The Ultimate Hosting Pair
There is nothing quite like setting up a really impressive charcuterie board for guests. The word itself sounds fancy, so offering charcuterie as a host earns you big points. The best way to elevate your charcuterie game and make it fully impressive, is to serve the right wine alongside your offerings. Today we’re exploring the world of charcuterie and wine: two of our favourite things.
Choosing Your Charcuterie Mix
No two charcuterie boards are the same, which is part of the appeal of them. In fact, the fun of charcuterie platters is mixing things up and trying new food combinations. That being said, the basic tenets of a good charcuterie offering include:
- Cheese: There is no shortage of cheese readily available to be shared. The cheese case at the grocery store or farmer’s market can be truly overwhelming. The best way to start a charcuterie board, is to include at least one type of cheese from each category:
- Soft: Feta, soft artisanal Goat Cheese, Brie
- Semi-soft: Havarti, Munster, Gorgonzola
- Hard: extra-aged Cheddar, aged Gouda, Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Meat: Getting a selection of salty, cured meat will compliment the cheese and wine very nicely. Some meat to include that are well-loved:
- Prosciutto
- Sopressata
- Soujouk
- Add-ons: This is where you can get creative! It’s always nice to include some bread items like sliced baguette or crackers, alongside spreads like apricot jam, paté, and stone ground mustards. Adding in fruits like green or red seedless grapes, strawberries, and cantaloupe are refreshing breaks for the salt of the cheese and meat. Olives, figs, and dates are also nice treats to mix in.
Bring on the Wine
One of the nice things about sharing a charcuterie board, is that both white and red wines pair really well. There are a number of options between the two that work great with the food found on charcuterie boards. So whether you’re a red or white fan—or want to serve both—we’ve got you covered.
Red
Two of our favourite reds to serve with charcuterie hail from Cotes du Rhône in France and any French Syrah. Reds from Cotes du Rhône are often full-bodied and lush; an outstanding partner for an evening in with friends. Cotes du Rhône wines are very quaffable and forgiving in how to pair, which makes them a great companion for the varied items on a charcuterie platter! French Syrah is a major player in the Northern Rhône region of France and is considered the “Mecca of Syrah”.
We are enjoying French Syrah blends lately, as well, which are a great option to bring out with your charcuterie board. Some bottles we love include: The Long Little Dog Rouge de Vin 2017 and Le Cirque Rouge.
White
If red is not in the cards for you, there are white wine options that are great companions to your charcuterie offerings. Sharing wine you love is key, so we always want you to go with what you enjoy! An unoaked Chardonnay would be an excellent pairing, such as Château Fuissé Saint-Véran or Domaine Gérard Tremblay.
When building a charcuterie board and sharing with friends or family, the most important part as always, is to enjoy yourself! Don’t put too much pressure on doing things “right”. Food and wine should be fun.