Wine Pairings
When pairing cheesecakes with dessert wines, a good rule of thumb is for the wine to be sweeter than the cheesecake, this way the cheesecake
and wine complement each other without being an overly sweet combination. These notes are based primarily on tastings I've done and cheesecakes
I've created for different wines and occasions, but the important point is this; grab some cheesecakes, a couple bottles of wine and sit for a
while with your friends or significant other: Nothing but fun!
There are several different wines that pair beautifully with this cheesecake for different reasons. The chocolate used in this cheesecake is from Scharffen Berger and tends to be a fruitier chocolate than the other I bake with. My personal favorite pairing for this cheesecake is the Late Harvest Zinfandel from Harvest Moon, in the Russian River. The first time I visited Harvest Moon and tasted this wine I knew this was a match. The next time I went up I brought Randy, the winemaker, a cake and since then he has on occasion used this cheesecake to pair with this wine when he does tastings. The lightness and sweetness of the wine, with flavors of raspberry, blackberry, chocolate and a little pepper to give it a kick; Yum!
The Kent Rasmussen Zinfandel Port is also a Great wine to pair with this cheesecake. This wine complements in a fuller way, with deep flavors of plum, blackberry, a little vanilla and caramel.
For a completely different combination, try a lightly sparkling Moscato D'Asti with the chocolate cheesecakes. This is a white wine that has a little sweetness, but really accentuates the flavor of the chocolate. It's crazy and well worth the try for a different chocolate cheesecake and wine experience.
Double Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate Shortbread Crust
This cheesecake pairs well with wines that are less sweet and, fuller bodied with flavors that the chocolate will complement, such as dark cherry, plum, blueberry, vanilla, dark berries and some caramel or smokiness from the barrels.
A medium or full bodied Syrah, a Cabernet Sauvignon or even a Cabernet Franc would be a great combination. For something different, pair this cheesecake with a Banyuls, a French wine with fuller, sweeter, orange, caramel and oak flavors that complement the chocolate filling and shortbread crust. For those that like orange and chocolate together, this would be fun to try.
Some people may wonder about white chocolate, but this is something I use primarily to complement fruit flavors in other cheesecakes. Adding the white chocolate to a strawberry swirl or pumpkin cheesecake adds a little richness and complements the fruit flavor without taking attention away from the fruit. Also, because white chocolate doesn't have any cacao in it the flavor profile is completely different than a darker or even a milk chocolate. Often, white chocolate is not even considered a chocolate because it does not have cacao in it.
This is one of the cheesecakes that I originally made for my friend Gary who owns the first wine bar in San Francisco, The London Wine Bar. He asked me to create a cheesecake for Thanksgiving that would pair with a wonderful 20 year old Moscato that he had. It had a light, wonderful floral nose with flavors of light orange, caramel and vanilla. After tasting a little more, chatting about the flavors of the wine and who would be at dinner, I came up with a couple ideas and created this cheesecake. Everyone loved it! Que Syrah Wine Bar paired this particularly well with a glass of Banyuls. The deep orange, caramel and vanilla flavors complement this cheesecake surprisingly well. The caramel and Orange flavors in the Pedro Jimenez Turkey Flat wine are another example of delicious combination of deep orange and caramel. This is a perfect example of very different styles of wines that match deliciously with one cheesecake.
Wild Huckleberry Cheesecake with Lemon Shortbread Crust
This is not only a delicious cheesecake, it is one of the most beautiful with it's lavender shade of purple, sprinkled with whole and crushed, wild foraged huckleberries. Share this cheesecake over some prosecco or a sparkling moscato to lighten and bring out the flavor of the berries. A light, lemony Muscat Cannelli or other fruity/lemony wine would provide more tang and spritz up the berries. Finally, a light red wine such as a fruity Pinot Noir or Syrah, or a late harvest red wine would complement the fruit and bring out a fuller berry flavor.
Fresh Lemon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Almond Biscotti Crust
Although I did not originally create this cheesecake for wine pairing, on a recent trip to Rosenblum Cellars in Alameda I tasted their Muscat Cannelli (2005, North Coast) and as soon as I tasted it, it's richness and light lemon flavors immediately brought to mind my Lemon Vanilla Bean cheesecake. The floral nose and soft yellow hue of the wine help to further complement the same characteristics in the cheesecake. At Savvy Cellar Wine Bar in Redwood City, they did a wonderful job pairing this cheesecake with both a Prosecco Brut and a Late Harvest Riesling, harvested from Botryitis grapes, from New Zealand. These are perfect examples of balancing light sweetness and soft lemon.
