From the versatile array of cheese and chocolate to the savory delights of salami, prosciutto, and the nuanced touch of fruit, crackers, and bread, charcuterie boards offer a canvas for your creativity at your next wine-tasting party.
While the classic cheese plate will always be a natural complement to wine, imagine the excitement of your guests when they see a beautifully arranged charcuterie board at your next party.
Derived from the French words chair ("flesh") and cuit ("cooked"), pronounced "shar-koo-tuh-ree," charcuterie describes a wide range of cured meats. Serve it on a platter as a starter course for formal occasions, adding a touch of sophistication, or as a light meal at casual gatherings.
Here are 5 tips to get you started, followed by the charcuterie board's grand highlight—the cheese pairings:
- Start with various cured meats such as coppa, Prosciutto, and Lardo and salami like Spanish Dry Chorizo, finochietta, and Casalingo.
- Include paté, terrines, or mousse, which are mixtures of ground meat with additions like vegetables, truffles, cognac, and nuts, then cooked either to form a mold (paté and terrine) or a smooth, silky spread (mousse).
- Add pickled vegetables such as gherkins (tiny pickles), red onions, okra, olives, carrots, cauliflower, or pickled mushrooms.
- Savory dips and sweet spreads like apricot or cherry preserves and savory ones like brown or stone ground mustard pair perfectly with cured meat or paté. A drizzle of honey is always a welcome flavor for any wine-tasting event.
- Finish with a selection of crackers and bread, such as a sliced baguette, croissants, table crackers, breadsticks, pretzels, and wafers.
Bonus Charcuterie Board Additions: Sprinkle in sweet and salty morsels, such as grapes, blueberries, raspberries, dried fruits, almonds, cashews, chocolate-covered nuts and fruits, dark chocolate squares, and creamy gourmet caramel.
Speaking of caramels... a few types of wine pair wonderfully with the buttery sweetness of caramels, creating a cozy, decadent flavor experience. Here are some top choices:
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Riesling (especially Late Harvest or Ice Wine): Riesling’s natural sweetness and notes of stone fruit, honey, and citrus complement the caramel’s richness, adding layers of fruity and floral complexity.
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Port: Tawny or Ruby Port wines with caramel, dried fruit, and nutty flavors blend seamlessly with the buttery notes of caramel, enhancing each other beautifully.
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Chardonnay (especially oaked varieties): The creamy, vanilla, and butterscotch notes in an oaked Chardonnay echo the richness of caramel, creating a smooth, indulgent pairing.
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Moscato: This sweet, lightly sparkling wine brings a refreshing contrast with its floral and fruity flavors, balancing out caramel’s density without overpowering it.
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Zinfandel: For those who enjoy a bit of spice, a rich, jammy Zinfandel with hints of blackberry and pepper pairs surprisingly well with caramel, especially if the caramel has a touch of sea salt.
Each of these wines can bring out unique notes in the caramels, making for an enjoyable pairing experience!
While meats, spreads, and pickled vegetables create a mouthwatering base, the cheeses you select will be the star of your charcuterie show. The combination of wines and certain cheeses can create magic in the mouth. For a can't-miss cheese plate, consider these pairings:
- Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Gouda: Tannic and full-bodied, Cab boldly stands up to the nutty flavors of aged gouda.
- Chardonnay and Gruyere: Whole or melted, this cheese is an ideal mate to Chardonnay's fruity, nutty flavors.
- Riesling and Ricotta: Sweet, creamy ricotta pairs perfectly with tangy Riesling.
- Gewürtzraminer and Morbier: The wine's sweetness gracefully cuts through the intense aroma and flavors of this gourmet, stinky cheese.
- Pinot Noir and Brie: Brie's distinct flavors require a light-handed wine.
- Merlot and Monterey Jack: Lighter, fruitier Merlot is a classic accompaniment to the classic American cheese.
Now that you have the foundation for creating an "elevated" meat and cheese platter—the charcuterie board—for your next wine-tasting party, here are Five Classic Wine Pairings and Five Crazy Wine Pairings for a memorable dinner party.
Five Classic Wine Pairings —
A t-shirt and jeans, milk and cookies, rock and roll, mac and cheese... some things are—irresistible, undeniably—better together! The same is true of the following classic wine pairings.
- Champagne and Caviar
- Muscadet and Oysters
- Riesling and Duck à l'Orange
- Cabernet and Black Pepper Steak
- Vintage Port and Stilton
Five Crazy Wine Pairings —
Feeling adventurous? Try these renegade wine pairings and decide if they're the new classics. These pairings might seem unconventional at first, but their surprising harmony will surely win you over.
- Fried Chicken and Champagne
- Prosciutto and Prosecco
- Grilled Swordfish and Pinot Noir
- Indian Food and Rosé
- Burgers and Beaujolais
We hope this inspired you to plan for your next great wine gathering. Whether you are the host or a guest, we invite you to check out these fool-proof Gifts for Wine Lovers found at RONNINGS that will elevate any wine-tasting event, intimate or grand.