This wine writer, judge, and educator has a favorite wine and food pairing for the holidays that may surprise you: a sweet dessert wine like a golden French Sauternes paired with Stilton blue cheese. Let me explain why this pairing might just amaze your guests this festive season.
The first time it was served to me was in a dessert wine pairing class. I couldn’t stomach the sweet tarts and cakes initially paired with the sweet wine, and when it came time to pair the same wine with a very strong cheese, I scoffed at that as well. I knew wine and food pairings generally took one of two approaches: complementing flavors, such as sweet with sweet, or contrasting ones.
When I put a little taste of Stilton cheese on my tongue and washed the wine over it, a miraculous thing happened—that thing you want to happen in a great pairing: both the wine and the cheese changed. The nuttiness of the cheese came out, and the honey in the sweet wine blossomed. I actually reached over to some of the empty place settings and took all the cheese for mine. It was like having a solo holiday party that left me both grateful and thankful.
I’ve shared this pairing with dozens of people. One was a state senator who asked for a unique dessert to bring to Thanksgiving dinner for a small group. I told him to bring a split (half bottle) of Sauternes or any white dessert wine and a wedge of blue cheese to watch what happens. He messaged me the very next day to say what a hit it was with the guests, many of whom were experiencing their first “aha!” moment.
This unique and surprising pairing can be served as an appetizer or dessert, and it always seems to make holiday festivities more fun.
One extra expert tip for you: If you want to plan a special holiday dinner and you really want to make sure your wine—or any beverage—is paired properly, invest in the book “What to Drink With What You Eat” by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen A. Page. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve flipped through that book while holiday meal planning.