Fruit Swirl and White Chocolate Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust
(Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry and others)
These are my own twist on a popular style cheesecake, the fruit swirl. The white chocolate complements the fruit and adds a touch of richness and my graham cracker crust adds a cookie crunch where most graham crusts tend to be soft and moist. A nice Moscato d'Asti or a light floral red wine with flavors of strawberry or raspberry, such as a Brachetto or some Rose's, would be delicious with any of the Fruit swirl cheesecakes.
Candycap Mushroom Cheesecake with a Toasted Pecan Shortbread Crust
This is an amazing cheesecake itself; a mushroom that tastes like maple. People are always shocked that this is even possible, but pair this cheesecake with some Roussane Botrytis wine from Truchard (2005), and you'll really be in heaven! The light maple flavor in the filling and pecan shortbread crust are So Good with the more sweet caramel, vanilla and floral flavors of the wine. Very little of this wine is made, but if you can get ahold of some and share a cheesecake with your friends or family, everyone will be impressed. This wine also pairs wonderfully with a rich, deep caramelly Madeira, such as the Blandys 10 year old that they paired it with at Savvy Cellar.
Botrytis, also known as 'Noble Rot' is a naturally occurring phenomena that occurs when dry conditions follow wet conditions in the vineyard, causing the grapes to shrivel, or raisin, while still on the vine creating an intense, flavor packed grape.
Chanterelle Apricot Brandy Cheesecake with an Almond Shortbread Crust
I originally created this cheesecake to have another interesting, fun mushroom cheesecake on my menu. However, the rich, buttery, light woodsy flavors with a light apricot kick pair perfectly with another wine that I found on my recent trip to Rosenblum Cellars, the Late Harvest Viognier, harvested from Botrytis grapes (lot 34, Lodi, Late Harvest, Ripken Ranch). The richness, sweetness and ripe apricot flavors with hints of peaches and honey make this wine a perfect match. Other wines with these characteristics will pair deliciously as well.
Honey Spice Cheesecake with a Vanilla Bean Shortbread Crust
I originally created this cheesecake to match with white dessert wines. I had Vin Santo in mind, but it works well with several including a late harvest gewurtztraminer or a moscato d'asti. This also paired well with the Truchard Roussane. The filling is sweetened with honey and has vanilla bean and warming spices to match the flavors you'd find in these wines.
Baklava Cheesecake with a Seasoned Walnut Shortbread Crust
If you are familiar with the popular Greek dessert, although also found in many Mediterranean countries, Bakalva then you will be familiar with the flavors in this cheesecake. The crust is a seasoned walnut crust, similar to the filling I make for Baklava and the filling has honey and spices in it adding a flavor like the Baklava syrup. This cheesecake is a personal favorite of mine since I adapted it from my grandmother Mache's recipe. This cheesecake was particularly good with both the Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer from Kent Rasmussen and the Truchard Roussane. Flavors of caramel, spice and a little richness make these delicious pairings.
Amaretto Cheesecake with an Almond Shortbread Crust
The Brachetto I tasted at Que Syrah in West Portal is a perfect example of a light red wine matching deliciously with an almond flavored cheesecake. When they first told me about this pairing they do, I was a little surprised, but the aromas of rose petals and the light raspberry flavors taste So Good with the amaretto filling and the almonds in the crust. You really should try this.
Dark Chocolate Cheesecakes
Chocolate cheesecakes often, but not always get paired with red wines. Whether you like a fuller or lighter complementing flavor will determine which wine, or type of wine, you choose. There are also white wines that pair well with chocolate cheesecakes, depending on the flavors and styles you are looking for.
Chocolate cheesecakes often, but not always get paired with red wines. Whether you like a fuller or lighter complementing flavor will determine which wine, or type of wine, you choose. There are also white wines that pair well with chocolate cheesecakes, depending on the flavors and styles you are looking for.
Some common terms to describe red wines that will pair well with the chocolate cheesecakes;
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Liqueur Cheesecake with a Chocolate Shortbread Crust- Dark berries, plumy, chocolate, raspberry, blackberry, caramel, spice, vanilla.
