Wine and cheese both date back to ancient times — although cheese is the newer kid on the block by about 4,000 years. Wine and cheese both reflect their place of origin and continue to mature as they age. With so much in common, their match-up is a natural.

An old wine merchant's saying goes, “Buy on an apple and sell on cheese.” It means that wine sipped with a sweet, acidic fruit will taste thin and metallic. The same wine drunk with cheese will seem fuller and softer. While not all wines pair well with all cheeses, certain pairings are classics:

• Goat cheese and Sancerre

• Brie and unoaked Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

• Mozzarella and Chianti

• Parmigiano-Reggiano and Barolo

• Gouda and Riesling

• Chèvre and Gewürztraminer

• Sharp Cheddar and Cabernet Sauvignon

• Stilton and Port

• Roquefort and Sauternes

Wine and Cheese Pairing Guidelines

With the almost infinite number of wines and cheeses available, experimentation is a fun way to learn. These guidelines help narrow your options:

• The softer the cheese, the more it coats your mouth, requiring higher acidity in the wine.

• The sweeter the cheese, the sweeter the wine should be. Some mild cheeses, especially, have a sweetness that requires an off-dry wine. Dry wines may be perceived as acidic.

• Strong, pungent cheeses need strong wines. Extreme flavors in cheese can be matched by big red wines, sweet wines, and fortified wines.

• The harder the cheese, the higher level of tannins a wine can have.