine pairing would be a grenache rosé with notes of ripe strawberry, orange and hibiscus.

Rocchetta | This creamy, rich Italian cheese is made from a blend of three kinds of milk – goat, sheep and cow – but it's definitely the flavor of the goat's milk that you really notice. Earthy, fresh and just a bit sharp, this cheese pairs perfectly with a rosé that features berries in the flavor or aroma. I like to select a bottle from California to enjoy with Rocchetta, with the best pairing being a pinot noir rosé, with soft, subtle aromas of watermelon, raspberries, strawberries and wet stone.

Appenzeller and Gruyere | These two Swiss cheeses are known for their dense, creamy texture and the intense flavor that results from the herbs, spices and alcohol rubbed on the rinds as the cheese ages. Though these are hard cheeses, it is their slightly spicy, herbal character that creates a perfect pairing with rosé, especially if the wine is just a touch zesty. One of my favorites with these cheeses is a cabernet sauvignon rosé, with flavors of green bell pepper, cherry sauce, black currant and pepper spice. My second recommendation is a sangiovese rosé, with hints of fresh strawberries, green melon, roses and yellow peach.

I hope you enjoy these cheese and rosé pairings as much as I do, and we look forward to welcoming you on board Oceania Cruises soon. Prost!