Wine country is cheese country. The same valleys, monasteries and cooperatives that make the bottles make the cheeses that go with them, and the old pairings grew up side by side. Every cheese here is drawn from its recorded shape, rind and paste, with the region's own wines to pour beside it.

Italy

Abruzzo

Wine and cheese in Abruzzo
Caciocavallo abruzzese Cow Caciofiore aquilano Sheep Canestrato di Castel del Monte Sheep Caprino abruzzese Goat Formaggio degli sposi Cow and Sheep Giuncata abruzzese Sheep and Cow and Goat Marcetto Sheep Pecorino abruzzese Sheep Pecorino di Atri Sheep Pecorino di Farindola Sheep Ricotta di pecora stagionata Sheep Scamorza abruzzese Cow

Portugal

Alentejo

Wine and cheese in Alentejo
Queijo Mestiço de Tolosa IGP · Sheep and Goat Queijo Serpa DOP · Sheep Queijo Serpa Velho DOP · Sheep Queijo de Nisa DOP · Sheep Queijo de Évora DOP · Sheep

France

Alsace

Wine and cheese in Alsace
Munster AOP · Cow Bargkass Cow Cœur de Massif Cow

Italy

Alto Adige

Wine and cheese in Alto Adige
Algunder Bauernkäse PAT · Cow Algunder Ziegenkäse PAT · Goat Alta Badia Hartkäse PAT · Cow Aschbacher Magerkäse PAT · Cow Dolomitenkönig PAT · Cow Graukäse PAT · Cow Marienberger PAT · Cow Ortler PAT · Cow Pustertaler Schnittkäse PAT · Cow Sextner Almkäse PAT · Cow Stilfser DOP · Cow Toblacher Stangenkäse PAT · Cow Vinschger Schnittkäse PAT · Cow

Germany

Baden

Wine and cheese in Baden
Allgäuer Bergkäse g.U. · Cow Bibeleskäs Tilsiter Cow

France

Beaujolais

Wine and cheese in Beaujolais
Charolais AOP · Goat Rigotte de Condrieu AOP · Goat Saint-Marcellin IGP · Cow Arôme de Lyon Cow Cervelle de canut Cow Fromage fort de la Croix-Rousse Cow and Goat

France

Bordeaux

Wine and cheese in Bordeaux
Ossau-Iraty AOP · Sheep

Slovenia

Brda

Wine and cheese in Brda
Tolminc PDO · Cow Albuminska skuta Cow

Austria

Burgenland

Wine and cheese in Burgenland
Topfen Cow and Sheep

France

Burgundy

Wine and cheese in Burgundy
Brillat-Savarin IGP · Cow Chaource AOP · Cow Mâconnais AOP · Goat Soumaintrain IGP · Cow Époisses AOP · Cow Cîteaux Cow Saint-Florentin Cow

France

Champagne

Wine and cheese in Champagne
Brie de Meaux AOP · Cow Brie de Melun AOP · Cow Langres AOP · Cow Cendré de Champagne Cow

Portugal

Douro Valley

Wine and cheese in Douro Valley
Queijo Terrincho DOP · Sheep Queijo Terrincho Velho DOP · Sheep Queijo de Cabra Transmontano DOP · Goat

Portugal

Dão

Wine and cheese in Dão
Queijo Serra da Estrela DOP · Sheep Queijo Serra da Estrela Velho DOP · Sheep Requeijão Serra da Estrela DOP · Sheep

Hungary

Eger

Wine and cheese in Eger
Gomolya Cow and Sheep and Goat Orda Cow

Italy

Franciacorta

Wine and cheese in Franciacorta
Quartirolo Lombardo DOP · Cow Silter DOP · Cow Bagòss Cow Fatulì della Val Saviore Goat

Germany

Franken

Wine and cheese in Franken
Obazda PGI

Italy

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Wine and cheese in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Montasio DOP · Cow Asìno Cow Formadi frant Cow Formaggio di malga Cow Formaggio salato Cow Latteria Cow Smoked ricotta (scuete fumade) Cow

Croatia

Istria

Wine and cheese in Istria
Istrian sheep's cheese Sheep Istrian skuta Cow and Sheep

