The Pairing of Chèvre and Sauvignon Blanc goes to 11
This is the first in an on going series of great food and beverage pairings.
Chèvre and Sauvignon Blanc, especially Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or Pouilly Fume is a match made of logic and geography. Sancerre showcases vibrant citrus-like flavor with great, fresh grassy accents that mirror the flavors of a great Chèvre. The bright and generously acidic Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the richness of a tasty bite of Chèvre as few wines can.
Other really good matches include Chablis (real Chablis from the region of the same name in France), dry Chenin Blanc, and Champagne or good méthode champenoise (sparkling wine made in the Champagne method).
Why does the Pairing Work so Perfectly?
The pairing of Chèvre and Sauvignon Blanc is ideal as it meets several classic matching criteria:
- Match acidity to fat and richness
- Match a like flavor – grass
- The geographic rule – world-class Sauvignon Blanc and Chèvre hail from France’s Loire Valley
Pairing to Avoid – a horrible choice would be pretty much any red wine. Red wine by and large is not the choice for cheese but with Chèvre it’s a disaster causing both the wine and cheese to taste heavily metallic.
Chèvre Before Dinner?
Cheese before dinner is an American thing for sure and a custom I don’t practice nor do I understand it. Most cheese by it’s very nature is creamy and rich satisfying and thus squashing the appetite. This is of course a horrible thing to do to your guests and yourself since you toiled away for hours creating the perfect meal. However, the exception is Chèvre and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Champagne. Of course this is a great pairing in the traditional post-dinner cheese course but it works well as a pre-dinner offering as it stimulates the appetite.
Pairing Other Beverages with Chèvre
It’s no secret that often the best wine for cheese is beer. Beer styles that works particularly well with Chèvre are:
- Saison (lighter, more citrus forward styles)
- Wit
- Hefeweizen
- Geuze