Mulled wine (or better known as Glűhwein in Austria and Germany) is a great winter warming drink, full of rich sweet fruits and intense spices. Mulled wine has some great and interesting flavours, making it perfect to pair with a variety of different cheeses. In this article, we look at the best cheese pairings with mulled wine.
Cheese Pairings with Mulled Wine:
Mulled wine is a heavy drink and therefore requires a heavy cheese to compliment it. Light cheese may become lost in the mulled wines flavours. Bold cheeses such as strong blue cheese, semi-soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert pair very well. Hot cheese dishes such as fondue also make a great pairing.
Blue Cheeses:
Strong blue cheese is the perfect pairing with mulled wine. This is because it has contrasting flavours. Examples of blue cheese to use include: Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort. These strong, salty and creamy cheeses provide a complete contrast to the warm, sweet and spicy flavours in the mulled wine.
Soft Cheese:
Brie and Camembert are also great to pair with mulled wine. This is because they are very versatile, therefore they can be eaten cold or hot. Brie and Camembert have very similar flavours, more savoury with garlic and mushroom undertones. Their dense and heavy texture provides the mouth with a heavy coating, which is then broken down by the warmth and sweetness of the wine.
If you are heating your Brie or Camembert, you can add additional herbs such as garlic, rosemary, or even a splash of white wine, to provide more contrasting flavours to the pairing.
Fondue:
An alternative way to pair cheese with mulled wine is through fondue. Fondue is a traditional Swiss recipe that uses a variety of different Swiss cheeses. These are melted to create a hot, flavourful cheese dish. Classic fondue recipes use cheeses that have a mildly sweet and nutty flavour, however, they are buttery and creamy in texture. Although the mild sweetness compliments the mulled wine perfectly, fondue tends to have a complex savoury flavour.
Fondue and mulled wine is the perfect winter warmer meal and a great way to share cheese with all your friends and family.
Check out a great mulled wine recipe here.
