Happy Thursday! 🧀🍷

If there’s one wine that deserves recognition as the ultimate cheese pairing companion, it’s Merlot—specifically, Merlot-based wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank.

While everyone’s talking about Champagne with Brie or Port with Stilton (both excellent, don’t get me wrong), Merlot quietly sits in the background being the most versatile, forgiving, and downright delicious cheese-pairing wine you can open.

This week, as we explore Right Bank Bordeaux and Merlot, I want to show you why these wines and cheese are made for each other—and how to create perfect pairings at home.

Let me break it down.

What Makes Merlot Perfect for Cheese?

Right Bank Bordeaux wines—particularly those from Pomerol and Saint-Émilion—are Merlot-dominant, meaning they’re softer, more approachable, and fruit-forward compared to the structured, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines of the Left Bank.

This makes them incredibly versatile with cheese.

Why Merlot Loves Cheese:

Merlot’s characteristics make it a cheese-pairing dream:

✨ Softer tannins don’t overpower delicate cheeses (unlike Cabernet Sauvignon’s firm tannins)
✨ Plush, fruity character (plum, cherry, chocolate) complements creamy textures beautifully
✨ Medium body works with both soft and semi-hard cheeses without overwhelming them
✨ Lower acidity than Cabernet means it’s more forgiving with rich, fatty cheeses

Basically, Merlot is the wine equivalent of a cheese plate’s best friend.

And when you choose Right Bank Bordeaux specifically, you’re getting:

• Complex, terroir-driven wines
• Age-worthy bottles that evolve beautifully
• Elegant structure that enhances rather than dominates
• A range of styles from approachable to sophisticated

Now let’s talk about which cheeses work best with which wines.

Perfect Pairings: Right Bank Wines & Cheese

For Soft, Creamy Cheeses (Brie, Camembert, Triple Cream, Brillat-Savarin)

Pair with: Younger, fruit-forward Right Bank wines—think basic Saint-Émilion, Lalande-de-Pomerol, or Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux.

Why it works:
The wine’s soft tannins won’t clash with the creamy, buttery texture of the cheese. Instead, the fruit notes enhance the richness, and the cheese’s fat makes the wine taste even more luxurious.

Try this: A ripe, room-temperature Brie with a 3-5 year old Lalande-de-Pomerol—pure indulgence.

What to notice:
How the wine’s plum and cherry notes play against the buttery, mushroomy flavors of the cheese. How the wine becomes silkier, more velvety with each bite. This is texture matching at its finest.

For Semi-Soft Cheeses (Gouda, Havarti, Fontina, Taleggio)

Pair with: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru with 5-10 years of age.

Why it works:
The wine’s structure matches the cheese’s density, while the earthy, developed notes in both create a harmonious pairing.

Try this: Aged Gouda (18-24 months) with its caramel and butterscotch notes pairs gorgeously with Merlot’s chocolate and mocha characteristics—it’s like dessert and dinner in one bite.

What to notice:
How both the wine and cheese have developed beyond simple flavors into something more complex. The sweetness in the aged Gouda echoes the wine’s fruit concentration. The nutty undertones in both create layers that keep revealing themselves.

For Aged, Nutty Cheeses (Aged Gouda, Comté, Gruyère, Aged Manchego)

Pair with: Older Pomerol (10+ years) or premium Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé with some age.

Why it works:
The wine’s developed tertiary flavors (leather, tobacco, forest floor, truffle) echo the nutty, complex, crystalline notes in aged cheeses. Both the wine and cheese have evolved beyond primary flavors into something more sophisticated.

This is where Merlot truly shows its depth—the interplay of aged cheese and aged wine creates layers of flavor that keep unfolding with each bite and sip.

Try this: A 15-year-old Pomerol with 3-year aged Comté. Close your eyes and notice how many different flavors emerge.

What to notice:
The crystalline crunch in the aged cheese. The tertiary notes in the wine—earthy, complex, evolved. How neither overpowers the other; instead, they dance together. This is what “elevated” pairing really means.

For Blue Cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Cabrales)

Pair with: A rich, concentrated Right Bank Merlot (if you’re feeling adventurous).

The traditional pairing: Blue cheese is classically paired with sweet wines—Sauternes, Port, late-harvest Riesling. And those pairings are always winners.

But here’s the thing: A ripe, fruit-forward Right Bank wine with soft tannins and good concentration can absolutely work if you choose the right style.