Spain

Jerez & Sherry

Wine and cheese in Jerez & Sherry
Queso de Grazalema Sheep and Goat Queso de cabra payoya Goat

France

Jura

Wine and cheese in Jura
Bleu de Gex AOP · Cow Cancoillotte IGP · Cow Comté AOP · Cow Mont d'Or AOP · Cow Morbier AOP · Cow Metton Cow

Georgia

Kakheti

Wine and cheese in Kakheti
Chogi Geographical indication (Sakpatenti, no. 3) · Sheep Georgian Cheese Geographical indication (Sakpatenti, no. 6) · Cow and Sheep and Goat and Buffalo Guda Geographical indication (Sakpatenti, no. 13) · Sheep and Cow Sulguni Protected geographical indication (Sakpatenti, no. 10) · Cow and Buffalo and Goat Tushuri Guda Appellation of origin (Sakpatenti, no. 14) · Sheep and Cow Kalti Sheep

France

Languedoc

Wine and cheese in Languedoc
Bleu des Causses AOP · Cow Pélardon AOP · Goat Pérail IGP · Sheep Roquefort AOP · Sheep

France

Loire Valley

Wine and cheese in Loire Valley
Crottin de Chavignol AOP · Goat Pouligny-Saint-Pierre AOP · Goat Sainte-Maure de Touraine AOP · Goat Selles-sur-Cher AOP · Goat Valençay AOP · Goat Olivet Cow

Greece

Naoussa

Wine and cheese in Naoussa
Batzos PDO · Sheep and Goat Kasseri PDO · Sheep and Goat Kefalograviera PDO · Sheep and Goat Manouri PDO · Sheep and Goat

Greece

Nemea

Wine and cheese in Nemea
Feta PDO · Sheep and Goat Anthotyro Sheep and Goat Graviera Sheep and Goat Kefalotyri Sheep and Goat Mizithra Sheep and Goat Zireiotyri Sheep and Goat

Spain

Penedes

Wine and cheese in Penedes
Garrotxa PGI · Goat Formatge serrat Sheep and Cow and Goat

Italy

Piedmont

Wine and cheese in Piedmont
Bra DOP · Cow Castelmagno DOP · Cow Gorgonzola DOP · Cow Murazzano DOP · Sheep and Cow Ossolano DOP · Cow Raschera DOP · Cow Robiola di Roccaverano DOP · Goat Toma Piemontese DOP · Cow Bettelmatt Cow

Spain

Priorat

Wine and cheese in Priorat
Mató Goat and Cow and Sheep

France

Provence

Wine and cheese in Provence
Banon AOP · Goat Brousse du Rove AOP · Goat Cachat Goat and Sheep Poivre d'âne Goat and Cow Tomme d'Arles Sheep Tomme de Provence Goat

Germany

Rheingau

Wine and cheese in Rheingau
Hessischer Handkäse PGI · Cow Spundekäs

Germany

Rheinhessen

Wine and cheese in Rheinhessen
Handkäse Mainzer Käse Cow

France

Rhone Valley

Wine and cheese in Rhone Valley
Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage AOP · Cow Picodon AOP · Goat Saint-Félicien Cow

Spain

Ribera del Duero

Wine and cheese in Ribera del Duero
Queso Castellano IGP · Sheep Queso de Burgos IGP · Cow and Sheep

Spain

Rioja

Wine and cheese in Rioja
Queso Camerano DOP · Goat

Spain

Rías Baixas

Wine and cheese in Rías Baixas
Arzúa-Ulloa DOP · Cow Arzúa-Ulloa Curado DOP · Cow Cebreiro DOP · Cow Queso Tetilla DOP · Cow San Simón da Costa DOP · Cow Requeixo Cow

Greece

Santorini

Wine and cheese in Santorini
Arseniko Naxou PDO · Sheep and Goat Kopanisti PDO · Cow and Sheep and Goat San Michali PDO · Cow Chloro of Santorini Sheep and Goat

Italy

Sicily

Wine and cheese in Sicily
Pecorino Siciliano DOP · Sheep Piacentinu Ennese DOP · Sheep Provola dei Nebrodi DOP · Cow Ragusano DOP · Cow Vastedda della Valle del Belice DOP · Sheep Caciocavallo Palermitano Cow Maiorchino Sheep and Goat Ricotta Infornata Cow and Sheep and Goat

