What wine goes with hard cheese (Comté, Beaufort)?
906 wines to serve with hard cheesesWith a hard cheese, serve a full-bodied, mineral white such as a Chardonnay, or a fine red with supple tannins: Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo or Sangiovese. The more mature the wheel, the more intense the wine can be, right up to a tawny Port for an aged Comté.
Comté, Beaufort, Abondance, tomme or Manchego share a melting texture and aromas of hazelnut, butter and dried fruit. Our wines from Italy, Spain, South Africa and Portugal go with this cheeseboard just right. Our wine and cheese pairing guide also covers the other cheese families.
Masseria Surani - Primitivo Di Manduria Riserva Dionysos 2019
Primitivo di Manduria Riserva, candied fruit, cocoa and velvety tannins.
Rockford - Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
A top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley!
Bousquet - Ameri Malbec 2023
Bousquet's great organic cuvée: a high-altitude Malbec built to be cellared.
Ceretto - Barbaresco 2023
Nebbiolo in its elegant style: fresh red fruit and forest-floor notes.
Gaja - Etna IDDA rosso 2021
A precise and elegant Sicilian volcanic red, where the freshness of the altitude meets the depth of Nerello Mascalese.
Nicolas Jay - Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017
Willamette in the glass: ripe cherry and rose, with velvety tannins.
Duvernay - Rully 1er Cru Champs Cloux Rouge 2024
A Rully premier cru with ripe fruit, cherry and violet, carried by elegant tannins.
Oremus - Dry Mandolas 2022
A dry Furmint from Tokaj, vibrant and mineral, where rich fruit meets saline freshness.
Benanti - Pietra Marina 2020
A large, white volcanic wine from Etna, taut, saline and deeply mineral.
Domaine la Renarde - Rully Les Plantenays Blanc 2023
A creamy white from the Côte Chalonnaise, spring flowers and toasted hazelnut.
Domaine Dubois - Côtes de Nuits Villages Les Monts de Boncourt Blanc 2022
Flint and candied lemon, a structured white from the Côtes de Nuits.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - Karia 2021
A Napa Chardonnay that plays on lemony freshness over a creamy texture.
Thevenot Le Brun - Hautes Côtes Nuits blanc "Clos du Vignon" 2019
This Chardonnay is a subtle wine which fully expresses the aromas of white fruits, sweet almond and caramel.
Tarapacá - Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay produced 12km from the Pacific Ocean
Antiyal - Escorial 2020
The quintessence of Carménère, expressed by a master of Chilean viticulture.
Matías Riccitelli - Old Vine From Patagonia Torrontés 2024
A high-end Patagonian wine, made from old Torrontes vines
Doña Paula - Estate Bue Edition 2022
An astonishing blend of Pinot Noir, Malbec and Bonarda
460 Casina Bric - Mesdì Bianco
A blend of 2 Piedmontese grape varieties, Arneis and Favorita
Bousquet - Malbec Reserve 2024
Bousquet's reserve Malbec, blackberry and cocoa on a velvet of tannins.
Kistler - Les Noisetiers Chardonnay 2019
Kistler's Burgundian signature applied to Californian Chardonnay: depth and liveliness.
Jay Christopher - Basalte Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2018
A world-class Pinot noir, with notes of spices and undergrowth
Columbia Crest - Chardonnay Grand Estate 2019
Pear and white peach, a creamy touch, the mineral freshness of the Columbia River.
Which wine for which hard cheese?
