22 pairings
Sauvignon Blanc
Crottin de Chavignol with Sancerre Les Monts Damnés: The wine and the cheese come from the same Chavignol hillside; salinity and lactic cream lock together.
The short answer
Across 89 goat cheese pairings on 87 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Sauvignon Blanc (22), Chenin Blanc (21), Cabernet Franc (10) and Gamay (8). For example, Sancerre Les Monts Damnés from Loire Valley with crottin de chavignol: The wine and the cheese come from the same Chavignol hillside; salinity and lactic cream lock together.
By style: white 53, red 22, fortified 7, sparkling 6, rosé 1 of the 89 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: Sancerre, Vouvray, Chinon, DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Menetou-Salon, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
The best grapes for goat cheese
21 pairings
Chenin Blanc
Aged Sainte-Maure de Touraine with Les Onglés: Ashed Loire goat cheese with chalky Chenin; the wine's saline edge echoes the rind.
10 pairings
Cabernet Franc
Sainte-Maure de Touraine on toast with Le Clos: Ash-rolled goat cheese and Cabernet Franc are a regional staple.
8 pairings
Gamay
Crottin de Chavignol with Fleurie: Mineral, acid-driven Fleurie suits Loire-style goat cheese well.
5 pairings
Chardonnay
Crottin de Chavignol with Brut Reserve: Loire goat cheese and Chenin-led Cremant are a textbook regional pairing.
5 pairings
Grenache
Aged Comtom or Tome de Chevre with Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge: Firm tannins and high ABV cut through fatty aged cheese.
5 pairings
Roussanne
Fresh chèvre with herbs with Kalliope: White flowers and fennel balance fresh goat cheese.
5 pairings
Pedro Ximenez
Blue cheese (Cabrales) with Antique Pedro Ximénez: Extreme sweetness and viscosity cut through the strong salt and fat of Asturian blue cheese.
Bottles to pour with goat cheese
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
Aged Comtom or Tome de Chevre
Firm tannins and high ABV cut through fatty aged cheese.
Aged Sainte-Maure de Touraine
Ashed Loire goat cheese with chalky Chenin; the wine's saline edge echoes the rind.
Chèvre de Touraine (Sainte-Maure)
Ashed Loire goat cheese with Vouvray's chalk and citrus signature is the textbook regional pairing.
Blue cheese (Cabrales)
Extreme sweetness and viscosity cut through the strong salt and fat of Asturian blue cheese.
Chevre frais with lemon and herbs
Classic Sauvignon Blanc and goat's cheese pairing; the wine's citrus acidity amplifies the fresh cheese tang.
Crottin de Chavignol
Mineral, acid-driven Fleurie suits Loire-style goat cheese well.
Blue cheese (Cabrales or Gorgonzola)
The wine's oxidative richness and tangy dry finish cuts through the fat of blue-veined cheese.
Fresh chevre with herbs
The silky texture and clean fruit sit well against a mild, herbed goat cheese.
Fresh chevre salad
Acidity cuts chevre tartness.
Fresh chèvre with figs
Beeswax and ripe pear balance fresh goat cheese and fig.
Fresh chèvre with herbs
White flowers and fennel balance fresh goat cheese.
Aged Cabrales blue cheese
The wine's mineral and iron notes resonate with the intense saline character of Asturian blue.
Taste the pairing: food and wine in Loire Valley
Food and wine tastings you can book in Loire Valley, one of the regions whose bottles our editors pour with goat cheese.
Picnic in the Vines - A Unique Loire Wine Experience
Step into a moment that feels uniquely special. 10 minutes from Chinon, discover Château du Petit Thouars, a family-run estate where history, wine, and beauty meet. ...
Amboise: Caves Ambacia Visit and Wine Tasting
Tease your 5 senses at Les Caves Ambacia, winemaker since 1463. Discover 15th-century troglodyte caves dug in limestone, tour the collection, and taste 6 wines paired ...
Morning - Loire Valley Wine Tour & Food Pairing, Vouvray
An excellent introduction tour to discover the diversity of Loire Valley wines with a passionate professional wine guide As a small group (maximum 8) enjoy a true and...
Wine tastings and winery visits in Loire Valley (22) · Wine tours and day trips in Loire Valley (35) · Wine tours by bike in Loire Valley (5) · All wine and food experiences
pairings by region
- Loire Valley: 52 pairings, Loire Valley food and wine pairing
- Beaujolais: 11 pairings, Beaujolais food and wine pairing
- Languedoc: 8 pairings, Languedoc food and wine pairing
- Jerez & Sherry: 6 pairings, Jerez & Sherry food and wine pairing
- Bordeaux: 4 pairings, Bordeaux food and wine pairing
- Baden: 2 pairings, Baden food and wine pairing
- Priorat: 2 pairings, Priorat food and wine pairing
- Provence: 1 pairing, Provence food and wine pairing
- Rheinhessen: 1 pairing, Rheinhessen food and wine pairing
- Rhone Valley: 1 pairing, Rhone Valley food and wine pairing
- Ribera del Duero: 1 pairing, Ribera del Duero food and wine pairing
Wine with goat cheese, FAQ
What wine goes with goat cheese?
Across 89 goat cheese pairings on 87 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Sauvignon Blanc (22), Chenin Blanc (21), Cabernet Franc (10) and Gamay (8). For example, Sancerre Les Monts Damnés from Loire Valley with crottin de chavignol: The wine and the cheese come from the same Chavignol hillside; salinity and lactic cream lock together.
Red or white wine with goat cheese?
Most often white: of the 89 goat cheese pairings, the split by style is white 60%, red 25%, fortified 8% and sparkling 7%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with goat cheese?
The regions with the most goat cheese pairings on our bottle pages are Loire Valley, Beaujolais and Languedoc.