Wine and cheese pairings in Hungary

Even though wine and cheese are two different culinary pleasures, they are great together. In more countries – especially based on French traditions and experiences – experts have paired wines with cheese.

These pairings are based on important factors such as texture, acidity, fat and tannin. Hungary is known from its different kind of good wines and has a lot of vineyards. It has its special wines which is peculiar to Hungary, for example, the Olaszrizling, Hárslevél, Furmint and Kékfrankos. It is advisable to pair these special wines with cheese. For example, in Hungary the following wines are paired with the following cheese:

• The hard cheese (for example the Ementáli) can be paired with dry white and red wines and with roast wines (Furmint, Nemes Kádár)
• The softer cheese can be paired with white and red wines, for example, with Muskotály or Szürkebarát; for the blue cheese, red wine is the best.
• Camambert cheese is good with red wines, for example, Kékfrankos and Cabernet.
• Fondu cheese which is a popular hot and melted cheese is perfect with Burgundi, Bikavér and Cabernet.
• Goat cheese makers recommend to drink red wines with smoked cheese or with simple cheese; the white wines are paired with spiced cheese (the one with the
• Greek or Provance types or which is seasoned with pepper, garlic or chives)

As a good wine is served not too cold, we should keep the cheese at the same low temperature. Before eating, we should keep them at room temperature for an hour, then serve them. The wine paired with cheese gives a gastronomic pleasure and it is a good choice to a simple evening or to a more sophisticated group of people.

translated by Andrea Tóth

Source: http://dailynewshungary.com/