A wine connoisseur has shared his ultimate guide to the cheese and winter wine pairings just in time for the coldest season.
Aldi Australia’s wine expert and buying director Jason Bowyer compiled his recommendations, with each bottle costing less just $15, proving wine lovers don’t need to fork out a fortune to enjoy a good drop.
‘Winter is the season that Aussies are more likely to reach for a glass of red wine than a Rosé,’ Mr Bowyer said.
‘Red wines for winter are often associated with dark, overpowering flavours with bold palates, however the trend in red wines is moving towards lighter, smoother finishes that give you a warming feeling of winter without being overpowering.
‘Wine and cheese is a tale as old as time… The pairings we have curated will allow customers to enjoy the full potential of both wine and cheese.’
A wine connoisseur has shared his guide to the cheese and winter wine pairings just in time for the coldest season (from left to right: $10.99 Grenache, $14.99 Shiraz, $11.99 Shiraz, $12.99 Shiraz, $11.99 organic Cabernet Sauvignon and $14.99 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon)
For just $10.99, Aussies can enjoy a bottle of Vinatero Old Vine Grenache 2020, which pairs perfectly with a $5.99 Germain Le Pico Cheese, a traditional goat’s milk soft cheese made in Périgord, France.
‘This vegan-friendly wine is a pure expression of Grenache [a red grape variety], with pinot noir-like subtlety,’ Mr Bowyer said.
‘It has baked cherry and raspberry aromas, and a light earthy complexity. This fruit-forward wine is layered with mulberry and cranberry, leaving a textured palette with generous fruit flavours.’
The $11.99 bottle of Eastern Laneway Vintners Grampians Shiraz 2020 can be matched with a $3.99 Emporium Selection Dutch Gouda Cheese, a mild and creamy cheese from the Netherlands.
‘This is a small batch wine produced from an organically farmed single vineyard in Grampians, southern New South Wales. It is a vegan-friendly Shiraz bursting with vibrant aromatics of cranberry, raspberry and cherry,’ he said.
Made by Australian wine maker Adam Carnaby, the $12.99 bottle of Seppelt Hundredweight Hill Shiraz 2019 goes well with a $4.49 Emporium Selection Double Cream Camembert, handcrafted in Gippsland, Victoria.
Mr Bowyer said the smooth and velvety cheese with a distinctive fruity and nutty flavour matched with the dark berry fruits of the Shiraz.
Aldi Australia’s wine expert and buying director Jason Bowyer compiled his recommendations, with each bottle costing less just $15, proving wine lovers don’t need to fork out a fortune to enjoy a good drop (stock image)
For $14.99, customers can enjoy a bottle of Wolf Blass Exclusive Release Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 with a $4.29 Emporium Selection Original Club Cheddar, a crumbly, sharp, cheese with an ‘excellent’ taste profile.
‘This Shiraz has a fresh, youthful taste lifted from dark fruit aroma. It is layered with black fruits and a cool white pepper aroma to deliver a balanced richness and femininity. Expect an appealing, concentrated texture,’ Mr Bowyer said.
To offset the strong flavours of the $11.99 bottle of Humo Blanco Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, a $4.49 Emporium Selection Triple Cream Brie has a velvety, smooth texture.
The extra-creamy, full-flavoured French-style cheese, made in Gippsland, Victoria, pairs perfectly with the Cabernet Sauvignon, a delicious, organic Chilean wine.
‘It has a powerful flavour with ripe blackberry notes matched with spicy oak. A true combination of bright acidity and chalky tannins,’ Mr Bowyer said.
Made by one of Australia’s most awarded winemaker Adam Eggins, the $14.99 Taylors Estate Special Release Clare Valley Shiraz 2019 pairs perfectly with a $4.99 Vernieres Roquefort Cheese Wedge.
Known for its concentrated blackcurrant and berry flavours, mixed with a cool mint edge, the wine’s full body richness suits the sheep’s milk cheese perfectly because of its soft spreadable texture and delicately sharp taste.