There are several different wines that pair beautifully with this cheesecake for different reasons. The chocolate used in this cheesecake is from Scharffen Berger and tends to be a fruitier chocolate than the other I bake with. My personal favorite pairing for this cheesecake is the Late Harvest Zinfandel from Harvest Moon, in the Russian River. The first time I visited Harvest Moon and tasted this wine I knew this was a match. The next time I went up I brought Randy, the winemaker, a cake and since then he has on occasion used this cheesecake to pair with this wine when he does tastings. The lightness and sweetness of the wine, with flavors of raspberry, blackberry, chocolate and a little pepper to give it a kick; Yum!
The Kent Rasmussen Zinfandel Port is also a Great wine to pair with this cheesecake. This wine complements in a fuller way, with deep flavors of plum, blackberry, a little vanilla and caramel.
For a completely different combination, try a lightly sparkling Moscato D'Asti with the chocolate cheesecakes. This is a white wine that has a little sweetness, but really accentuates the flavor of the chocolate. It's crazy and well worth the try for a different chocolate cheesecake and wine experience.
Double Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate Shortbread Crust
This cheesecake pairs well with wines that are less sweet and, fuller bodied with flavors that the chocolate will complement, such as dark cherry, plum, blueberry, vanilla, dark berries and some caramel or smokiness from the barrels.
A medium or full bodied Syrah, a Cabernet Sauvignon or even a Cabernet Franc would be a great combination. For something different, pair this cheesecake with a Banyuls, a French wine with fuller, sweeter, orange, caramel and oak flavors that complement the chocolate filling and shortbread crust. For those that like orange and chocolate together, this would be fun to try.
Some people may wonder about white chocolate, but this is something I use primarily to complement fruit flavors in other cheesecakes. Adding the white chocolate to a strawberry swirl or pumpkin cheesecake adds a little richness and complements the fruit flavor without taking attention away from the fruit. Also, because white chocolate doesn't have any cacao in it the flavor profile is completely different than a darker or even a milk chocolate. Often, white chocolate is not even considered a chocolate because it does not have cacao in it.
Fruit Cheesecakes
In general, these cheesecakes pair better with white dessert wines for their more floral, fruit or caramel and vanilla flavors than the fruit and berry flavors found in red wines. Dark berry cheesecakes will also pair deliciously with light and fruity red wines that have soft tannins and/or have nicely balanced acidity as well. There are always exceptions however and, of course, it's always best to sit with a few different cheesecakes, some different bottles of wine and compare with your friends.
In general, these cheesecakes pair better with white dessert wines for their more floral, fruit or caramel and vanilla flavors than the fruit and berry flavors found in red wines. Dark berry cheesecakes will also pair deliciously with light and fruity red wines that have soft tannins and/or have nicely balanced acidity as well. There are always exceptions however and, of course, it's always best to sit with a few different cheesecakes, some different bottles of wine and compare with your friends.
Some common terms to describe wines that will pair well with the fruit cheesecakes;
Fresh Orange and Grand Marnier Cheesecake with an Almond Shortbread Crust- Light fruit, berries, strawberry, orange, pear, peach, lemon, vanilla, rose petals, floral, acidic.
This is one of the cheesecakes that I originally made for my friend Gary who owns the first wine bar in San Francisco, The London Wine Bar. He asked me to create a cheesecake for Thanksgiving that would pair with a wonderful 20 year old Moscato that he had. It had a light, wonderful floral nose with flavors of light orange, caramel and vanilla. After tasting a little more, chatting about the flavors of the wine and who would be at dinner, I came up with a couple ideas and created this cheesecake. Everyone loved it! Que Syrah Wine Bar paired this particularly well with a glass of Banyuls. The deep orange, caramel and vanilla flavors complement this cheesecake surprisingly well. The caramel and Orange flavors in the Pedro Jimenez Turkey Flat wine are another example of delicious combination of deep orange and caramel. This is a perfect example of very different styles of wines that match deliciously with one cheesecake.
Wild Huckleberry Cheesecake with Lemon Shortbread Crust
This is not only a delicious cheesecake, it is one of the most beautiful with it's lavender shade of purple, sprinkled with whole and crushed, wild foraged huckleberries. Share this cheesecake over some prosecco or a sparkling moscato to lighten and bring out the flavor of the berries. A light, lemony Muscat Cannelli or other fruity/lemony wine would provide more tang and spritz up the berries. Finally, a light red wine such as a fruity Pinot Noir or Syrah, or a late harvest red wine would complement the fruit and bring out a fuller berry flavor.
