All A-board

Charcuterie and Wine – the perfect holiday entertaining pair

BY LUCY PROBERT

Charcuterie boards are the ideal party offering. Not only do they make entertaining easier as an all-in-one-serving appetizer, there is also no end to the possible variations of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts and dips to present to guests.

Whether tackling it on your own or ordering one from a local cheese shop, for an upcoming holiday event present a board that looks as good as it tastes. And choosing wines to pair with so many different textures and flavors isn’t as hard as it seems, says Neil King, director of operations and wine and spirit Buyer at Grapes & Grains in Barrington. “The goal of pairing wine with charcuterie boards is to let the plate shine and have the wine complement the flavors, not overwhelm them,” he says.

Charcuterie

With more than 150 cheeses and 15 types of meats to choose from, The Cheese Wheel Village Market in Tiverton

Four Corners offers custom-made charcuterie boards. For the board shown here, Cheese Wheel’s manager, Emily Brayton, chose five cheeses, including Red Witch, a mild and creamy cheese from Switzerland that she says ‘is the ultimate snacking cheese to pair with alcohol or other snacking foods’; Fromager d’Affinois, a rich and buttery double cream French cows’ milk cheese, ‘hard not to like’; Cotswold Onion and Chive, a traditional double Gloucester, incredibly rich and full flavored; Manchego, dry and nutty and here, paired with a fig jam and a 4-year-old cheddar ‘always a crowd pleaser’.

Featured meats include a rose made of hot salami, a ribbon of mild and slightly sweet-flavored Genoa Salami and Smoked Beef Bresaola (beef prosciutto), sliced paper thin with a soft texture and full-bod- ied smokiness. Prices for custom-made charcuterie boards at the Cheese Wheel range from an appetizer for 3 to 4 people, usually under $50, or the one featured, which is $175 to $200. “With all of the cheeses and meats we have year-round, we can offer an extensive range of high-quality options,” Brayton says.

Wine

Whether you’re serving charcuterie or bringing wine to a gathering, here are some suggestions from Grapes & Grains’ Neil King for the perfect pairing with meats and cheeses (all are under $25).

“It’s best to serve a wine that’s not too tannic or full-bodied,” he says.

Starting with whites he recommends Domaine Jean Aubron Muscadet. “As a neutral, low acid white, this one pairs well with charcuterie as well as oysters and shellfish.”

G.D. Vajra’s Claré J.C. Langhe Nebbiolo is one of King’s favorite reds because of its excellent textural experience. “This wine is fresh and fruity with small bubbles and can even be served chilled. It goes down very easily,” he says.

For an organic Sicilian wine, another favorite is Le Cantine di Indie Polpo Rosso, about as full-bodied a red as he would recommend for a charcuterie board. “It has just enough tannins to cut the saltiness of meats but won’t overwhelm the taste.” Sicilian wines in general are always super versatile, he says.

And finally, even though it’s winter, don’t shy away from serving rosé wines, he says. “Look at the French, they drink it year-round.” He likes Domaine Gavoty’s Récital from Côtes de Provence because of its dryness, and lower acidity.

“When you have all of the salty components of a charcuterie board, it’s good to have a rosé that will keep it fresh and clean with a nice zippiness to it.”

When choosing wines in general, King says, a good way to start is to think about where they come from in the world and what kind of food is served there.

“Be adventurous. It’s a great way to introduce others to something new and different.”

Wishing you all a Joyful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!