Want to try local fare to serve for your holiday seasonal celebrations, but are unsure of what Ohio wines best complement which cheeses?

An Ohio wine expert says determining which wine to serve with which cheese is really about finding out what pairs well for your senses.

“There really is no right or wrong when it comes to appropriately pairing wine to food or cheese,” says Todd Steiner, who leads Ohio State University’s enology program, the science of winemaking, part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

The goal, he says, is to move away from the notion of wines being intimidating and for people not to feel daunted when being introduced to a new wine or when choosing a wine to enjoy with food or, specifically in this case, cheese.

“Instead, people can have fun with it,” Steiner says. “If people find a pairing that they like, they should go with it.

“Try different pairings, and you may find something that you like that isn’t typically recommended. There may be some surprise that people like that they didn’t think to put together.”

Steiner works with wineries across the state, offering insight on varietal recommendations, best practices involved with winemaking techniques, sensory evaluation, research and troubleshooting. He says consumers have many options available when looking for Ohio wines. “Some of the smaller boutique and medium-sized wineries in Ohio offer onsite retail sales, while others have strong distribution chains that allow them to be sold in many larger retail stores,” he says. “The good thing is that Ohio wineries are doing some really good wines statewide and are winning national and international awards.”

For those who would like some initial guidance as a starting point, Steiner offers the following:

“Most wine suggestions recommended above are varieties that we are currently growing or have the ability to grow in Ohio,” Steiner says.

Other varieties, which may be purchased as grapes or juice and produced into wine, would be recommended to pair in the appropriate wine category with the corresponding cheese of interest, he adds.

More information on Ohio wines and the work that Ohio State University Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center specialists, educators and researchers offer can be found on the Buckeye Appellation website. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college. 

Source: OSUE