Five cheeses to pair with Rieslings

So you’ve picked up a few bottles of Rieslings from the festival this weekend — now what kind of cheese do you serve with them? Rieslings are an easy-to-pair wine, as they run the gamut from dry to sweet, making it simple to complement or oppose.  

According to Cheryl Pitti, wine coordinator for the Canandaigua Wegmans, the general rule is to pair a like cheese with a like Riesling; for example, a high-acidity Riesling goes with a high-acidity cheese.  
   
“You want a cheese that will stand up to a Riesling, but not overpower it,” said Pitti.  

With the help of Pitti and assistant cheese shop manager Jordan Huegel, we’ve selected five different cheeses that can be paired with Rieslings for a classy summer snack.

1. Parmigiano Reggiano
This hard Italian cow’s milk cheese goes great with a sweet Riesling — with the salty and sweet tastes playing off each other. The cheese is salty and full of texture, with a buttery, slightly nutty flavor. Huegal emphasized that chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano should be cracked, not cut with a knife, to preserve the flavor. $15.99/pound.

2. Lively Run Fresh Chevre
Locally produced in Interlaken, this fresh goat cheese is light and creamy with a very mild flavor. Its low acidity makes it easy to pair with any Riesling, but Pitti suggests eating it with a dry Riesling. It’s a smooth cheese that’s easy to snack on, and doesn’t contain preservatives. Lively Run chevre comes in different herb flavors as well. $8.49/8 oz.; $4.49/4 oz.   

3. Cypress Grove Chevre, Humboldt Fog
Another fresh goat cheese chevre, Humboldt Fog has a much bolder flavor than Lively Run chevre. The cheese is creamy and luscious, with an edible vegetable ash running around the rind and the center of the cheese. Soft and spreadable, this cheese is sure to add a punch to your palate. $19.99/pound.

4. St. Pete’s Select blue cheese
A mild cheese, St. Pete’s is a non-offensive blue — meaning it doesn’t overwhelm the eater. It is made with raw cow’s milk, which means it has a lot more flavor, says Huegal. Try serving it crumbled on a baguette with figs, pairing it with a semi-dry Riesling, for easy-to-make hour d’oeuvres. $13.99/pound.   

5. Saga Classic Blue Brie
Brie is a staple cheese to serve with any wine, and Riesling is no exception. For a twist, try Saga Blue Brie, which is a triple creme brie and blue blend. The creamy brie has a subtle undertone of earthy flavors, giving the buttery cheese a unique taste. It’s a very soft cheese, so it spreads nicely. $11.99/pound.

Huegal suggests allowing the cheeses to come to room temperature before serving. “That lets the complexities of flavors really come out in the cheese,” he said.

It’s also a good idea to serve the cheese on a crusty bread — baguettes are a good choice — rather than a hard cracker.

Remember, there is no perfect pairing. As with choosing a wine, pick a cheese that you like. “It’s not easy to offend a Riesling,” said Pitti. So, if you don’t like goat cheese, eating it with a Riesling won’t make it any better.

All the cheese are available for purchase at the Canandaigua Wegmans. There’s no need to buy blindly: any cheese shop employee can give you a sample of cheese before you purchase it.