We’ve all had a moment where we are looking to have a nice evening or picnic with a perfect pairing of wine and cheese. The art of knowing which cheeses pair with particular wines seems to be limited to trained professionals. The team at Dairy West knew that there had to be a way to educate curious foodies. They came together to create Unbottled and the Unbottled Matchmaker, a free dairy and wine-cheese pairing website software that seeks to educate Idahoans on local dairy. We can agree that these pairings are a match made in heaven! Here’s why.
How the Unbottled Matchmaker Works
Created by actual food scientists, the Unbottled Matchmaker uses hours upon hours of testing to expertly conclude which wines, beers, and ciders match with the different kinds of Idaho-made cheeses. Once you’re on the matchmaking website, you will be prompted to choose a foundation wine or cheese that you know you would like to eat or drink. It’s best to start this process with an idea in mind, meaning you know you want to drink a Malbec, Pinot Grigio, or Apple Cider, or that you would like a drink to pair with an Asiago or Gouda piece of cheese.
Points of consideration for wine, beer, or ciders:
- Grape variety
- Aroma
- Body
- Taste profile
- Dryness
- Hop forward
Points of consideration for cheeses:
- Boldness
- Age
- Flavor profile
- Structure
Photo Credit: Unbottled
The Totally Boise Unbottled Matchmaker Experience
As loyal wine and cheese lovers, we had to try this groundbreaking technology for ourselves. White, soft flavor and firm body cheeses are my favorite, and I’m curious what pairs nicely with quality local Gouda cheese.
Here’s what the Unbottled Matchmaker showed me would complement the cheese:
Wine:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
- Riesling
- Pinto Grigio
- Chardonnay
Beer:
Cider:
Producer:
- Ballard Cheese (Idaho)
- The Creamery (Utah)
- Rockhill Creamery (Utah)
Food Pairing:
Now, with the help of the Unbottled Matchmaker, I can head to the grocery store with the perfect pairing list made for me. If I was just throwing together a quick appetizer for my significant other and myself before dinner, we can have a significantly elevated and full circle tasting experience.
Being a big fan of the charcuterie board style of meal, I could take note of the pairings of a few types of wines or cheese and build a board like the experts. An added perk is that I’m also learning how affordable excellent cheese is when it’s raised and produced locally.
Head to the link below to start discovering for yourself what cheese pairs with which beverages!
Unbottled Matchmaker
Who is Dairy West and Unbottled?
Recognizing that many Idahoans come from a rich and longstanding dairy heritage, Dairy West was eager to connect the passionate farmers with one another as well as the Idaho community. Later, the dairy farmers and producers of Utah were brought into the group as a fitting close neighboring state with many fine products available. Run, managed, and grown by people all across southern Idaho and Utah, they are connected directly with the consumers of the area and are passionate about getting the best dairy available into our local grocery stores.
To help further educate Idahoans on the nutrition of the dairy farms in their network, Dairy West created Unbottled. On the Unbottled website, you can sign up for a Dairy World Tour, discover how to boost your fitness with dairy, and read questions submitted by the community.
Photo Credit: Dairy West
Photo Credit: Unbottled