Bountiful Sonoma — Chardonnay
Chardonnay with the Perfect Cheese Plate
There are few dishes as festive and easy as the perfect cheese plate—where Chardonnay shines as an ideal pairing. Start with three cheeses (there are so many choices!), add dried fruit and nuts and you have a beautiful and crowd-pleasing appetizer for any occasion.
Cheese Tray 101: with an assortment of crackers
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Dried apricots
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Roast almonds
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Havarti
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Brie/Camembert
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Manchego or other Spanish cheese
Cheese Tray to Impress: with an assortment of breads
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Membrillo (quince paste)
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Marcona almonds
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Aged chevre
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Triple crème
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Aged gouda
Select a Variety to Make Chardonnay Shine
An assortment of three to five high-quality cheese with a variety of textures, flavors, and types of milk (cow, goat, sheep) will bring out the many facets of Chardonnay. Select from the categories below to plan a well-rounded selection:
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Soft cheeses: Brie, Camembert, and chevre are young, creamy, rich, and decadent, especially when they’re triple crème cheeses, meaning they have at least 75% milk fat.
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Semi-hard cheeses: Slightly aged, sliceable cheeses that have a little less moisture. These include cheeses such as Havarti, Gouda and Gruyère.
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Firm cheeses: These cheeses are firm and dry; long aging intensifies their umami (savory) flavors. These include cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cheddar and Manchego.
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Funky (“washed-rind”) cheese: Ranging from soft to hard, these cheeses can be made with any kind of milk and are bathed with brine, wine or other alcohol, a process that intensifies their flavor and aroma. These include cheeses such as Epoisses, Reblochon and Taleggio.
Serving Sizes
A good rule of thumb is to serve about two ounces of cheese per person. So, for example, if you’re hosting twelve people, buy a total of at least 24 ounces (1 ½ pounds) of cheese of various types.