The local cheeses of Bordeaux with the local wines that suit them, and why they work.
The cheeses of Bordeaux with the wines made beside them. Pairings marked as a local tradition are the ones a regional source names; the rest are our own picks, and say so.
These Merlot-led Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac reds have medium body and tannin with cherry or blackcurrant fruit. The cheese has a firm, melting paste that INAO describes as salted without excess, with hazelnut often present.
Bottles to try:
These Pauillac reds are Cabernet Sauvignon-led, full-bodied, with firm to high tannin, high acidity and blackcurrant fruit. INAO describes the cheese as firm and melting, salted without excess. Its syndicate suggests structured reds, naming South-West ones such as Madiran.
Bottles to try:
These Sauternes are sweet, high in acidity and full-bodied, with apricot and honey notes. INAO calls the cheese salted without excess and often hazelnutty, so sweet fruit meets salt and nut.
Bottles to try:
These Saint-Julien reds are Cabernet Sauvignon-led, full-bodied, with firm to high tannin, high acidity and cassis. INAO describes the cheese as firm and melting, salted without excess. Its syndicate suggests structured reds, naming South-West ones such as Madiran.
Bottles to try:
These Semillon-led Graves whites are full-bodied, high in acidity and barrel-fermented in new oak. La Mission's palate lists toasted hazelnuts, which echo the hazelnut INAO finds in the cheese. Its syndicate suggests full-bodied whites, naming Jurançon.
Bottles to try:
These Saint-Estèphe reds are Cabernet Sauvignon-led, full-bodied, with firm tannin, high acidity and blackcurrant fruit. INAO describes the cheese as firm and melting, salted without excess. Its syndicate suggests structured reds, naming South-West ones such as Madiran.
Bottles to try:
These Margaux reds are Cabernet Sauvignon-led and full-bodied, with firm or high tannin, high acidity and blackcurrant or cassis fruit. INAO describes the cheese as firm and melting, salted without excess. Its syndicate suggests structured reds, naming South-West ones such as Madiran.
Bottles to try:
These Pomerol reds are Merlot-led, full-bodied and firm in tannin, with blackberry, black cherry or plum fruit. INAO describes the cheese as firm and melting, salted without excess, often with hazelnut. Its syndicate suggests structured reds, naming South-West ones such as Madiran.
Bottles to try:
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Le Guide du Fromage gives a minimum of 80 to 120 days, and the French Wikipedia article on the cheese says at least 80 days for wheels of 2 to 3 kg and 120 days for those of 4 to 7 kg.
INAO says each cheese is marked when it is made, either pressed into the rind or with a casein plate, with a ewe's head: in profile for dairy cheeses and face on for farm cheeses.
Structured reds and full whites of the South-West (Madiran, Béarn-Belloq, Jurançon, Irouléguy) or of the Languedoc, according to the cheese's defence syndicate. The Bordeaux pairings on this site are our own suggestions, not a local tradition.
No. INAO places production in the Basque Country and Béarn. In Bordeaux it is sold, not made: Bordeaux Tourisme names it as the specialty of the Beillevaire shops.
