Holiday Wine and Cheese Pairings from Caputo Cheese

Tis’ the season! Caputo Cheese, the manufacturer of the World’s best Burrata, has some unique ways to wow your guests during the holidays! Below are some of President, Natale Caputo’s favorite wine and cheese pairings that we would love for you to share on your website/blog. If you are interested in working on other cheese related stories, please feel to reach out and we would be happy to assist. All six pairings are available at Caputo Cheese.

1. Caputo Hand-Dipped Ricotta & Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio - Friuli

Only the finest estate grown Pinot Grigio grapes from northeast Italy’s premium growing region make it into the bottle. At first sip, this wine is surprisingly full bodied with the aromas of ripe white peaches and spring flowers. The flavors of melon, pear, and crisp apples support this wine’s slate finish, making it a beautiful match for the Caputo fresh Ricotta.

Caputo Fresh hand-dipped Ricotta is a delightful treat. Ladled by hand into individual baskets, the cheese’s delicate curds remain soft and moist. With the flavor and aroma of fresh milk, this spoonable cheese is magnificent on its own with fresh fruit, honey, or used for decadent cannoli.

2. Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog & Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc

Crafted from 100% organic grapes primarily from the Rutherford region of Napa Valley. A wine that is genuinely fun to drink with a crisp flavor, a slightly acidic on the tongue, and modest alcohol content makes it ideal for enjoying with food. This Sauvignon Blanc’s stone fruit aromas and crisp sweet/tart apple flavors balance a with its minerality to pair perfectly with the Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog.

California’s Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog is a true American original. Inspired by a dream of northern California’s rocky, mist shrouded coast, this cheese starts as a layer cake of fresh chevre, then transforms over time into a decadent brie-style cheese. While young, bright almost citrus-like acidity and a firm crumbly/creamy center are a delight with prosciutto and pears. Later, as the creamline beneath the rind ripens, softens, and intensifies, the cheese becomes lusher and more robust with grass notes and a fudgy texture, perfect for figs and roasted vegetables.

3. Delice de Bourgogne & Merotto La Primavera di Barbara Prosecco DOCG

From Prosecco’s home on the northern edge of Italy where it begins to climb the Alps, crafted from a blend of Glera and Perera grapes. A wonderfully elegant Prosecco starts with an aroma of apricots and pears perfumed with summery rose. The flavor balances crisp, sweet apple with a lively soft bubble texture reminiscent of caviar making this wine an indulgent match for the decadent Delice De Bourgogne.

From the home of Pinot Noir and Champagne comes the Delice de Bourgogne, a rich triple crème brie. The fresh milk is boosted first with cream, and then with cultured Crème Fraiche to produce the distinctly tangy, but oh-so-velvety texture and flavor. Lovely all year round, Delice is especially welcome when summer is a memory and friends and family gather to celebrate.

4. Widmer’s 4-year Cheddar & Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel

From gnarly old vines around Napa Valley, California, this bold Zinfandel inspires big, full glasses, loud conversation, and abundant snacking. Warm baking spices mixed with blackberry and dark raspberry perfume this wine while the concentrated flavors of roasted plums, blackberries, white pepper, and vanilla land on the tongue. A full round tannic structure needs a cheese to match like the Widmer’s 4-year aged Cheddar.

Wisconsin’s Widmer’s cheddars capture the Dairy state’s classic flavor. Described by Joseph Harding in 1864 as "close and firm in texture, yet mellow in character or quality; it is rich with a tendency to melt in the mouth, the flavour full and fine, approaching to that of a hazelnut," cheddar is such a part of our palette that to explain it is more fuss than to just enjoy it. Widmer’s 4-year aged cheddar is particularly sharp with scattered crystals, yet creamy on the tongue, making it a favorite with grilled meats, hearty vegetables, and sweet fruits.

5. Sartori Balsamic BellaVitano & Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

A beautifully crafted Cabernet from Napa Valley with amazing depth and new things to discover with every sip. The inviting aroma of dark cherry and cocoa sets the stage for the remarkable flavors of baked black plums, hazelnuts, and other complex warm spices. Beautifully structured, the first sip comes in strong, then tapers to a long smooth finish. A classic wine with hidden depths pairs with foods usually affiliated with softer Pinot Noirs like the classic cheese given modern complexity: the Sartori Balsamic BellaVitano.

Wisconsin’s Sartori cheese company produced traditional Italian favorites throughout most of the 20th century before imagining something almost entirely new for the 21st. The BellaVitano cheeses start as a Parmesan-style cheese with a Wisconsin cheddar personality before getting rubbed down with sweet and tart balsamic vinegar that perfumes every bite. Nutty, moderately sharp, and sweet, Balsamic BellaVitano is well suited for grating, but perfect for any cheese board alongside summer tomatoes, winter figs, and speck smoked ham.

6. Beemster XO & Musella Amarone della Valpolicella

Estate grown Corvina and Rondinella grapes from the classic Valpolicella growing region of Verona, Italy. This Amarone invites you to pause and savor the moment. No part of its crafting or aging is rushed- the grapes are nearly raisins when crushed and aged for three years before arriving in your glass. Aromas of blueberry compote, fudge, and leather perfume the rich cassis, black plum, and baking spice flavored wine. Its velvety, rich mouthfeel are a hallmark of its impeccably structure. The sweetness and depth of flavor, still savory, pair magnificently with the deep butterscotch and hazelnut character of the Beemster XO Gouda

Holland’s Beemster cheeses bring a little celebration every day. While many of their offerings began as recipes for festivals, harvests, and holidays, the crown jewel remains their 26-month aged Gouda. Its deep amber hue studded with twinkling crystals smells of baked flan and barrel aged whiskey. The dense cheese flakes under a sharp knife then melts in the mouth with a fudge-like richness with notes of butterscotch, burnt sugar, and cooked cream. Delicious on its own or with roasted meats, crisp apples, and sweet ripe pears.

Since 1978, the Caputo family has been crafting the world’s finest cheese. Their award-winning products possess the quality, flavor and consistency that only high standards and family pride can produce. Italian cheese takes center stage at Caputo Cheese and the full experience for the cheese lover is available through their online store www.caputocheesemarket.com.