The finest Ontario and British Columbia wines make the best marriages with various Balderson mild and aged cheddars.
The cheese flatters the wine, and the wine mellows the cheese. The older the cheese, the more flavourful and intense the wine is needed to match it.
The Cheddar
Balderson Mild: a gentle, buttery cheese that would go well with a dry sparkling wine or a Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay or a dry rose. Avoid full-bodied reds with tannin or oak-aged Chardonnays whose flavour will overpower the cheese.
The Wines
Ontario: Chateau des Charmes Sauvignon Blanc
British Columbia: Calona Private Reserve Semillon
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The Cheddar
Balderson Extra Old: a Cheddar aged for up to eighteen months takes on a lively bite that requires a well-structured red wine to balance its intensity of flavour. A Canadian Merlot with its ripe blueberry-blackberry flavour will fill the bill.
The Wines
Ontario: Cave Spring Merlot
British Columbia: Tin Horn Creek Merlot
The Cheddar
Balderson Heritage (3 Year/5 Year): a rich spectrum of nutty, salty, fruity flavours that linger on the palate cry out for as full-bodied and as rich a red wine as you can find.
The Wines
Ontario: Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
British Columbia: Mission Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve
The Cheddar
Balderson Heritage 6 Year: the most intensely flavoured Cheddar, sharp and zesty. The best match is a ruby port or a sweet sherry. Only a few Canadian table wines have the power and concentration to stand beside this magnificent cheese.
The Wines
Ontario: Thirty Bench Merlot Reserve
British Columbia: Nichol Vineyard Syrah.
