5 Best Wine Pairings for Brie Cheese

Wine and cheese are a match made in heaven. It seems as if the two were designed to be eaten together. 

Despite this pairing’s popularity, finding the right wine and cheese duo can be much more difficult than it seems.

No two kinds of cheese are alike, just as no two wines are alike. Finding a wine that truly complements a complex, delicious wheel of cheese can take dozens of tries.

Fortunately, this becomes a little easier when it comes to brie. 

This immensely popular French cheese is one of the most versatile on the market when it comes to finding a perfect wine pair. Covering a wide range of flavor profiles from young, milky brie to mature, fatty brie, this cheese can be paired with many of your favorite varietals.

Read on to learn all about the basic pairing guidelines for finding the best wine for your brie and discover which bottle (or bottles) you should choose for your next wine and brie night! 

What Kind of Wine Goes With Brie Cheese?

Brie is a soft-ripened cheese originating from the Brie district of France that is made predominantly from cow’s milk, although sheep’s milk brie can also be found. 

It’s one of the most well-known cheeses around the globe and has earned the moniker of the “Queen of Cheese.” If you haven’t come across brie yet, you’ll be able to identify this French cheese by its milky, edible rind and creamy, gooey interior.

Not only does brie make a natural accompaniment to crackers or a gourmet wrap, but it also is one of the most common types of cheese when it comes to a wine and cheese night.

Brie’s nutty and tangy flavor profile makes it an incredibly versatile cheese with many different natural pairings. A mature brie needs a powerful, complex wine, while a younger brie works wonders with a light, crisp wine. 

Most pairings for brie are found on the side of low-tannin white wines and crisp sparkling wines, though fruity and light-bodied reds can also bring out the best in brie.

In general, you’ll want to steer away from full-bodied reds as the rich flavors within these varietals will taste flabby by comparison to the decadent compounds within the brie. 

But what if you want to get a bit more specific? What if you have a few varietals on hand and you’re not sure which to choose?

That’s exactly why we’re here.

We’ve compiled five tried-and-true varietals that will make your next wheel of brie taste even more delicious than you thought possible.

Pinot Noir

The first thing to consider when pairing any food with wine is whether the flavors complement or contrast each other without either food or drink becoming overwhelmed. That’s exactly why you want to reach for a bottle of Pinot Noir when you break out the brie.

The subtle flavors within this creamy cheese are perfectly accentuated by the smooth body of Pinot Noir. This versatile red is known to be delicate in nature, and its long finish is perfect for a brie recipe like baked brie for a simple yet exquisite complementary brie wine pairing.

Merlot

Merlot makes a fantastic introduction to red wine, and it also makes a fine pairing for brie cheese. Look for a Merlot with minimal tannins and a strong fruit fragrance, as these qualities will cut through the fattier flavors of a mature brie.

Merlot is of the more intense red wines out there, so be sure to look for a more delicate vintage to make the most of your milky French cheese.

Champagne

If you’d like to stick to higher French culture, a bottle of Champagne transforms any wheel of brie into a celebration. 

Champagne’s trademark acidity strikes a pleasing contrast to the fatty flavor profile within a younger brie and works as a crisp palate cleanser. The crisp bubbles accentuate the delicious lipids within this famous cheese and make each bite enriched with gooey goodness.

Unoaked Chardonnay

As we’ve established, one of the best contrasting pairings for a milky, fatty cheese like brie is an acidic wine. Not only does this undercut the fatty flavors, but it adds a refreshing crispness not found in more 

For this reason, an unoaked Chardonnay is one of the first bottles you should reach for when you’re enjoying brie, whether it be a simple cheese and cracker platter or a scrumptious brie dish like an Apple Brie Salad. Steer clear of the more buttery oaked Chardonnay varieties, as the creamy flavors within the Chard will taste flabby in comparison to the French cheese. 

Riesling

This popular German sparkling wine is similar to an unoaked Chardonnay in its ability to cut through the creamy fat within a mouthwatering wheel of brie cheese.

You can opt for a Brut or Extra Brut Riesling if you want to maximize crisp contrast or look towards an off-dry Riesling for an extra infusion of sweetness to compliment and accentuate the brie’s natural sugars.

Bring Home The Brie With Wine Insiders

With its immense natural versatility and unmatched decadent flavors, it’s no wonder that brie is one of the most well-known and respected French cheeses.

Brie makes a natural accompaniment to any family gathering or at a charcuterie night amongst old friends. Discovering your personal best wine with brie cheese requires some experimentation, but it’s certainly worth the effort. 

Any one of the wines featured above can elevate your wheel of brie to new heights with a pleasing contrast of crisp bubbles or complementary robust tannins. 

For a wide selection of exquisite bottles perfect for pairing experimentation, look no further than Wine Insiders.

We have a constantly evolving catalog of reds, whites, and every bottle in between. Treat your taste buds to a new adventure.

While you’re waiting for your bottles to arrive, browse through our blog to discover all the tenets of food and wine pairing and learn more about the immense complexity and ingenuity within the world of winemaking on our Wine 101 page.