Why You Should Serve Port With Your Next Cheese Board

When it comes to arranging a great cheese board, a good variety of quality cheeses is paramount, but it's also important to choose a drink that pairs perfectly. If you fancy a change from your usual wine, sweet and strong port is a great option that makes your cheese board one to remember. To get some pro tips on serving this sweet fortified wine with cheese, Food Republic consulted Lexi Stephens, wine expert and the owner of Lexi's Wine List.

Along with rich chocolate desserts, blue cheeses are one of Stephens' favorite partners for port. "Port is intense enough to stand up to the flavors of these bold foods, and both blue cheese and chocolate smooth out the wine and highlight its fruity characteristics," she says. She recommends "stinky cheeses" such as English Stilton, as the piquant flavor perfectly complements a full-bodied vintage port. This style develops its powerful, robust taste due to a longer period of aging in the bottle.

Other blue cheeses that are salty and savory balance the inherent sweetness of the drink. Roquefort is a great match, or go for a creamier blue cheese like gorgonzola to bring out the spicy, fruity, and chocolatey notes in your port. Other cheeses on your board can work equally well with the beverage — the important thing is to match the style of port with the flavor profile of the cheese.

If you're not a fan of funky blue cheese, sharp cheddar is a crowd-pleasing cheese board option which works especially well with vintage port or fruity ruby port. If you're serving the ruby kind, you could also add brie, taleggio, or a tangy goat cheese to the selection. The creaminess of the dairy pairs perfectly with the vibrant fruitiness.

If you prefer tawny port, which ages in wooden casks and has a more mellow and slightly nutty flavor, try pairing it with hard, salty cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan, or a rich Gruyère. For a white port, you could try hazelnutty Comté or an aged gouda.

A money-saving tip for scoring fancy cheese on a budget is to ask your deli or cheesemonger if they have any off-cuts, which means you can try a wide variety to see what suits your particular port best. And if you're serving a dessert after your cheese board (or in addition to it), port can match with all kinds of choices. Lexi Stephens says you can pair "different styles of port with a range of desserts because the sugar content in the wine complements sweet dishes perfectly." She adds, "Try a chocolate lava cake with ruby port — it's a match made in heaven."