Oberon Wines - Cheese & Charcuterie Guide (2024)

FAQs

How do you pair wine with cheese and charcuterie? ›

Typically, the salty and savory flavors of cheese enhance the fruit aromas of sparkling and light-bodied white wines like Prosecco. Bright, acidic wines like Sauvignon Blanc cut through the richness of creamy cheese. Rich cured meat and nuts counterbalance the tannins in bold wines like Cabernet Sauvignon.

Napa County, California

Napa Valley native and winemaker, Tony Coltrin, brings 50 years of winemaking experience to Oberon, with expertise insourcing quality fruit from the best vineyards in the valley and understanding the region's uniqueness for growing classicBordeaux varieties.

The velvety mouthfeel and dense fruit flavors of our Napa Valley Merlot are the perfect pairing with a delicious grilled flank steak and portebella mushrooms.

When tasting wine with cheese, first examine the wine and cheese individually (see). Then, taste the cheese on its own. Next, sip the wine on its own. Lastly, taste them together by placing a small bite of cheese on your tongue and taking a small sip of wine.

I would always recommend starting with your wine first and tasting it on its own, then trying the cheese on its own and lastly, (the best bit!) enjoying them together. The approach to tasting wine and cheese is very similar.

Dense black fruit aromas are followed by boysenberry and chocolate flavors, and supple tannins on the palate. A dense, rich, beautiful Merlot of exceptional quality and character.

ABOUT BELL'S BREWERY

Bell's Brewery began in 1985 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with Larry Bell, a quest for better beer and a 15-gallon soup kettle. Since then, Bell's has grown into one of the largest craft breweries in America, thanks to its iconic brands such as Two Hearted IPA, Oberon Ale and Hopslam Ale.

In 1999, Michael, along with his beloved wife Isabel and their two children Rob Jr. and Dina, purchased the Animo vineyard in Atlas Peak. This marked the first chapter of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate, creating a sustainable legacy to be passed down through generations, starting with Rob, Jr.

Cabernet sauvignon has a much earthier taste with strong vegetal, spice and tart fruit notes. Both wines have lower sugar content, making them drier, but merlot has lower tannins and a more potent fruit aroma, making it seem sweeter and giving it a silkier mouthfeel.

What cheese to pair with Merlot? ›

Merlot pairs easily with many kinds of cheeses. Semi-hard cheeses with nutty, salty flavors are ideal. But merlot is also a nice match for cheeses as diverse as parmesan, muenster, brie, colby, and gorgonzola.

Merlot is rich, heavy and is on the lower side of the acidity scale. Pinot Noir, on the other hand, is very high in acidity. With a lighter body and higher acidity, Pinot Noir shines with light and fresh red berry flavors.

While white wine is best suited to milder cheeses, red wine can complement the stronger, aged cheeses. Red wine typically has more tannins, allowing it to pair well with full-bodied, flavorful cheeses. The tannins act as a palate cleanser, making each bite and sip just as delicious as the last.

Riesling, sparkling wine and rosé pair well with the saltiness of fresh cheeses like cream cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, feta and mascarpone. Mild meats like Prosciutto, summer sausage, salami or Mortadella also go well with these light-bodied red or white wines.

White wine is simply much more suitable for serving with cheese than red. The milder bouquet, the acidity and any sweetness of white wines complement cheese better than the robustness, tannins and slightly metallic taste of red wines.