Susan Knox Wilson
Quick quiz: What improves with age, is a product of fermentation and reflects the region from which it came? Did you guess your PebbleCreek neighbor? Wrong! It’s wine and cheese!
Wine and cheese pairing goes back some 4,000 years and experts claim they are a great match because both are made from living substances that improve with age, both are a product of fermentation and both reflect the climate and region from which they come. And now you can enjoy this sublime pairing Wednesdays at Portofinos.
Our Food and Beverage Department has teamed up to serve up some carefully selected specialty wines and a cheese board with Havarti, Gouda and Muenster cheeses, assorted crackers, fresh strawberries and grapes. Some suggested pairings:
* Havarti, a Danish cheese, is semi-soft but the taste is as robust as the people. It makes a fine companion to red wines like Bordeaux or Cabernet.
* The Dutch have long been among the world’s best cheese makers and Gouda is a fine example. Pairing Gouda with a dry German Riesling will convince even the most hide bound skeptic that these two make the best of friends.
* Muenster is a semi-soft cheese from the United States (not to be confused with the French cheese Munster). Pale in color, Muenster has a very mild flavor and smooth, soft texture and pairs well with lighter wines such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.
The details:
Wine and cheese 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday nights at Portofino
Wine Wednesday pricing: House wine – $5 per glass; $18 per bottle
Cheese Board (includes crackers) – $8
Combinations:
Two glasses house wine plus a cheese board – $15
One glass of house wine plus a cheese board – $12
Chalkboard wine list/specialty wines – pricing will vary