Cheese and wine pairing!

 I got together with a couple friends on a Friday and got 3 cheeses and 3 wines from Kroger along with a box of crackers. It was such a fun way to wind down after a stressful week!! We also had chocolate fondue afterwards!

The Cheese:

North Sea Cheese:

A semi-hard cheese from Denmark known for being aged close to the sea-- the salty air does wonders!! Very comparable to gouda because of the nutty and sweet flavors. Also was a bit reminded of parmesan.

Whiskey Maple Gouda:

Exactly as the name suggests, this is a gouda with notes of whiskey and maple. It was too fun to pass up!! Sweeter and a bit softer than the North Sea Cheese, with a creamier taste. 

Double Cream Brie:

I am a lover of brie, but this was not even close to the best one I've had. Was a bit harder than triple cream brie and did not have a lot of flavor compared to others I've had.

The Wine:

Chateau Morrisette Chardonnay:

A 2021 Virginia grown Chardonnay found in the "local" section in Kroger. Was chosen simply because it had a dog on the front, and I haven't had a Chardonnay in a while!

"About Last Night" Storyteller Sauvignon Blanc:

A 2022 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc. I have seen this brand over and over again and finally decided to give it a try! I wanted another white with a different flavor, so I went with their Sauvignon Blanc since I enjoyed the one I had for one of my wine tastings. 

Yellowtail Cabernet Sauvignon:

A donation from my boyfriend's roommate in exchange for cheese. My new goal now that I'm enjoying a variety of white wines is to start exposing myself to more reds even though I don't like any yet. Doesn't have a vineyard year, but yellowtail is just yellowtail. 

The Tasting!!

I went cheese by cheese during the tasting, having some with each wine, so I'll do the same here!!

Starting with the North Sea Cheese, this was definitely my favorite cheese by itself. I started with the Sauvignon Blanc, and it was okay but a bit overpowering and tart. The next I grabbed was the chardonnay, and it tasted amazing! Definitely the top pairing of the night, I kept going back for more. The red wine with the North Sea Cheese left a lot to be desired, probably because it came right after chardonnay. That mixed with the fact that this red wine is not something I'd buy again, I only had one bite. 

The next was the double cream brie, which everyone had very strong opinions about. Both white wines, especially the Sauvignon Blanc, were absolutely horrible with the brie. It resulted in this rotten milk flavor that made all of us disturbed. The chardonnay had a slightly less punchy version of this flavor but it was still nothing I'd ever attempt to combine again. The best pairing for this wine was the red, which says a lot considering I do not like this red. 

Last, but not least, was the whiskey maple gouda. I liked this cheese, but my boyfriend was not a fan and deemed it "not a wine cheese". I was under the impression that all cheeses were wine cheeses, but to each their own. The Sauvignon Blanc was unimpressive but inoffensive with this cheese. It is nothing to rave about but is perfectly acceptable. The chardonnay was a bit better as I think the sweeter flavor brought out the sweetness of the maple in the cheese. In my opinion the red completely took away the reason you would every buy this cheese- the whiskey and maple flavor. It just tasted like a mild gouda when paired with the red. 

Conclusions:

I really love North Sea Cheese, and maybe having a dog on the label IS a good reason to buy wines because the Chardonnay was delightful! I have not broken through to my red wine-loving self quite yet, but I will keep you updated on that. 

Best pairing: North Sea Cheese and Chardonnay

Worst Pairing: Double Cream Brie and Sauvignon Blanc

Best wine: Chardonnay 

Worst Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Cheese: North Sea Cheese

Worst Cheese: Double Cream Brie