Holiday Cheese Pairings by Occasion

The drink should be as intense as the cheese, or a little sweeter.

This page covers what to pour and serve beside the cheese. For which cheeses to buy, how many and when to set them out, see the best cheeses for a holiday cheese board.

Holiday cheese pairings at a glance

This holiday cheese pairings table gives one reliable match per cheese, and each is guidance rather than a rule.

Thanksgiving cheese pairings

Thanksgiving cheese pairings should be light, because the real meal comes later and the cheese is the appetizer. Keep to about 2 ounces per guest, the amount the board builder uses for an appetizer.

Aged cheddar is the natural choice. Wisconsin Cheese says its sharpness suits a little sticky sweetness and lists cider, port and chutney among the matches, and acidity in cider and apple cuts through its fat. See the cider and cheese guide for more. A pear or apple, a spoon of chutney and some toasted pecans give you the harvest table without extra effort.

Skip anything heavy with the drinks too. A tannic, oaky red can make a salty cheese taste bitter, so a light, fruity red or an amber ale is safer before a big dinner. Aged Gouda is a good second cheese, and Wisconsin Cheese suggests bock, brown ale or farmhouse cider with it. Offer unfiltered apple cider for guests who are not drinking.

Christmas cheese pairings

Christmas cheese pairings are the classic ones, led by Stilton and port. The sweet, fortified wine balances the salty blue, and the port and blue cheese guide explains why it works. The Stilton page covers the cheese itself.

Build the rest of the board around contrast. Walnuts and dried figs sit well with the blue, a baked brie with cranberry sauce or honey pairs with a dry sparkling wine, and a Gruyère or Comté takes a dry white or a light red. If the table prefers spirits, a small pour of whiskey beside an aged cheese is a cozy match, covered in the whiskey and cheese guide.

A warm centerpiece such as cheese fondue changes the drinks: a dry white wine or a hot black tea is a better partner than red, since fat and heat call for acidity.

New Year's Eve cheese pairings

New Year's Eve cheese pairings revolve around sparkling wine, which is the one drink that suits the widest range of cheeses. Its bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate after rich, creamy cheeses. A ripe Brie, a triple cream or a fresh goat cheese with honey are the safest bets, and the Champagne and sparkling wine guide goes into more detail.

Choose a dry style (brut) for the creamy cheeses, since a sweet sparkling wine makes them taste flat. Salty snacks with the cheese, such as nuts or good crackers, make the bubbles taste even brighter. For a mixed crowd, put out one sparkling non-alcoholic choice next to the bottle, so nobody is left holding water.

Other holiday cheese pairings

Other holiday cheese pairings follow the same logic: match the intensity and add a sweet and a crunchy side. For Easter and spring gatherings, lean on fresh, tangy cheeses such as goat cheese and a crisp white, and see the seasonal cheese pairings page. For a Fourth of July or summer cookout, fresh mozzarella with ripe fruit and a chilled rosé or light beer is hard to beat.

For Hanukkah, Diwali or a Lunar New Year table, the best move is to pair what is already on the menu. Cheese does best with something sweet, something salty and something acidic, so look at the sides before choosing the drink. The pairing by intensity guide is a useful shortcut.

Holiday cheese pairings without alcohol

Holiday cheese pairings without alcohol work when the drink brings acidity, sweetness or tannin, the same things wine brings. Unfiltered apple cider suits cheddar, pear or cranberry juice with a splash of sparkling water suits Brie, and strong black tea suits blue cheese. The non-alcoholic pairings guide has more options. Serving them in the same glass as the alcoholic drinks keeps everyone part of the toast.

Holiday cheese pairing mistakes

Holiday cheese pairing mistakes are mostly about quantity and timing, not taste. Setting out a full board for hours is the biggest one. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension says charcuterie and cheese boards should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or one hour above 90°F, and suggests keeping a small refill supply in the refrigerator. The same page does not recommend this kind of board for people who are elderly, very young, pregnant or immunocompromised, so keep a separate plate of pasteurized hard cheese for them.

Other mistakes are pairing the strongest cheese with the lightest drink, serving too many flavored crackers that cover the cheese, and forgetting a knife for each cheese.

Questions about holiday cheese pairings

These are the questions about holiday cheese pairings that readers ask most.

What wine goes with a Christmas cheese board?

Wine for a Christmas cheese board is usually port or a sweet red for the blue and a dry sparkling wine for the soft, creamy cheeses.

What cheese pairs with Thanksgiving dinner?

Cheese for a Thanksgiving appetizer is best when it is sharp and familiar, such as an aged cheddar with apple slices and hard cider.

What goes with cheese on New Year's Eve?

Cheese on New Year's Eve goes best with dry sparkling wine, and the safest cheeses are Brie, a triple cream and fresh goat cheese.

What is a good non-alcoholic holiday cheese pairing?

A good non-alcoholic holiday cheese pairing is unfiltered apple cider with cheddar, or sparkling water with cranberry juice for Brie.

Does port go with every blue cheese?

Port goes with most blue cheeses, but a mild or creamy blue needs a lighter, sweeter port than a strong, crumbly one.

Plan your holiday cheese pairings

For holiday cheese pairings, choose the cheeses first, then match one drink to the strongest and one to the creamiest. Add honey or jam and some nuts to the board, and set out a non-alcoholic option beside the bottles. The wine and cheese pairing guide helps if you want more detail.