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Wisconsin Cheese... Heaven on Earth!
As part of our on going winery staff training, we organized a cheese and wine pairing. The idea is old and common and we looked for a way to perk it up, so we focused on finding the "mismatch."
It was an interesting, educational, and challenging experience. The key was why does it work, how does it work, and why it didn't work. The fun of it was to find the "mismatch" and the reasons. It turned out to be more about food science than just pairing.
Fom our point of view, we always want the wine to shine and not have the cheese "kill" the wine. Things to consider: the lightness or intensity of the wine, the saltiness or softness of the cheese, and the flavor profile of the fruit, cream, vegetable, etc.
We often pair our Prairie Fumé with the Wild Morel & Leek Jack from Meister Cheese. The softness of the cheese gets waken up by the zestiness of the wine but the main reason for a great match is the leek part of the cheese becoming a great complement for the vegetative part of the wine. The "mismatch" was with our Pinot Noir. This wine has a specific flavor profile of cherry, eucalyptus, and toast. It became a HUGE clash with the morels; a foreign taste that had no relation to anything found in the wine.
In the future, we’ll list other matches and "mismatches." In the mean time, make sure it is always Wollersheim wines. You won't be disappointed!
Food & Wine Pairing Suggestions
Blushing Rose - Appetizers, Cheese, Picnics
Prairie Blush - Hors d'oeuvres, Cheese, Picnics
Prairie Fumé - Appetizers, Seafood, Pasta, Grilled Foods
Dry Riesling - Chicken, Sweet & Sour Foods, Stir-Fry
Prairie Red - White Meats, Spicy Foods
Sangioviese - Steak, Sausage, Grilled Foods
Beaujolais Uncle Jean - Summer Sausage, White Meats
Chardonnay - Fish, White Meats and Sauces
Ruby Nouveau - White Meat, Lightly-Spiced Dishes, Cheese
Domaine du Sac - Grilled Food, Spicy Food, Pasta
Pinot Noir - Game, Salmon, Trout
Little Brother Bonarda - Hearty Meats, Game, Intensely Flavored Foods
Domaine Reserve - Dark Meats, Intensely Flavored Foods
White Riesling - Appetizers, Cheese, Dessert
River Gold - Dessert
Ice Wine / Very Late Harvest - Extra Special Dessert
Port - Dessert, Aged Cheeses, Chocolate, Strawberries
White Port - Appetizers, Nuts, Dessert
Aging Potential Of Our Wines
Here are our suggestions as to how long these wines could age. If aging, we suggest lying the bottles on their sides and storing them in a cool place and out of the sunlight. Of course you don't have to wait!
6-12 months
Ruby Nouveau
Enjoy young (up to 2 years)
Prairie Fumé, Prairie Red, Prairie Blush, Dry Riesling, Blushing Rose, White Riesling, River Gold, Eagle White
2-3 years
Domaine du Sac, Sangiovese, Beaujolais Uncle Jean
3-5 years
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Little Brother Bonarda
5-10 years
Domaine Reserve
10 or more years
Ice Wine, Very Late Harvest
20 or more years
Port, White Port
Serving Temperatures
60°-65°F. (room temperature)
Pinot Noir, Domaine Reserve, Little Brother Bonarda
50°-58°F. (cool room temperature)
Domaine du Sac, Chardonnay, Ruby Nouveau, Beaujolais Uncle Jean, Port
40°-45°F. (well chilled)
Prairie Red, Dry Riesling, Prairie Fumé, Prairie Blush, Blushing Rose, White Riesling, River Gold, Ice Wine, Very Late Harvest, White Port
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