It’s not always easy to find the right pairing for a cheese. Wines and cheese pairings could be super difficult. Many times the tannins in the wine overwhelm the cheese. Today, I met with Erin at Pasanella, a beautiful wine shop in the South Street Seaport. We were discussing a wine and cheese event we are going to have on the Campania region of Italy. I discovered a great pairing: Caprea and Falanghina.
It’s worth looking more closely at this specific pairing in order to find out how to properly pair cheeses and wine. Firstly, the citrus flavors emanating from the cheese were not overpowered. It’s crucial to find a harmony in flavors. The Falanghina I tried was floral and slightly acidic; the acidity balanced well with the acidity in the cheese. Secondly, the creamy texture of the cheese seemed to coat the white wine as it went down the back of my throat. The “retronasal tastes” is the term used to refer to the sensations felt at the back of your throat. These sensations were exceptional! The fruity aromas lingered at the end. The texture and flavor of both were highlighted by one another.
Another element to consider is what region they are from. Often (NOT ALWAYS!), pairing a wine with a cheese from the same region can maximize both flavors. Falanghina grapes come from Campania. They seemed to have brought out the citrus flavors of the region.
How come matching regions works so well?
Citrus Acidity in Wine + Citrus Acidity in Cheese
TERROIR
Terroir is just as important for cheeses as it is for wines. And, it is especially important for goat’s milk cheeses. The flavor of the grasses and flowers that the goat, cow, and sheep are eating in the region determine the flavor of the milk. This inevitably ends up creating a distinct taste in the cheese. Goat’s milk cheeses have less butterfat. The butterfat equalizes a lot of the flavors. With less butterfat, goat’s milk cheeses tend to have a much more pronounced flavor of whatever the goat was eating. The Caprea tastes of lemons and has floral notes; it’s not surprising if you think of the numerous lemon trees that grow all along the hill tops of Campania where the goats are grazing.
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