u/VelarisBaby

No, I did not know that you could pair sake with cheese. Did you?? I’ve recently become a bit of a sake snob and given the amount of care and attention that goes into each stage of brewing sake, it was an absolute must to find a worthy cheese pairing! This one had me perplexed initially, but I continued to go back to it, completely unable to stop trying it. Other cheese pairings to explore with sake include Chèvre, Brie, and Gouda.

Why Does It Work? This pairing is an unconventional but stellar match, which balances the intense saltiness of the cheese with the sake’s subtle sweetness and aromatic profile. The Mimolette brings a sharp, salty, nutty flavor that is cleansed by the sake’s delicate acidity. On the very first sip my palate wanted to say NO, but then I quickly found that the saltiness of the cheese was pleasantly dissolved on my tongue by the crisp sweetness of the sake.

Featured Here:

- Isigny Ste-Mere Aged Mimolette ($4.48 from Whole Foods): Aged for up to 18 months, this French delicacy develops a complex, nutty taste with a hint of caramel and hazelnuts.

- Shimizu-No-Mai Pure Dawn Junmai Ginjo Sake ($27 at Publix): Premium Junmai Ginjo sake from Akita, Japan. Features a delicate profile of apple, pear, and notes of orange peel. Crafted with highly polished artisanal rice and pure mountain water.

It was a dark and stormy night….just kidding. But this pairing does give British murder mystery vibes. This one is fun and quite interesting - definitely recommend.

Why Does It Work? The intense, salty, and pungent flavors of the Stilton are very well balanced by the sweet, dark fruit notes in the port. The wine is able to cut through the creamy, savory mouthfeel of the cheese and is really enjoyable!

Featured Here:

- Murray’s Stilton ($7.83 from Harris Teeter): Described by Murray’s as fudgy, crumbly, buttery, and rich, with a mineral, wet-stone aroma. This Stilton is made from English cow’s milk.

- The Vice “Nightcap” Port of Petite Sirah 2022 ($25): Inky dark, concentrated with notes of plum, raisins, dark cherries, violet, and espresso.

I post on Thursdays because by now I have completely lost motivation for the week so I turn my attention to drinking and cheese. I’ve been hearing in the wine industry that Moscato is great with spicy food, so I took myself right on over to my local grocery store and picked up a quality Moscato + two spicy cheeses that looked interesting.

Result: Moscato & Wood River’s Triple Pepper Cheddar Gruyère was delightful! But Moscato & Milton Creamery 4 Alarm Cheddar did not work at all.

Why did the spicy Cheddar Gruyère work? This cheese from Wood River Creamery was creamy, slightly sweet, and had layers of spice that built gently. Combined with the slightly effervescent and balanced flavors of this moscato, my mouth felt soothed, refreshed, and intrigued. This is a pairing that would definitely make both the cheese and the bottle disappear quicker than you’d probably intend.

Why did the spicy Cheddar not work? Listen I know it says “4 Alarm” in the name, but this cheese completely burnt my mouth out. Milton Creamery describes this cheese as a “scorcher” made with ghost, chili, chipotle, and jalapeño peppers. They say it has a “lovely creaminess” that controls the fire but I am telling you right now there’s not a wine out there that would’ve soothed my mouth after this - certainly not my friendly, porch pounder of a Moscato.

Featured Here:

- Wood River Creamery Triple Pepper Cheddar ($6.99 from Harris Teeter and online)

- Milton Creamery’s 4 Alarm Cheddar ($10.99 from Harris Teeter)

- Seven Daughters Moscato ($12.99 Harris Teeter): 100% Moscato from the Veneto region sourced from family farms. Gaining popularity due to celebrity partnership with Taraji P. Henson.