Featured in The Voice of the Industry, the trend of wine and cheese pairing illustrates a meeting between expertise and terroirs. Sommelier Joris Gutierrez Garcia offers a sensory journey across the Americas, revealing the richness of unique pairings between fine wines and distinctive cheeses.
Cheese pairing is no longer a simple exercise in style, but a sensory dialogue between producers, winemakers, and cheesemakers. In the publication of The Voice of the Industry, Joris Gutierrez Garcia shares his favorites from the Americas, where each wine pairs perfectly with a cheese full of character.
Roquefort et figues

When wine reveals cheese

Joris Gutierrez Garcia, a passionate sommelier, explores the art of pairing wines and cheeses through a selection from American terroirs. His approach highlights the complementarity between aromatic power and milky finesse.

The journey begins in New York State, in the heart of the Finger Lakes, with the Riesling Reserve Medium-Sweet 2023 from the Dr. Konstantin Frank winery. This wine, balanced between sweetness and tension, finds harmony with characterful blue cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort. Its freshness softens the saltiness, creating a nuanced balance.

Northern terroirs: elegance and richness

In Ontario, the 2021 Felseck Vineyards Chardonnay from Hidden Bench winery seduces with its density and freshness. Aging in French oak gives it additional depth, making it both round and complex. It pairs wonderfully with strong cheeses such as Époisses, or milder ones such as Brie de Meaux, for a charming and balanced combination.

Further south, in Argentina, the Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Stones 2020 embodies the precision of Chardonnay grown in the highlands of Gualtallary. Pure and mineral, it offers remarkable length, enriched with notes of fresh herbs. It reveals its full brilliance when paired with cheeses with a frank and salty taste, such as Ossau-Iraty or Manchego, where milk and stone respond to each other with elegance.
Fromages de chèvre

Oceanic freshness and aromatic intensity

 

Under the Atlantic climate of Maldonado, Uruguay, the Bodega Garzón Albariño 2022 stands out as a pleasant surprise. Its lively, mineral profile, marked by citrus aromas, pairs perfectly with dry goat's cheeses such as Valençay or Rocamadour. The combination highlights the liveliness of the milk and the tension of the wine.

 

In Chile, the Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2022 expresses the freshness of the Limarí Valley. Planted in limestone soils near the Pacific Ocean, this invigorating and herbaceous wine pairs naturally with soft goat cheeses such as Crottin de Chavignol. Together, they strike a balance between salinity and vegetal sweetness.

Crottin de chèvre
Munster Cheese

Southern warmth and assertive character

 

Also in Argentina, the Gran Enemigo Torrontés 2019 offers a rare fruity and floral expression. Led by Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena, this wine combines tropical intensity with a creamy texture. It resonates with strong-flavored cheeses such as Munster, whose richness and depth temper the wine's liveliness.

Back to American roots
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In Oregon, the Lingua Franca Estate Chardonnay 2022 embodies the purity of the Eola-Amity hills. With its aromas of lemon and green apple, enhanced by a hint of saltiness, this wine pairs masterfully with Comté or Beaufort. These hard cheeses reinforce the structure and freshness of the Chardonnay, creating a rare harmony between crispness and roundness.

Comté
mimolette cheese
Finally, Kelley Fox Wines Maresh Vineyard Liminal Pinot Noir 2023, from the hills of Dundee, reveals notes of strawberry, raspberry, and sweet spices. Light and elegant, it pairs beautifully with a young Mimolette, whose bold character highlights the finesse of the red wine.

From New York to Mendoza, from the Pacific to the heart of the American continent, each pairing imagined by Joris Gutierrez Garcia tells a story of terroir and transmission. Through these duos, a whole range of expertise is expressed, that of the vine and milk, two worlds united by the same quest for balance and accuracy.

Continuing this exploration of taste, meet the players in the cheese and dairy industry at the Cheese and Dairy Products Show, organized in conjunction with Gourmet Selection from June 7 to 9, 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, an essential showcase for artisanal expertise.

Cheesemongers, affiners, and producers share their passion while promoting the excellence of their terroirs.

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