Top pairings

The best wine matches for Manchego, Berkswell and other hard sheep cheeses

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on August 4 2020 at 07:28

Hard sheep cheeses are the winelover’s friend.

Nutty, tangy and savoury, they show off a good red like no other cheese which makes them a great choice if you’ve picked a serious wine with your main course.

You can also pair them with sweet wines, and with sherry and other fortified wines. Here are the pairings I think work best:

Mature Spanish reds especially Rioja and Valdepeñas (the latter comes from the same region as Manchego, La Mancha). Other oak-aged tempranillos too.

Mature Bordeaux

Reds from the south-west of France - an area which specialises in sheep’s cheese - often served with a cherry compote. Madiran, for example. Sweet wines from the same region such as Jurançon and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh also work well

Mature Chianti - especially with aged pecorinos

Sherry, especially dry amontillado, palo cortado and dry oloroso. Aged tawny ports are also good - see this post on Zamorano and 30 y.o. tawny

Aged oaked white rioja - its nuttiness compliments sheep cheese perfectly as you can see here

Orange wines. Maybe not your cup of tea but their quince-like flavours are brilliant with sheep cheese (think membrillo)

Younger, fresher-tasting hard sheep cheeses are good with a crisp dry white such as albarino or vermentino

Image © nito - Fotolia.com

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Comments: 6 (Add)

Wild Bill on November 25 2020 at 05:41

Just to say, when I was in Spain in the '60's I discovered fresh bread, red wine and cheese. Paradise is good.
I have recently discovered that Manchego cheeses are sometimes to be had locally, in the US. My personal
preference leans to Cabernets but put them with a good, fresh bread and the Manchego and any red would
suffice.

Stephen Fletcher on March 31 2020 at 16:25

Hi Fiona
Have just read your Best Wine Matches for hard sheep cheeses. Firstly a huge thank you; I'm the maker of Berkswell! Secondly this is a really useful reference as we are often asked for recommended accompaniments to Berkswell. Many thanks once again, Stephen www.berkswellcheese.com Instagram and Twitter @berkswellcheese Facebook Berkswell Cheese

Lucas White on July 19 2018 at 08:00

Thank you for sharing this blog! I absolutely loved it, personally I am not a cheese enthusiast but after reading your blog I think I am gonna try some of it with my all time favourite sweet red wine.
https://wispwines.com.au/

Rick on September 17 2014 at 16:08

Thank you so much.

Fiona Beckett on September 17 2014 at 09:00

Hi Rick. Have just re-posted the one in the archives. Hope that's useful

Rick on September 17 2014 at 04:22

Fiona, Thanks for the informative review. I was wondering if you can do a goat cheese review and pairings with wine. It would be very helpful. Thanks again.
Rick
www.quickstopwine.com

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