The Art of Cheese Pairing: How to Elevate Your Cheeseboard With Balance and Flavor

Published with permission from LuxuryWeb Magazine

Cheese plates and cheeseboards are a delightful way to elevate the end of a meal or add a touch of indulgence to a friendly gathering. With countless cheese varieties available from around the world, it’s tempting to create an overflowing board packed with an array of domestic and international selections.

But here’s a word of advice — don’t go overboard! Striking a balance of complementary flavors and textures is key to ensuring a pleasant and cohesive tasting experience for your guests. Too many competing flavors can make it difficult to craft satisfying pairings with fruits, honeycomb, preserves, and wine. Additionally, an overly diverse selection can overwhelm the palate rather than excite it.

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Striking the right flavor balance

Pairing is an art, and some combinations simply don’t work well together. For example, fig jam might pair beautifully with aged smoked Gouda but would clash with Stilton — and it could taste outright unpleasant with Stinking Bishop, a pungent British specialty. Similarly, fatty Feta cheese alongside fresh, aromatic herbs like rosemary, basil, lavender, or dill might not make for the most appealing match.

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There’s a biological reason why wine and cheese pair so harmoniously. Astringent beverages, like wine, naturally complement rich, fatty foods like cheese, enhancing and balancing each other’s flavors. Some classic pairings include Cabernet Sauvignon with well-aged Cheddar or Stilton, Pinot Noir or Sangiovese with Gruyère, and Chardonnay with Brie.

For a more adventurous pairing, a Chilean Rosé — perhaps one composed of 85 percent Syrah and 15 percent Grenache — can pair well with fresh Greek Kefalotiri. For those with a sweet tooth, aromatic wines such as Sauternes, sweet Riesling, or Pedro Ximénez Dulce pair wonderfully with goat cheese.

Enhance with fruits and bread

Beyond wine, fruit can be an exquisite companion to cheese, offering a contrast that enhances both flavors. A young demi-sec white wine can further elevate the experience, particularly when paired with succulent fruits and rich cheeses.

When assembling a cheeseboard, always include sweet fruits like grapes, ripe black figs, dried apricots, or dates. Other excellent accompaniments include preserves such as orange marmalade, quince paste, or a piece of honeycomb dripping with golden honey.

One of my favorite cheese pairings is sweet pumpkin or banana bread with Roquefort or Gorgonzola — a combination I enjoy every Thanksgiving and Christmas when my wife bakes both breads for the holidays. Another personal favorite is very ripe apricots stuffed with Cretan Anthotyros, a soft, fresh white cheese similar to Ricotta Salata.

Since Anthotyros (also known as aged Mizithra) is made with unpasteurized milk and can be difficult to find in the U.S., I often substitute it with the drier Ricotta Salata, which is more widely available.

Quality cheeses are a must

For those in search of quality cheeses, Manhattan offers some excellent sources. Murray’s in the West Village and Balducci’s — located in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia—carry an extensive variety of cheeses from around the world.

For those interested in selections from Central and Eastern Europe, Gourmanoff by NetCost Market in Brighton Beach, NY, and Paramus, NJ, is a fantastic option. Many local supermarkets also stock excellent cheeses, especially hard varieties or aged cheddars from the UK, Northeastern U.S., and Canada.

Bread is another key component in a well-curated cheeseboard. As mentioned earlier, sweet breads like banana or pumpkin pair beautifully with dry, complex red wines. Meanwhile, a high-quality baguette serves as a versatile pairing for a range of cheeses. However, wheat crackers or flavored snacks like Doritos are best avoided, as their seasoning can overpower and distract from the nuanced flavors of the cheese.

Bon appétit!