SERVING CHEESE
Williamson Wine & Food
HOW TO SERVE CHEESE
Bring it to temperature. Give it room.
Pour a wine that makes both taste better.
“Cheese—milk’s leap toward immortality.”
— Clifton Fadiman
Cheese needs little ceremony. Treat it well, give it the right company and it will do most of the work itself.
Serve it before dinner with a glass of something bright, or after the main course when nobody is quite ready to leave the table. These are useful guidelines rather than commandments. Appetite remains the final authority.
THE QUICK GUIDE
- Choose three to five contrasting cheeses
- Allow 2–3 ounces per guest before dinner
- Allow 1½–2 ounces per guest after dinner
- Let the cheese lose its refrigerator chill
- Use a separate knife for each cheese
- Return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly
START WITH TEMPERATURE
Refrigerator-cold cheese keeps its aromas and texture under lock and key. Remove only the amount you intend to serve and let it warm gently while still covered.
Most cheeses show themselves best after 30 to 60 minutes out of the refrigerator. A small fresh cheese needs less time; a large, firm wedge may need more. Unwrap it shortly before serving so the surface stays supple rather than dry.
HOW MUCH CHEESE?
Before dinner: Allow approximately 2–3 ounces of cheese per guest. Keep the board generous enough to invite interest, but not large enough to defeat dinner.
After dinner: Allow approximately 1½–2 ounces per guest in total. Three modest tastes are more elegant than three doorstops.
Before Dinner
BUILDING AN APPETIZER BOARD
Choose three to five cheeses with different personalities: perhaps one fresh, one soft and creamy, one firm and aged, and something blue or washed-rind for those who enjoy a little thunder.
Add only a few accompaniments. Apples, pears, figs, grapes, Marcona almonds, walnuts, honey, chutney and olives all earn their place. Put each accompaniment beside the cheese it suits. Guests should not need a map to discover that the honey was intended for the blue.
Use a board large enough to leave cutting room. Give each cheese its own knife and serve bread or plain crackers separately so crumbs do not take possession of the platter.
After the Main Course
SERVING A CHEESE COURSE
An after-dinner cheese course should feel measured rather than monumental. Serve three small portions totaling approximately 1½–2 ounces per guest, with a knife and fork at each place.
Arrange the cheeses from mild to assertive and place one simple accompaniment beside each. Try aged cow’s-milk cheese with dates, fresh chèvre with almonds, or creamy blue with honey. Add a few slices of good bread and leave enough open space for the plate to look inviting.
A cheese course is optional. After a rich, highly spiced or elaborate meal, restraint may be the wiser form of hospitality.
Wine & Cheese
PAIR BY CHARACTER, NOT BY RULEBOOK
Match weight with weight, intensity with intensity, and let contrast do a little useful work.
FRESH & DELICATE
Fresh chèvre, ricotta and young bloomy cheeses favor bright, lively wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, sparkling wine or a restrained Chardonnay.
CREAMY & SOFT
Brie-style and triple-cream cheeses welcome sparkling wine, Chardonnay and supple Pinot Noir. Acidity refreshes the palate while the bubbles make short work of the richness.
FIRM & AGED
Aged cheddar, Gouda and Alpine cheeses can meet fuller wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux-style blends, Shiraz or a structured Chardonnay.
BLUE & PUNGENT
Salt and intensity often benefit from a touch of sweetness. Try blue cheese with a sweet or fruit-rich wine, or pair a powerful washed-rind cheese with an equally confident bottle.
The best pairing is the one that makes you return to both the cheese and the glass. Everything else is useful advice.
CUTTING, SERVING AND SAVING THE REST
BEFORE SERVING
- Remove only what you expect to serve.
- Keep cheese covered while it loses its chill.
- Cut soft cheese while it is still cool.
- Separate delicate cheeses from pungent ones.
AT THE TABLE
- Use a suitable knife or tool for each cheese.
- Cut wedges so everyone receives some rind and center.
- Avoid pre-cutting appetizer cheese into dry little cubes.
- Label unfamiliar cheeses for a formal tasting.
AFTERWARD
- Rewrap leftovers in breathable cheese paper.
- Keep different cheeses wrapped separately.
- Return them to the refrigerator promptly.
- Let good cheese live to see another bottle.
A Brief Note on Heat
COOKING WITH CHEESE
Cheese does not melt according to one tidy rule. Moisture, acidity, age and protein structure all matter. Young, moist cheeses generally melt more readily; dry, aged cheeses may soften, brown or release fat rather than flow smoothly.
Use gentle heat. High temperatures can tighten the proteins and separate the fat, leaving a sauce that looks as though it has reconsidered the arrangement. Wine or another acidic liquid can help a fondue remain smooth, while steady stirring keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
Browning is not failure. On gratins, rarebit and pizza, those burnished edges are often the part people quietly compete for.
KEEP EXPLORING
The cheese is only half the conversation.
CHEESE CLUB
Four artisan cheeses selected for Williamson wines, delivered every quarter.
DISCOVER CHEESE CLUBRECIPES
Find dishes, cheeses and wine pairings developed by the Williamson culinary team.
EXPLORE RECIPESWILLIAMSON WINES
Discover California wines shaped by the great European traditions and made for the table.
EXPLORE THE WINESWINE HAS FOUND ITS CHEESE
Join Cheese Club and let our culinary team choose the pairings. Your difficult decision is whom to invite.