Wine Pairings with Hard cheeses

Hard cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino, are marked by a compact structure and a decisive flavour. Pairing them with the right wine should bring out their intensity without covering their aromatic complexity. Let's discover the best wines to pair with hard cheeses.

Characteristics of Hard Cheeses and General Pairings

The choice of wine depends on several factors:

• Degree of ageing: very well-aged cheeses go better with more structured, complex wines.
• Structure and salinity: very flavoursome cheeses call for wines with good acidity and body.
• Method of consumption: if served with honey or preserves, they can also be paired with passito wines.

Best Food and Wine Pairings for Hard Cheeses

Recommended Structured Red Wines

• Barolo DOCG – Perfect with Parmigiano Reggiano and mature Pecorino, thanks to its structure and complexity.
• Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – Excellent with Grana Padano and Castelmagno, for its depth and balanced tannins.
• Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG – Ideal with very mature, full-flavoured cheeses.

Recommended Structured White Wines

• Verdicchio Riserva DOCG – Perfect with Pecorino and other aged cheeses, thanks to its acidity and minerality.
• Burgundy Chardonnay – Excellent with hard cheeses served with honey and nuts.

Recommended Sweet and Passito Wines

• Vin Santo del Chianti DOC – Ideal for Parmigiano with honey or walnuts.
• Marsala Vergine DOC – Perfect with aged and matured cheeses.
• Sauternes – Excellent with very savoury, intense cheeses.

Mistakes to Avoid in Pairing

Avoid light, unstructured wines, which would not stand up to the aromatic intensity of aged cheeses. Watch out for overly acidic wines if the cheese is particularly savoury, since they could throw the flavours out of balance. Avoid wines that are too aromatic (e.g. Gewürztraminer) which would mask the complexity of aged cheeses.

Specific Pairings for Some Famous Cheeses

Parmigiano Reggiano aged 36 months → Barolo, Vin Santo Aged Pecorino Sardo → Brunello di Montalcino, Marsala Vergine Grana Padano Riserva → Amarone della Valpolicella, Chardonnay Borgogna Castelmagno DOP → Sauternes, Verdicchio Riserva