Medici Ermete Solo is a good reminder that Lambrusco is under-rated! Exploring Terroir through Cheese Tannins are there, certainly, because it’s a red wine, but they don’t grip your palate, and as such make this great for cheese pairing. And at 11.5% ABV, it doesn’t get to your head. It has bright notes of juicy red raspberry, red currant, and ripe wineberries (I promise, they’re real…and no, I don’t mean grapes). Medici Ermete Solo Reggiano Rosso DOC – This is a dry, fruity red Lambrusco from one of the best Lambrusco producers.

Villa Matilde Falanghina is a good reminder that Italy’s white wines are under-discovered. The acidity is well-balanced with its medium body, and the complex notes help it pair with a wide range of cheeses for fun results. The Falanghina from Villa Matilde (Campania, Italy) is honeyed and herbal, with fruity tropical notes of pineapple and white peach. I didn’t realize how much I love Falanghina, but I’ll be on the lookout for it more. Villa Matilde Falanghina Campania IGP – This wine is a stunner. Medici Ermete Solo Lambrusco and Villa Matilde Falanghina are two sure bets when pairing wine with cheese. This means your tastebuds will not be as quick to tire out and you can enjoy more of that great, creamy cheese you’re noshing on. And sparkling wines-white, red, and rosé-have high acidity and a good, cleansing feel mouthfeel due to their effervescence. White wines will never overpower a cheese, whereas the tannins or red fruit flavors in red wine could clash with delicate cheeses. Here’s a rule of thumb: when in doubt, choose a white wine or a sparkling wine to pair with cheese. Robiola Rocchetta, Hoja Santa, Roaring Forties Blue, and Ossau-Iraty cheeses Two Wines That Are Supremely Easy to Pair with Cheese It has been shown that happy animals produce better-tasting milk and, therefore, cheese. Stress factors in the environment affect both wine and cheese, but in opposite directions: whereas vines stressed from low soil nutrients and scarce water produce better grapes, of course this isn’t true for the animals. Alpine grasses, wildflowers, herbal mixes from arid landscapes: these flavors affect the animals’ milk, and ultimately, the cheese. Cheese terroir encompasses the cellars where it is stored and aged, the humidity in the air, and most significantly, the grasses and food the animals eat. Wine terroir encompasses the microclimate, the elevation, and the soil where the grapes are grown. At its broadest definition, it’s tied to a sense of place that is apparent when you taste the wine (or cheese).

Terroir is an inherently tricky thing to define. Saying “ wine and cheese” is like saying “peanut butter and jelly” or “pancakes and syrup,” and not just because the whole is-if not greater than- just as delicious as the sum of its parts! These two ancient products also share many traits in common: they are both fruits of fermentation, can have layers of complexity that develop with age, and are influenced by terroir.

Villa matilde falanghina 2012