The Absolute Best Charcuterie Board Pairings For Chardonnay

Wine and charcuterie go together like peanut butter and jelly. The sophisticated pairing can serve to whet the appetites of your dinner party guests or satisfy your own cravings as an easy, savory snack. And while you can wing it and go with whichever meat and cheese options you already have in your fridge, making the most of your spread requires a little extra planning. For one thing, you'll want to make sure that you're serving the best type of wine to go with your charcuterie, and vice versa.

If you're planing on serving a chardonnay, you'll want to keep its flavor in mind when choosing your bites. This versatile white wine "may be clean and zippy, oaked and buttery, oxidized and nutty, and anything in between," John Montez, Training and Curriculum Manager at Murray's Cheese, says. "Its structure can range from very gentle to slightly heavier for a white." 

"For a charcuterie pairing, I recommend jambon de Paris," he suggests. "This cooked ham is spiced with celery and nutmeg making it delicate enough to pair with the fresher styles of chardonnay and savory enough to play nicely with the heavier styles." Indeed, the French-style wet-cured ham is on the leaner side and unsmoked, meaning it has a more mild flavor that won't overpower your vino. As a bonus, you can use any leftovers to make a classic jambon-buerre sandwich.

Choosing the right kind of cheese to go with your wine is crucially important. Unsurprisingly, John Montez knows a thing or two in that department as well. "A mild washed rind cheese like Taleggio, Murray's 80:10:10 , or even Raclette can make for surprising and wonderful pairing partners for the full range of chardonnay styles," he shares. "These are creamy cheeses with notes of struck match, roasted meat, and vegetables." The best part? They should work with any sort of chardonnay you're uncorking. "The fresher styles of chardonnay will cut right through the creaminess of the cheese while the heavier styles will bring out the savory flavors," he adds. "Either way, you can't go wrong." 

While most cheese connoisseurs are likely familiar with Taleggio and Raclette (also known as fondue's lazy cousin), you may be curious about Montez's Murray's pick. The 80:10:10 variety is named for its ratio of cow's milk, sheep's milk, and goat's milk, and is in fact inspired by Taleggio. Per the retailer, it is aged in a washed rind cave for six weeks, taking on "buttery, bready notes" in the process. Like the jambon de Paris, all three of these cheeses are also more subtle in taste, though their creaminess serves as a nice complement to the ham, and any other accoutrements you've added to your spread, from salty crackers to sweet grapes to savory olives.