Why it can work:
The key is choosing a wine with enough fruit intensity and body to stand up to the cheese without the tannins fighting the salt. The wine’s plush texture and fruit-forward character can complement the creamy, pungent richness of blue cheese.

Try this: A well-made Pomerol with Roquefort for a bold French regional pairing. Serve the cheese at room temperature, let it breathe, and pair with a wine that has some age (7-10 years) for developed complexity.

Note: If you prefer the classic sweet wine + blue cheese pairing, stick with that! It’s classic for a reason. This is just an alternative if you want to explore.

For Fresh Goat Cheese (Chèvre)

Pair with: This is trickier with Merlot (and honestly, I’m not going to pretend otherwise).

The reality:
The tangy acidity of fresh goat cheese typically calls for Sauvignon Blanc or other crisp white wines. That’s the classic pairing, and it works brilliantly.

But if you’re committed to red wine:
Choose a lighter-bodied Right Bank wine from a cooler vintage, and serve the cheese at room temperature with herbs (thyme, rosemary) or a drizzle of honey to bridge the flavors.

Try this: A basic Bordeaux Rouge or Côtes de Castillon with fresh chèvre topped with herbs and honey.

What to notice:
This pairing requires more work than the others. The wine and cheese don’t naturally complement each other the way Brie and Merlot do. Sometimes the classic pairing (Sauvignon Blanc) exists for a reason.

The lesson: Not every pairing has to be red wine. Trust the classics when they make sense.

Try This Tonight: The Ultimate Merlot & Cheese Experience

Ready to put this into practice?

Next time you’re enjoying cheese, open a Merlot-based wine—whether from Bordeaux’s Right Bank, Napa Valley, Washington State, or Chile.

Create a simple cheese plate with 3-4 cheeses at different aging levels:

• Soft Brie or Camembert
• Semi-soft aged Gouda (18-24 months)
• Hard aged Comté or Gruyère
• (Optional) Blue cheese if you’re feeling adventurous

Here’s what to notice:

✨ How the wine’s fruit notes complement each cheese differently
Does the plum character play differently with Brie vs. Gouda?

✨ How the tannins interact with the cheese’s fat and protein
Notice how the wine becomes silkier, smoother with each bite of cheese.

✨ How both the wine and cheese evolve together on your palate
Take a bite, chew slowly, let it coat your palate, then sip. What changes?

✨ Which pairing you love most
There’s no “right” answer—just your honest preference.

The method:

Start with the mildest cheese and work your way to the strongest.

Take a bite of cheese, let it coat your palate, then sip the wine.

Notice how the wine’s texture changes—it becomes silkier, more luxurious.

This is the beauty of wine and cheese together: both are elevated, and both become more than the sum of their parts.

The cheese makes the wine taste more velvety.
The wine makes the cheese taste more complex.
Together, they’re magic.

 

What Actually Matters

Wine and cheese pairing doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here’s what actually matters:

✅ Match intensity: Delicate cheese = younger, lighter wine. Bold cheese = older, richer wine.
✅ Softer tannins work better: Merlot’s gentle structure won’t overpower cheese.
✅ Fat loves tannins: The cheese’s richness makes the wine taste smoother.
✅ Age echoes age: Young wine with young cheese, aged wine with aged cheese.
✅ Trust your palate: The “best” pairing is the one you enjoy most.

You don’t need to memorize rules. You just need to pay attention, experiment, and notice what works for you.

That’s what wine education should be: practical, accessible, and delicious.

 

P.S. Share your favorite Merlot and cheese pairings in our community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/expandyourpalate or on social media with #FoodWineAndFlavor! I want to hear what combinations surprised and delighted you.

 

 

P.P.S. If you’re loving this exploration of cheese and wine pairing, you’ll love Wine PhD: Essentials—my comprehensive wine fundamentals course. Module 5 is entirely devoted to food and wine pairing, where we dive deep into:

• The science of why certain pairings work (and why some don’t)
• How to pair wine with any cuisine or dish
• Building a pairing framework you can use anywhere
• Navigating restaurant wine lists to match your meal
• Hosting wine and cheese tastings with complete confidence

Beyond pairing, you’ll master advanced tasting skills, understand climate and regional differences, learn to read wine lists like a pro, shop with absolute confidence, and order at restaurants without hesitation.

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