5 Big, Bold, Red Wines & Cheese

When you’re after a wine to pair with food, a vino that can stand-up to complex flavors is a must. Reaching for a full-bodied red—characterized as wine with an alcohol content of 13.5% or more—will satiate the palate, and if you focus on the nuances of the wine, you can expertly search out the right varietal for any dish, even different cheeses. “My primary tip about pairing wine and cheese is to try to match intensities,” says Janet Fletcher, the author of Cheese & Wine and the publisher of the Planet Cheese blog. “I don’t want to pair a wimpy wine with a strong cheese, or a massive wine with a delicate cheese.”

The complex flavors and rich mouthfeel common in heavier reds such as syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and zinfandel, lend themselves well to a variety of cheeses. Some pair well with blue-veined varieties while others will find balance alongside a sharp cheddar or aged gouda. If you’re a novice, it’s easiest to start with hard cheeses when choosing a cheese to complement a big, bold red wine. And usually, a cow’s milk cheese will provide better matches to this type of wine, as well—although that isn’t a hard and fast rule.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon + Flory’s Truckle

Cabernet sauvignon is likely the most recognizable full-bodied red out there. Hailing originally from France, California is now ripe with the vines that perform well in a hot climate in locations such as Napa Valley. Cheeses high in fat and proteins will do well when served with a cabernet, as the tannins (created by leaving the wine on the skins longer and perhaps to stew in the stems and seeds) bind to these elements to cleanse the palate in between bites. In general, slightly aged, semi-hard cheeses are your best bet.

A cabernet sauvignon will bring out the flavors in a strong cheese. In this case, your matching complexity with complexity. For those not ready to venture outside of their comfort zone, enjoying the sharp taste of cheddar with the long finish of a cabernet is an ideal pairing. “I love [cabernet sauvignon’s] power and deep blackberry aroma, and I tend to pair it with aged cow or sheep cheese,” says Fletcher. “Cheddars are great with it.” 

Try: 2018 Merriam Vineyards Windacre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Zinfandel + Jasper Hill Cellars Harbison

Zinfandel originated in Croatia, made from a grape named Crljenak, but now California is home to many of the most well-known zinfandels, populating regions such as the Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Lodi. While zins take on many personalities, in general they have a reputation for being jammy and fruit-forward, perhaps with elements of smoke and spice.

While some zinfandels are medium-bodied, most are full-bodied and will therefore pair well with a rich, bold cheese like a sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, or Manchego.  “If you have a zinfandel with rich flavors of figs and pepper, you may want a bold cheese that can stand up to the pairing such as an aged cheddar or a wash rind cheese,” says Sheana Davis of The Epicurean Connection in Sonoma. Davis likes the Jasper Hill Cellars Harbison, a soft, ripened cow’s milk cheese, as well. “This cheese complements the rich and fruity flavors of the Zinfandel,” she explains.

The more a cheese is aged, the better it will shine next to a late harvest or sweeter zinfandel, bringing out the wine’s density instead of falling short. 

Try: 2017 Levrier Wines by Jo Irvine Peritas Zinfandel

 

Syrah (or Shiraz) + 1605 Manchego DOP

Another admired medium- to full-bodied wine, syrah has a reputation for its notes of smoke, spice, and dark fruit. The bolder labels will present as dense and tannic while lighter syrahs may drink more like a cabernet—round and fruity.

Regardless, a hearty wine that’s typically tannic and often dry craves a bold mate. If you’re new to cheese, here is your chance to step outside of your comfort zone and lean into stinky cheeses. Use your nose to search out a cheese that will taste better than it smells; and don’t fret, the ripe flavors of a syrah will balance the tastes of pungent or blue-veined cheeses. Syrah, however, also does well with hard cheese like cheddar, parmesan or asiago. “I would pair Syrah with Manchego or an aged Pecorino Toscano or Green Dirt Farms’ Prairie Tomme,” Fletcher suggests. The peppery notes in a syrah contrast particularly well with the nutty and buttery attributes of a Manchego cheese. 

Try: Jacob’s Creek Classic Shiraz (medium-bodied)

 

Malbec + Maison Gabriel Coulet Roquefort

A malbec is like a meal. This full-bodied red habitually offers balanced tannins and acidity and shines with a unique combination of flavors from coffee to leather, black pepper to tobacco. Malbecs can present as both smokey and meaty. While some variations offer a touch of sweetness, in general, Malbecs are dry.

Regionally, the most famous malbecs come from Argentina and boast bold flavors of blackberry, plum, and black cherry. You may also experience milk chocolate, cocoa powder, violet florals, leather, tobacco, and oak as you sip.

You’ll want to watch the salt when pairing cheese with a malbec, which can create an imbalance on the palate. It’s also preferred to stick with hard, cow’s milk cheeses because creamy cheeses or cheeses from sheep’s or goat’s milk will not complement the varietal well. Experts have noted that malbec consistently pairs well with blue cheeses. In Daring Pairings Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein says, “Don’t ask me why but these wines (malbec) seem to contradict the rule that powerful wine is not good with powerful cheese.” He recommends Roquefort and gorgonzola dolcelatte with fruit-forward malbec. 

Maison Gabriel Coulet Roquefort dates back to 1872. The founder began by digging a wine cave and now the 5th-generation family dairy in the Occitanie region collects 100% sheep’s milk from 150 shepherds only 20 miles from the dairy. The cheese is made from December through July, the natural lactation cycle of the sheep, ripened for at least 3 weeks and then matured for an average of 7 months.

Try: 2021 Mevi Malbec – Reserva Especial 

 

Tempranillo + Idiazabal

Similar to a sangiovese or cabernet sauvignon, an aged and full-bodied tempranillo will likely present with rich dark berry flavors, cedar, tobacco, and leather.

Hailing from Spain, it’s no surprise that Manchego cheese is a good partner for tempranillo. This hard, sheep’s milk cheese is subtle and nutty creating a balanced pairing for the daring red that tends to punch the palate. Instead of competing, Manchego brings out some of the subtler characteristics of the wine without pulling focus. These are the same reasons that asiago, a nutty Italian cheese, is a good pairing, especially for a lighter tempranillo, as well as other sheep’s milk cheeses.

Other hard cheeses also do a tempranillo justice, as do soft, blue-veined cheeses. Specifically, Roquefort is recommended alongside tempranillo, relying on its tangy and earthy profile to contrast the bold flavors of the wine. Other earthy cheeses or cheeses with umami flavors can create a different experience entirely for a tempranillo. If you want to get creative, look for cave-aged or natural rinds. According to cheese author and expert Laura Werlin, sheep’s milk cheeses are a natural pairing. She notes that as with Tempranillo, most sheep’s milk cheeses have a tang primarily on the finish. Read about Izdiazabal and other Spanish cheeses. 

Try: 2021 Solaro Estate Tempranillo