Greek Wine & Cheese
Dimitris Hatzinikolaou marries wine with cheese.
It's about a relationship full of passion, intensity and imagination which in her fascinating harmony with wine, hides many difficulties, due to the cheese 's texture and colour, origin and manufacturing methods.
Cheese is a very basic nutritional and healthy food for the human body. With 60 grams a day, we cover the body 's need for protein, calcium, vitamins A, B and Kn amino acids and iron. Therefore, cheese is one of the few foods that are not only allowed, but must be consumed by all ages. It is no coincidence that many cheeses producted by cultures with tradition in cheese, have been characterised as national treasures. For example, Feta for the Greeks, Roquefort for the French, Emmenthal for the Swiss, Cheddar for the British and Mozzarella for the Italians.
Suggestions for ideal combinations:
With our classic feta, Limno's basket, teleme, manouri and sfella of Messinia, we would suggest a exuberant and nervous wine from the Assyrtiko variety, which comfortably deals with the nature and colour of these cheeses.
Emmenthal surely has a nice time with Moschofilero from Mantineia, which stops all the proteins in the Swiss mouth with its acid freshness.
The heavier ladotyri, the graviera from Agrafa, Crete and Naxo, but the brave Brie as well, literally melt infront of an old Cabernet Sauvignon.
Revealing a classic tense of tasting harmony, these suggestions, are often able to do you credit on every table.
Kopanisti with its rich texture, will surely have fun with a white wine, Roquefort is ready to steal the show with the Muscat from Limno (Alexandrian Muscat), while Blue Stilton wants its Mavrodaphne.
Cypriot haloumi (raw ore slightly grilled) insistently searches for a fruity Robola of Cefalonia thus making the known formaella jealous os this flawless combination.
The smoked metsovone goes with a strong Xinomavro from Macedonia but with the tannin character of a mountain Cabernet Sauvignon as well.
The fragrant Camembert wants its Merlot, while Mozzarella is already with the classy and soft Chardonnay.
With Parmesan we would suggest without particular qualms, the velvety Syrah leaving the english Cheddar to cope with the very dynamic Agiorgitiko from Nemea.
From the book “The marriage of Wine and Food” by D. Hatzinikolaou
Source: www.gourmed.gr