The Best Cheeses to Pair with Beaujolais Nouveau
Every November, France raises a glass to one of its most playful wine traditions: Beaujolais Nouveau Day. Made from the gamay grape in the rolling hills north of Lyon, this vino defies any expectation or stereotype of French wine. Instead of spending years aging, Beaujolais nouveau is bottled and sold just weeks after harvest thanks to a winemaking technique called carbonic maceration. This method speeds up fermentation, producing fresh, fruity flavors with soft tannins. Bursting with notes of cherry, strawberry, and even hints of banana (to me, specifically banana Laffy Taffy candy), it is meant to be enjoyed immediately. But not too soon.
By French law, Beaujolais nouveau cannot be released until 12:01 a.m. on the third Thursday of November. But that moment transforms what might otherwise be a humble village wine into a nationwide fete. And it just so happens, I found myself in Paris on this day last year.
How to Pair Whiskey and Cheese: 4 Expert Pairings
If whiskey and cheese locked eyes at a bar, it’s hard to say if they would hit it off right away. Whiskey is a powerhouse regardless of the distillate, blend, age, or origin. Its high ABV level (which hovers around 40 percent as opposed to wine’s approximately 14 percent) can wash away the taste of […]
Your Guide to Beer and Cheese for Summer
Swiggable seasonal beers are rays of sunshine alongside cheese. Along with the crash of waves and hum of cicadas, I’d argue that the clink and fizz of opening a beer is a bona fide sound of summer. There’s truly nothing like the sweet sound of success after plucking a can from the chilliest corner of […]
The Best Warming Pairing: Tea and Cheese
If someone served you a pot of tea alongside a block of cheddar, you might raise your eyebrows. But before you write off the duo as peculiar, consider: Tea, like wine, can balance a bite of cheese through its tannins, temperature, and even terroir. (And both beverages keep our cheeks rosy while an early-spring nip […]
The Best Sake And Cheese Pairings
Pairing sake with cheese requires a delicate approach and all five senses, but the work is worth it. If you think you’ve spotted more sake than usual these last few years, you’re right. According to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association’s 2023 report, Japan exported just over 6.5 million liters of sake to the […]
Mulled Cider and Cheese? Yes, Please!
Just as the mulling process brings out the magic in beverages (even in your friend’s Two-Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s), pairing cheese with these well-spiced, warm sips helps a wedge “reveal its secrets,” according to Casie Wiginton of Antonelli’s Cheese in Austin, Texas.
How to Drink and Pair Sidra Like a Spaniard
Why Asturians Throw Their Cider—And the Best Cheeses to Throw Alongside It
The New American Gin Craze
We are living in the eye of the gin renaissance, a movement fueled by Campari corporate, by midcentury-modern nostalgia, and by a blooming of American craft microdistilling.
The New Class of Honey Wine Isn’t Just for Vikings Anymore
The new meads are crushable, balanced, and food-friendly—begging to be paired with cheese.
