Australian Riesling and Shiraz Cheese Pairing

For your next wine and cheese party, Just Wines brings to you tips how to combine an Australian red wine - Shiraz, and white - Riesling with cheese.

Shiraz -

When Australians think ‘Shiraz’, they almost always imagine an elegant full-bodied red wine, offering ripe blackberries, liquorice and hints of sweet vanilla. This elegance is contrary to the style of French Shiraz, which is very often more rustic. While there may be more flavours in the Aussie drink in addition to the ones previously mentioned, it has a spicy and peppery flavour profile. (This is the reason Australian Shiraz wine is best paired with pepper-seasoned dishes like grilled steak with peppercorn sauce.) Hence, it requires cheeses with ample complexity, that don’t get overpowered by it. We suggest you go through the tasting note of your wine - if it mentions tobacco, pair it with Smoked Gouda. In any other case, a Sharp Cheddar is a safe bet. The strong blackberry tone and richness of the wine completes the bite of the tangy cheese.

Additional Read: Food Pairing with Shiraz

Riesling -

Australia’s love for Riesling is well-known, considering it’s one of the top consumed wines in the island nation. A look at its flavour profile makes it a little wonder why - citrus blossom perfume, lively lime & lemon characters and zippy acidity! When mercury soars high to 40+ °C, the average Aussie wants nothing more but to beat the heat with some cold Australian Riesling wine! If Shiraz is synonymous with berries, this light-bodied white is synonymous with citrus. With its high acidity, Riesling makes a compatible match with goat cheese. The acidity of the wine echoes with that of the cheese. While we are talking about dry Riesling wines here, sweet wines should served with soft cow’s milk cheeses, such as Brie. Lovely with their addictive creamy texture!