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charcuterie board

Charcuterie and Wine Pairing Guide

Charcuterie boards provide an array of tantalizing meats, cheeses, and other snack items to create an amazing treat that pairs perfectly with a wide range of wines. When designing a charcuterie board of your own, there are a few key elements to consider. You’ll want to provide a variety of meats and cheeses that are perfectly complemented by great-tasting wine.

What Is a Charcuterie Board?

Charcuterie is the term used for the meat that is a highlight of these popular boards. Most charcuterie boards come with at least three different meat options, ranging in different spice levels and textures. Cheese is the next most popular item for this platter. It is recommended to include at least three different types of cheeses. With cheese, you also want to provide a variety of textures, fat content, acidity, and saltiness.

Other items that can be found on a charcuterie board include pickled vegetables, bread, crackers, olives, fruit that is either fresh or dry, nuts, and some type of spread, such as honey or mustard. After you know what you want on your board, the next step is the wine selection. It is best to choose wines following your meat and cheese choices. Wines are meant to pair with your food flavors, not overpower them.

Pairing Wine With Your Board

Once you’ve decided on your meats and cheeses, you can consider the best wines to complement your selection. The main focuses when it comes to meat are the texture, fat content, salt, and spice. When selecting a wine, you want to focus on acidity, structure, and the undertones it features.

If your board consists of salty mild meats, which are great for beginner boards, you may choose prosciutto or mortadella. These savory meats pair best with a lighter-bodied white wine such as Pino Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. If you are more of a red drinker, light or medium reds, such as a Pinot Noir or a Merlot, pair perfectly. In general, it is best to go with a wine that has high acidity.

Mild spice meats such as peppered salami pair well with light whites such as a sweet Riesling or fruity reds like Malbec. If you are looking to include bold, spicy meats such as bresaola, you’ll want to pair it with a wine that is equally as bold. For red wine, Syrah is a great option, or you can go with Chardonnay for a white wine.

When it comes to cheese, you’ll want to consider a variety of soft cheeses, semi-soft, fresh cheese, and hard cheese. Each category comes with its unique flavors and textures. You’ll want to consider their acidity, fat content, and saltiness. Soft cheese such as brie or robiola pairs well with sparkling whites and light-bodied whites. Semi-soft cheese like asiago, gruyere, and Havarti pair well with a dry wine such as Chardonnay. Fresh cheeses like burrata, goat cheese, and feta pair with medium-bodied whites and reds such as Pinot Noir. Hard Cheeses like aged cheddar or parmesan pair perfectly with bold reds like Chianti.

Get Creating and Pairing

When it comes to creating your perfect charcuterie board, there is no wrong way to do it. You’ll want to provide variety, creating an array of flavors that your guests are sure to love. Having a few different bottles of wine on hand, ranging from light to bold provides the perfect options for your guests. At Payless Liquors, we have a huge wine selection to create your charcuterie pairings. Use our pickup order form, or stop into the store!