Can you imagine a better winter comfort food than fondue? Coming together with friends and chatting over a pot of bubbling hot cheese will surely get you into the seasonal spirit. Fondue was created in Switzerland, originally as a way to use up old cheese and bread. It is made by melting local cheeses in a large pot and mixing it with garlic and wine - that’s a match made in heaven! But which wines should be paired with which cheeses? Read on to discover which wines and cheeses will make the best fondue.
Choice of Cheese
It is logical that the choice of cheese will make or break the perfect fondue experience. Not surprisingly, the best cheeses for fondue are the ones from Switzerland, where fondue originates. Traditionally fondue is made with hard or semi-hard, high-fat cheeses like Gruyère, Fontina, Raclette or Emmental. The age of the cheese heavily affects the melting time because the ageing process breaks up the protein, allowing the cheese to melt more easily.
The famous fondue combination is called moitié-moitié, which means half and half. This combination consists of 2 cheeses, most famously Gruyère with Emmental. They’re the ideal fusion because Emmental alone doesn’t have enough flavour. And while Gruyère is fully flavoured, it’s a challenge to eat large amounts of this cheese because of its richness. Therefore the half and half blend of the two cheeses makes the perfect combination of flavour and texture. The cheeses are both widely available as well.
Choice of Wine
Wine is the second essential ingredient, not only because of its flavour, but because it gives the fondue its smooth texture. Wine contains natural tartaric acid, which balances the fat in cheese and prevents it from clumping.
Swiss wines are perfect, but these may not be available everywhere. If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of Swiss wine, then choose a wine with high acidity. There’s plenty to pick from... Picpoul de Pinet and Muscadet are both great fits. Grüner Veltliner is a good option too. Light Italian wines from Alpine region are also perfect. Wines from the neighbouring Savoie region in France made of Jacquere grapes are very suitable as well. However, Sauvignon Blanc is not recommended for fondue because of it’s strong herbal flavour and neither is Chardonnay because it is too rich.
Drinking Wine or Water?
What to drink with this heavily filling dinner? The Swiss say one should never drink water with fondue. Water will congeal in your stomach creating a giant ball of cheese, which your digestive system will not appreciate. Although this might not be scientifically true, traditionally fondue is paired with wine. Dry white wines or crisp, aromatic wines, like Riesling, are a good option. Light red wines can be combined too, but bold red wines don’t pair well with fondue.
Cheese fondue may be the ultimate comfort food for a snowy winter evening and fondue and wine is a true match made in heaven. The right selection of cheese and wine is all you need to create the perfect fondue experience with friends. So grab a fork, uncork and start melting!
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