What To Consider When Pairing Mulled Wine With Cheese

If you've ever enjoyed a piping hot mug of mulled wine, you'll know that it's a deeply comforting (if not complex) beverage. It can be paired with many different things, and is a great option for serving at your next holiday party. The many variations of mulled wine lend themselves to endless food pairing possibilities. However, there are a few things you'll want to consider when pairing food with mulled wine -– mostly having to do with the mulled part. Flavors of cinnamon and clove dominate this drink and should inform much of your decisions when it comes to pairing. Cheese is a great party snack and goes well with mulled wine, but not all cheeses are friends with these warm holiday spices. When choosing the right cheese to serve with mulled wine, consider the saltier varieties.

Blue cheeses are an excellent companion to mulled wine. Blues can even take on greater complexity when paired with an intensely fragrant spice melange of most mulled wines. Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Danablu are a perfect selection of blue cheeses to offer guests with their mulled wine.

Blue cheeses are not all alike. While they all undergo similar aging processes, the difference in flavor between Roquefort and Gorgonzola is significant. Gorgonzola has a rind that is thick and ruddy, while Roquefort has no rind and is pasty in texture. Their flavor profiles differ as well: Gorgonzola is earthier, more loamy, and is all-around a more robust cheese, allowing it to pair nicely with mulled wines that use apple as well as orange. Roquefort has a buttery, smoother, and milder flavor and may pair with a sweeter mulled wine that has notes of cherry. 

Of course, your wine selection for mulling will also play a part in which cheese you choose. Red wines that are fuller and juicier than your average red (like a California Zinfandel or a Cabernet Sauvignon) might pair better with a more rustic-style blue cheese like a Stilton. Look for blues with notes of ocean brine and cave mustiness, as these flavors mix beautifully with the smoky, tobacco voluptuousness of heavy reds.

Blues aren't your only option when it comes to cheese and mulled wine. Comte cheese is a beautiful option because of its inherent nuttiness. This is a great pairing with mulled wines that have a little something extra, like cardamom and peppercorns. Comte is a semi-hard, slightly grainy cheese that would be ideal for lighter-bodied mulled wines, like those that use a Pinot Noir or Tempranillo base. Wines with a lighter, pepperier profile will pair nicely with Comte and its silky, savory finish.

If you're looking for a cheese that hits somewhere between a Roquefort and Comte, you can't go wrong with Wensleydale. There are a variety of Wensleydales, from smooth and creamy regular Wensleydale, to the extra indulgent cranberry-speckled Wensleydale that is like Christmas in cheese form. Wensleydales are versatile and will pair with just about every variety of mulled wine. This mild and lightly sweet cheese fits right in with all the warm mulling spices, making it an excellent pairing choice. If you want to cover your mulled wine pairing bases, deck your holiday charcuterie board with a selection of these cheeses to be sure there'll be something for everybody.