England

Sussex

Wine and cheese in Sussex
Sussex Slipcote Sheep

Hungary

Tokaj

Wine and cheese in Tokaj
Parenyica Cow and Sheep

Italy

Tuscany

Wine and cheese in Tuscany
Pecorino Toscano DOP · Sheep Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane DOP · Sheep Marzolino del Chianti Sheep Pecorino a Latte Crudo della Maremma Sheep Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese Sheep Pecorino di Pienza Sheep Raveggiolo Cow and Sheep

Italy

Umbria

Wine and cheese in Umbria
Caciottone di Norcia IGP · Cow and Sheep Caciotta al tartufo Cow and Sheep Pecorino di Norcia Sheep Pecorino stagionato in botte Sheep Ricotta salata della Valnerina Sheep

Switzerland

Valais

Wine and cheese in Valais
Raclette du Valais AOP · Cow Walliser Hobelkäse AOP · Cow Walliser Schnittkäse AOP · Cow Sérac Cow and Goat and Sheep Tomme du Valais Cow

Italy

Valpolicella

Wine and cheese in Valpolicella
Grana Padano DOP · Cow Monte Veronese DOP · Cow Monte Veronese di malga DOP · Cow

Italy

Veneto

Wine and cheese in Veneto
Asiago Pressato DOP · Cow Asiago d'Allevo DOP · Cow Casatella Trevigiana DOP · Cow Piave DOP · Cow Provolone Valpadana DOP · Cow Morlacco del Grappa Cow Schiz Cow

Portugal

Vinho Verde

Wine and cheese in Vinho Verde
Queijo de Azeitão DOP · Sheep

Austria

Wachau

Wine and cheese in Wachau
Mostviertler Schofkas Sheep

Local traditions

Pairings that grew up together

Crottin de Chavignol with Sancerre blanc

Local traditionLoire Valley

Young crottin has a firm, chalky paste and aged ones turn nutty and dry. White Sancerre's sharp Sauvignon acidity and citrus cut that density and freshen the hazelnut. The consortium lists it first; a pairing guide calls it the classic white.

Munster with Gewurztraminer

Local traditionAlsace

French Wikipedia and Je Visite Alsace both give this match: Gewurztraminer's aromatic power and full body stand up to the strength of the cheese, and its richness softens the pungent washed rind.

Raclette du Valais with Fendant (Chasselas)

Local traditionValais

Swiss Wine Valais ranks Fendant first with Gamay for raclette: one taster wants a dry, tight white that refreshes the palate, and ambassador Eddy Baillifard stays on Fendant or Gamay for a young village raclette of 3 to 5 months.

Comté with Vin jaune

Local traditionJura

English Wikipedia names the local Comté as a common pairing for vin jaune. An aged wheel's hazelnut and roasted notes meet the walnut and spice of a wine aged more than six years before release, and the wine's sharpness keeps the dense paste from cloying.

Fromage fort de la Croix-Rousse with Beaujolais, red

Local traditionBeaujolais

French Wikipedia quotes the Inventaire du patrimoine culinaire de la France: in Lyon's bouchons the pot sat at the corner of the bar and was spread on toasted bread, accompanied by a beaujolais. A plain Gamay red suits its sharpness.

Munster with Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives or Sélection de Grains Nobles

Local traditionAlsace

French Wikipedia lists late-harvest and noble-rot Gewurztraminer with Munster. The wine's sweetness plays against the salty, pungent rind, a sweet-and-savoury contrast.

Stilfser with Alto Adige Pinot Nero

Local traditionAlto Adige

Qualigeo lists Alto Adige Pinot Nero as the other usual partner. Its ripe fruit, fresh acidity and medium, fine tannin set off the strong, spicy paste without burying the slight nuttiness Mila finds in the cheese.

Stilfser with Alto Adige Schiava (Vernatsch)

Local traditionAlto Adige

Qualigeo lists Alto Adige Schiava among the usual partners of Stilfser. These run from light to medium body, with almond, red fruit or violet and low to medium tannin, so the cheese's spicy aroma and intense flavour stay in front.