Few pairings are more evocative of cold nights by the fire, with festive tunes playing in the background, than Port and cheese. Indeed, most Port sales happen in the lead up to Christmas – a real shame as Port surely deserves a place at the table all year round, not least as the refreshing, and utterly delicious, Port & Tonic combination.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Port wine is its complex diversity; the multiple styles, the intricate terroirs along the meandering banks of the Douro and the identity of each Port house are translated into an incredible array of wines.
This in turn means that there isn’t a glass of Port suitable for all cheeses – if you want to enjoy the full gamut of flavours and textures in both or either you’ll need to embark on a pairing journey.
As we’ve highlighted in other pieces on cheese & wine pairing, one of the main enemies of milk-based foods are tannins… (That the go-to pairing for cheese platters is often a powerful red is one of the wine world’s most palate-damaging myths.) A Vintage Port, with its luscious fruit and assertive tannins, will easily overpower the delicate aromatics of a brie or the creaminess of a Camembert.
So what goes? Does one need to forego that special bottle of Port saved for Christmas dinner? Absolutely not. It’s all about embracing complexity and enjoying the fun of exploring both Ports and cheeses. Use it as an excuse to open more bottles!
Consider the goose
First of all, it’s worth noting that some Port styles might be best suited for other parts of your festive meal. I recently had a starter of foie gras with pickled walnuts paired with an old Vintage Port that was the stuff of dreams. It cuts right through the fatty richness of the dish while joining in an harmonious dialogue of earthy flavours.
Another potential successful pairing is with goose and turkey, especially if served with a rich gravy or cranberry sauce. Try it with a slightly aged Tawny (10 or 20 Years Old), whose acidity and subtle nuttiness will enhance the dishes flavours. Further aged Tawnys and aged Whites, on the other hand, are perfect alongside chocolate or caramel-based desserts.
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Meeting of the mighty
Vintage Ports, often of particularly meaningful years, are often the Port of choice for festive moments. As mentioned above, you’ll need to tread carefully due to the aromatic and tannic power of these wines – they’ll need a powerful cheese to match. Softer, more nuanced cheeses will be overshadowed, while creamy cheeses will see its fat bind unpleasantly with the tannins.
Aged, hard and spicy cheeses, on the other hand, will offer the perfect matching power in both flavour and texture. ‘[Vintage] is a favourite style, and one that people often resolve for special occasions,’ says Filipe Wang, sommelier of the JNcQUOI group (multiple locations in Portugal). ‘What we’re considering here is matching strengths.’
Aged pecorino, aged Cheddar, Lincolnshire Poacher, aged Comté, Parmigiano-Reggiano are perfect contenders. As are intense – non-creamy – blue cheeses, such as the inevitable much-loved Stilton or matured Roquefort, will also have a great match in the deep juicy fruit and balsamic nuances of Vintage Port. The fact that all these cheeses are salty is key: ‘I would favour young Vintages which have really strong tannins – strong, salty cheeses will balance them perfectly,’ continues Wang. ‘The saltiness is important; it’s the perfect counterpoint to the tannins.’
Add some dried cranberries, prunes and walnuts to the mix to take the pairing to the next level.
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Perfect in white
An exquisite style that is often overlooked, especially when it comes to food pairings, is White Port. Not only the remit of aperitifs, these can be truly alluring wines, with a luscious combination of nuttiness, intense orchard fruit (both fresh and dried) and a long finish with lingering honey and spice. They are perfect companions for softer, creamier cheeses. ‘A young Extra Dry with goat’s cheeses – which tend to have more acidity and a fresher, sometimes citric, finish – will be a really good combination,’ explains Wang. ‘The wine’s acidity and fruity profile will match the delicate profile of the cheese.’ Brie, Camembert, Wigmore or young Crotin will also have a good match in a young White Port. More intense counterparts – such as St Jude, Reblochon or St Marcellin – will be best alongside a White Colheita.
The ideal Tawny
One of Port’s finest styles, Tawny, covers a quite wide array of profiles depending on how long the wines have aged in barrel. ‘I personally like to match cheeses, especially those with a nutty, slightly sweet finish – 18-month Griyere for example – with 10 and 20 Year Old Tawnys,’ says Wang. ‘30 [Year Olds] and above are too concentrated. I wouldn’t recommend having them with cheese at all – I think they’re best enjoyed with a dessert or, better even, a cigar.’
Some fresh grapes, membrillo (quince paste) and roasted winter nuts are perfect add-ons to a Tawny & Cheese combination.
All rounders
What if opening more than one bottle really isn’t something you want to do? The absence of tannins and fine acidity of a White Port and the filigree nuttiness of a 20 Year Old Tawny makes them the best bets for ideal all-rounders, that will cope with the different palate tension of cheeses (fat, salt, acidity, umami).
The ultimate rule is, however, that you drink your favourite Port, surrounded by your favourite people.