Each hard cheese has its own character, from fruity Comté to crystalline Parmesan. Here are the pairings we recommend most often in the shop.
| Cheese | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Young Comté fruity Comté, Abondance | Full-bodied Chardonnay, Piedmont white | The roundness of the white embraces the supple paste and its milky notes. |
| Aged Comté, summer Beaufort long-aged Comté, Beaufort Chalet d'Alpage | Oak-aged Chardonnay, tawny Port | Notes of toasted hazelnut and dried fruit answer each other from start to finish. |
| Tomme and Morbier Tomme de Savoie, Morbier, Saint-Nectaire | Supple Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo d'Alba | A fine, fresh red goes with the rind and its cellar and forest floor notes. |
| Cantal and Salers medium-aged Cantal, Salers, Laguiole | Tuscan Sangiovese (Chianti Rufina, Rosso di Montalcino) | The acidity of Sangiovese refreshes a dense, slightly tangy paste. |
| Sheep's milk cheeses Manchego, Ossau-Iraty, Idiazabal | Spanish Tempranillo, Grenache | The ripe fruit of the Spanish red extends the sweetness and nuttiness of sheep's milk. |
| Aged Mimolette and Gouda extra-aged Mimolette, aged Gouda | Tawny Port, Douro red based on Touriga Nacional | The caramelised character of the cheese calls for a wine with notes of dried fruit. |
| Parmesan and Pecorino Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino | Nebbiolo, Aglianico del Vulture or Taurasi | The fine tannins and liveliness of the Italian red answer the salt and the crystals. |
| Melted cheese raclette, Savoyard fondue, tartiflette | Fresh, mineral Chardonnay, lively white | Hot cheese calls for freshness to keep every bite light. |
For a board mixing several hard cheeses, a full-bodied Chardonnay bridges the young wheels and the most mature ones.
White first, then red
Our take: with a Comté or a Beaufort, white wine often wins over red. The richness of the paste and its brown butter aromas find a natural echo in a full-bodied Chardonnay, from Burgundy or South Africa. White keeps the palate fresh and lets the cheese express itself fully.
Red becomes a lovely option when it plays on finesse. A Nebbiolo from Piedmont, like those from 460 Casina Bric, or a Tuscan Sangiovese from Fattoria di Basciano brings acidity and silky tannins, perfect with a tomme or Parmesan. To finish with an aged Comté, try a tawny Port from Quinta do Vallado: its notes of walnut and caramel extend those of the cheese with a lovely sweetness.
Three pairings to try
Alpine Beaufort and South African Chardonnay. The tension of the wine highlights the floral notes of summer milk.
Manchego and Tempranillo. Two Spanish classics that share ripe fruit and hazelnut.
Aged Mimolette and tawny Port. A caramel and dried fruit duo, ideal at the end of a meal.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and hard cheeses
What red wine goes with Comté?
With Comté, choose a fine, fresh red: Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo or Sangiovese. Their silky tannins respect the melting texture of the cheese and their acidity balances its richness. Keep more structured reds for long-aged Comtés, whose hazelnut and forest floor aromas can take more substance.
White or red wine with hard cheese?
White wine pairs most easily with hard cheeses. A full-bodied Chardonnay or an aromatic Italian white answers the richness and buttery notes. Red also works when it stays light and supple, like a Pinot Noir. For a mixed board, a white bridges all the cheeses.
What wine goes with Beaufort?
Beaufort calls for a rich, mineral white, such as an oak-aged Chardonnay. This floral, slightly fruity Alpine cheese loves wines that combine roundness and freshness. A well-aged summer Beaufort also takes a supple Pinot Noir or, at the end of the meal, a white Port served chilled.
What wine goes with a hard cheese board?
For a hard cheese board, plan two bottles: a full-bodied white and a fine red. Chardonnay goes with young Comté, Abondance and tomme. A Nebbiolo or a Tempranillo takes over with Manchego, Cantal or Parmesan. Serve the cheeses from mildest to most mature, and the wines in the same order.
At what temperature should wine be served with Comté?
Serve white wine between 10 and 12 °C and red between 15 and 17 °C with Comté. Also take the cheese out of the fridge an hour beforehand: at room temperature, it releases all its aromas and the pairing gains in harmony. A tawny Port is best slightly chilled, at around 14 °C.
What wine goes with Parmesan or Manchego?
With Parmesan, a lively Italian red such as Nebbiolo or Aglianico works wonders; with Manchego, prefer a Spanish Tempranillo. In both cases, the acidity of the wine answers the salt and the small crystals of these aged cheeses. An aged Parmesan also goes very well with a tawny Port.