Girl Dinner: Five Wine & Cheese Pairings for Galentine’s Day
So you’re hosting the girls for a Galentine’s Day soirée. Heart-shaped balloons, chocolates, and love-themed decor have already been checked off the shopping list — only things left to pick up are wine and cheese!
Here are five must-try combinations suggested by our wonderful winemaker, Vanessa Hoffman. Whether you’re looking for an extravagant cheesy dish to impress your date for Valentine’s Day or a simple take on the viral ‘girl dinner’ circulating the internet, we have got you covered.
One of Vanessa’s all-time favorite cheeses is a block of Brillat-Savarin. It’s creamy and rich with slightly tangy, herbaceous, and sweet notes. Scrape the cheese closest to the soft rind for a gooey bite, or dive into the center for a ricotta-like texture. A good pairing requires a wine with gripping acidity to cut through the richness of this cheese. The classic choice is a sparkling wine (rec: our Brut!), but our Seyval Blanc has a pleasant grassiness and grapefruit notes that will make the flavors of the cheese sing. If you can’t find Brillat-Savarin, any double or triple cream brie will bring almost as much joy to your evening.
Make it a ‘Girl Dinner’
Rainforest crackers (crunchy brown crackers with fruit and nuts), Brillat-Savarin (or brie), fig preserves, and Castelvestrano olives with a bottle of extra-chilly Knapp Seyval Blanc. What’s a ‘girl dinner’ without a sweet treat to end the night? For this, Vanessa recommends a bowl of raspberry sorbet.
Despite the stereotype, red wine can actually be difficult to pair well with cheese. However, Blaufrankisch has the acidity needed to stand up to rich food. Nutty and buttery with a touch of sweetness, gruyère pairs perfectly with Blaufrankisch’s spice and black fruit notes. Just like gruyère, Blaufrankisch is delicately flavored with a strong backbone.
Make it a ‘Girl Dinner’
Wedges of gruyère with candied pecans, prosciutto, and red grapes. Knapp Blaufrankisch in a stemless glass so you can cozy up on the couch to nibble and sip while watching an episode of Friends.
A big, bold wine needs a cheese that can hold its own. The salty, pungent flavors are a surprising pairing with the tropical notes in our Forte Bianco. The residual sugar in the wine meld with the creaminess of the Stilton. Ice wine is a classic pairing with Stilton, but while we wait for our next release, it’s time to try something new!
Make it a ‘Girl Dinner’
Cut the Silton into thick slices and drizzle Finger Lakes honey over it. Top with lightly toasted walnuts. Savor slowly between sips of chilled Knapp Forte Bianco. It’s practically like eating sunshine and is the perfect cure for the winter doldrums.
Goat cheese is gamy and earthy while also being fresh and tangy. The bracing grapefruit, lime peel, and wet stone in our Dry Riesling pairs marvelously with goat cheese — bringing out a slight nuttiness. Herb-coated goat cheese works even better for this duo!
Make it a ‘Girl Dinner’ (Date Mode)
Chill the goat cheese in the freezer for about 30 minutes until very firm. Cut it into thick slices and dredge with flour, egg, and panko. Pan-fry the slices in butter and olive oil until golden brown. Place over a salad of sweet lettuces and pickled red onion with a classic lemon vinaigrette. Set the dining table with fresh linen, light a candle, turn on French bistro music, and enjoy with a glass of Knapp Riesling. In the summer, this meal is best enjoyed on a garden-facing patio.
Can you tell yet that Vanessa loves soft cheeses best? Fresh, creamy burrata is a wonderful pairing to our unusual Saignée Rosé. This is a sleeper hit of a food wine. As a rosé with more body and red wine character than the typical pale salmon Provencal rosés, this wine can pair with fresh, vinegary salads just as well as rich dishes like boeuf bourguignon. Our Saignée Rosé has a touch of tomato leaf and red fruit, cranberry and raspberry. It also has a tongue-coating creaminess from being fermented and aged in neutral barrel. It truly sings with a fresh and creamy cheese, like burrata!
Make it a ‘Girl Dinner’ (Medium Mode)
In winter, wash some cherry tomatoes (or any smaller variety) and toss them on a baking sheet with salt and twice the amount of olive oil and whole garlic cloves than you think is rational (#GarlicGirl). Bake for a couple of hours at 250°F until the smell fills your kitchen, then top with shredded basil. This will make the sad winter tomatoes taste like summer once again. Eat warm with big, torn pieces of crusty bread and cool burrata. Best served on a platter with friends by the fire. Remember, burrata balls are single servings, so don’t be shy! During the summer, all you have to do is plate some aromatic cantaloupe, freshly sliced prosciutto, and a ball of burrata.
Whatever way you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, you deserve to treat yourself to a decadent pairing of your favorite wine and cheese.
Shop Knapp wines for home delivery on our website, visit the winery to stock up for love-filled celebrations, or join our Wine Club to keep the curated selections coming all year round!
From all of us at Knapp Winery,
Happy Valentine’s Day