Blue Cheese pairs best with sweet wines with a hint of nuttiness such as Sauternes, Tawny Port, Sherry, Tokaji, and Moscato d’Asti. Prosecco, Zinfandel, Amarone, and late harvest or dessert wines are also excellent with Blue Cheese, whether it is Roquefort, Stilton or Gorgonzola. Sweet wines pair up best as they contrast the salty flavours of Blue Cheese while complementing the cheese’s nutty flavours.
The stronger the cheese, the more flavourful or more intense the wine should be. Thus, a mild blue cheese like Cornish Blue would be excellent with the fruity, earthy but light Pinot Noir. Meanwhile, the heavy punch of a Barolo is fully capable of exchanging blows with a pungent and strong Gorgonzola cheese.
For all of these pairings, we are assuming you are eating the cheese after dinner where dessert wines and strongly flavoured wines are appropriate. If you are eating Blue Cheese as an appetizer, or part of a meal, you don’t want to go with sweet dessert style whites, or heavy reds. Beer may be more appropriate, or a crisp but slightly bubbly Prosecco. Regardless, we give you lots of options in the blue cheese and wine pairing charts below.
Best wine with Blue Cheese
What is the difference between Stilton, Roquefort, and Gorgonzola blue cheese?
Roquefort is a French Blue Cheese made from sheep milk and tends to be sharp in flavour. Stilton is British Blue Cheese and is made from cow’s milk and is crumbly. Finally, Gorgonzola is an Italian Blue Cheese and is made from cow’s milk. Gorgonzola might be labelled dolce, which means mild or piccante, which is stronger and sharper in flavour. You aren’t limited to these three styles of Blue Cheese, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of producers across the world.
Best Wine with Stilton Cheese
Tawny Port and Stilton Cheese
A Tawny Port 10 years or older, or a Vintage Port are dreamy with Stilton Blue Cheese. The nutty flavours of the port complement the pungent and nutty quality of the Stilton Cheese. Meanwhile the fruity sweetness and sticky texture of port contrasts the sharp and salty flavours of the cheese.
Vintage Port doesn’t get produced every year and is often aged for decades before being enjoyed. So if you have a special bottle that you’re willing to open, make sure you have Stilton or another strong blue cheese on hand. Tawny is much more affordable, as is a Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port, making these styles of Port more ideal with casual and impromptu after-dinner affairs.
Tokaji Aszú & Roquefort Cheese
Tokaji Aszú is a white dessert wine from Hungary that features sweet flavours of apricot, orange peel, raisins, vanilla, toffee and nuts. The sweet flavours of Tokaji are excellent with Blue Cheese as they hold up to the strong flavours as well as contrast the salty and pungent notes of the Roquefort cheese. Tokaji and Roquefort Cheese is best enjoyed after dinner where this wine will invigorate your senses and lift your spirits.
Best Wine with Roquefort Cheese
Sauternes & Roquefort Cheese
Sauternes is the go-to wine with Roquefort Cheese as both the cheese and wine hail from France. Produced in Bordeaux, Sauternes is world famous and features complex layers of honeycomb, apricot, caramel, spice and tropical fruit. Sauternes is a decadent wine and its complex flavours are further enhanced by the saltiness of the Roquefort cheese. Meanwhile the lush flavours of the wine tame the pungent flavours of the cheese, balancing out the sweet and salty duel where only your taste buds are the winner.
Best Wine with Gorgonzola Cheese
Off-Dry Prosecco & Mild Gorgonzola Cheese
An Off-Dry Prosecco, (labelled extra-dry) has a kiss of sweetness that softens the salty punch of the pungent Gorgonzola cheese, which balances out this pairing. Prosecco, while citrusy and clean in flavour, also has a nutty almond vibe that meshes well with the nutty Gorgonzola cheese.
Piccante Gorgonzola & Vin Santo
Vin Santo is an Italian dessert wine that has rich flavours of raisin, honey, nutmeg and caramel. The sweeter flavours of Vin Santo calm down the bold and pungent flavours of Gorgonzola cheese, as well as providing refreshment against the saltiness. This contrast of sweet and salty makes for an excellent after-dinner treat. If you are enjoying a platter of Gorgonzola with a variety of other cheese, almonds, dried fruits and figs, enjoy this heavenly combination of Vin Santo and food, as good times like this don’t roll around too often!