Fresh Lemon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Almond Biscotti Crust
Although I did not originally create this cheesecake for wine pairing, on a recent trip to Rosenblum Cellars in Alameda I tasted their Muscat Cannelli (2005, North Coast) and as soon as I tasted it, it's richness and light lemon flavors immediately brought to mind my Lemon Vanilla Bean cheesecake. The floral nose and soft yellow hue of the wine help to further complement the same characteristics in the cheesecake. At Savvy Cellar Wine Bar in Redwood City, they did a wonderful job pairing this cheesecake with both a Prosecco Brut and a Late Harvest Riesling, harvested from Botryitis grapes, from New Zealand. These are perfect examples of balancing light sweetness and soft lemon.
Fruit Swirl and White Chocolate Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust
(Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry and others)
These are my own twist on a popular style cheesecake, the fruit swirl. The white chocolate complements the fruit and adds a touch of richness and my graham cracker crust adds a cookie crunch where most graham crusts tend to be soft and moist. A nice Moscato d'Asti or a light floral red wine with flavors of strawberry or raspberry, such as a Brachetto or some Rose's, would be delicious with any of the Fruit swirl cheesecakes.
Spice Cheesecakes
Some common terms to describe white wines that will pair well the spice cheesecakes;
Some common terms to describe white wines that will pair well the spice cheesecakes;
- caramel, spices, vanilla, honeysuckle, different nuts / nutty, acidic.
This is an amazing cheesecake itself; a mushroom that tastes like maple. People are always shocked that this is even possible, but pair this cheesecake with some Roussane Botrytis wine from Truchard (2005), and you'll really be in heaven! The light maple flavor in the filling and pecan shortbread crust are So Good with the more sweet caramel, vanilla and floral flavors of the wine. Very little of this wine is made, but if you can get ahold of some and share a cheesecake with your friends or family, everyone will be impressed. This wine also pairs wonderfully with a rich, deep caramelly Madeira, such as the Blandys 10 year old that they paired it with at Savvy Cellar.
Botrytis, also known as 'Noble Rot' is a naturally occurring phenomena that occurs when dry conditions follow wet conditions in the vineyard, causing the grapes to shrivel, or raisin, while still on the vine creating an intense, flavor packed grape.
Chanterelle Apricot Brandy Cheesecake with an Almond Shortbread Crust
I originally created this cheesecake to have another interesting, fun mushroom cheesecake on my menu. However, the rich, buttery, light woodsy flavors with a light apricot kick pair perfectly with another wine that I found on my recent trip to Rosenblum Cellars, the Late Harvest Viognier, harvested from Botrytis grapes (lot 34, Lodi, Late Harvest, Ripken Ranch). The richness, sweetness and ripe apricot flavors with hints of peaches and honey make this wine a perfect match. Other wines with these characteristics will pair deliciously as well.
Honey Spice Cheesecake with a Vanilla Bean Shortbread Crust
I originally created this cheesecake to match with white dessert wines. I had Vin Santo in mind, but it works well with several including a late harvest gewurtztraminer or a moscato d'asti. This also paired well with the Truchard Roussane. The filling is sweetened with honey and has vanilla bean and warming spices to match the flavors you'd find in these wines.
Baklava Cheesecake with a Seasoned Walnut Shortbread Crust
If you are familiar with the popular Greek dessert, although also found in many Mediterranean countries, Bakalva then you will be familiar with the flavors in this cheesecake. The crust is a seasoned walnut crust, similar to the filling I make for Baklava and the filling has honey and spices in it adding a flavor like the Baklava syrup. This cheesecake is a personal favorite of mine since I adapted it from my grandmother Mache's recipe. This cheesecake was particularly good with both the Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer from Kent Rasmussen and the Truchard Roussane. Flavors of caramel, spice and a little richness make these delicious pairings.
Amaretto Cheesecake with an Almond Shortbread Crust
The Brachetto I tasted at Que Syrah in West Portal is a perfect example of a light red wine matching deliciously with an almond flavored cheesecake. When they first told me about this pairing they do, I was a little surprised, but the aromas of rose petals and the light raspberry flavors taste So Good with the amaretto filling and the almonds in the crust. You really should try this.
© 2007 San Francisco CheeseQuake