National Prosecco Day - A celebration of the perfect cheese pairings

In honour of National Prosecco Day, we asked our Buyer, Dan, a well-documented lover of Sparkling Wine, to give us her top 10 cheese and Prosecco pairings! 

Prosecco, a much loved sparkling wine, is traditionally made with Glera grapes and originates from Northeast Italy, though its heartland is a small region in the Veneto called Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

For Paxtons, Dan has selected ‘Prosecco Le Colture DOC’. Pale in colour with a delicate, fine mousse. With aromas of white flowers, citrus, orchard fruit, with a hint of warm brioche. On the palate these flavours combine an underlying minerality. Perfect as an aperitif but has the fragrance and mineral structure to be drunk throughout a meal or with a varied cheese board. 

Le Colture has been in the hands of the Ruggeri family since the 1500s and specialises in making high quality sparkling wines. Today, the property and business are run by Alberto and his sisters Veronica and Silvia, under the tutelage of their father Cesare and uncle Renato.

1. Cullum & Prosecco – a really balanced and juicy pairing, hard sheep’s milk cheeses are the perfect pairing for Prosecco.
2. Taleggio & Prosecco – with a similar fruity quality, this is a great summer pairing, the minerality is nicely in balance too.
3. Brillat Savarin & Prosecco – a triple cream cheese needs bubbles to cut through the richness, the bright effervescence of Prosecco is the perfect foil.
4. St Jude & Prosecco – an elegant pairing, the sparkling wine gently elevating the cheese. The cheese works particularly well with stone fruit, like peach, notes.
5. Montgomery’s Cheddar & Prosecco – the full flavoured, buttery quality of the cheese is delightful with the brioche notes of the wine.
6. Mothais sur Feuille & Prosecco – the mousseline quality of the cheese and wine are harmonious with a great balance of minerality.
7. Parmigiano Reggiano & Prosecco – full of vim and acidity, Parmigiano deserves a place on a cheese board as much as grated over pasta. The fizz of the wine is delicious with the salt forward notes on the cheese.
8. Baron Bigod & Prosecco – bloomy rind cheeses, think Brie or Camembert, are tricky to pair. Sparkling wines work well as they don’t clash against the richness of the cheese.
9. Hidcote & Prosecco – this delicate little cheese needs a lightly sparkling wine to not over shadow it, the florality of the wine really sings with the cheese.
10. Schnebelhorn & Prosecco – savoury, full flavoured and decadently rich thanks to the additional cream in the make, Schnebelhorn benefits from a bright wine to cut through the toothsome texture of the cheese.