3 Cheeses That Pair Perfectly With Prosecco

While they might be challenging to differentiate by looking at them, there is a difference between Champagne and Prosecco. Many imported brands and price points are available to choose from, but one of our absolute favorite Proseccos can be found at Costco for a steal, along with many other quality meats and cheeses perfect for a grazing board. The Italian sparkling wine tends to have a more fruit-forward sweetness to it with notes of pear and citrus, and is made from only Prosecco grapes, whereas Champagne usually contains a blend of French grapes. Also known for it's floral notes, Prosecco is generally considered an off-dry sparkling wine, however, the level of sweetness can vary, similar to Champagne.

There is a Prosecco wine for every situation, and with that comes the opportunity to pair cheeses, meats, breads, and smaller snacking items. But with such a wide array of options, it can be hard to narrow down which foods pair best with the bubbly wine. We spoke with chef Sergio Chamizo of Mareva 1939, a Spanish restaurant at The National Hotel Miami Beach, who hails from Spain and knows his way around a good cheese board. When it comes to pairing cheese with Prosecco, Chamizo recommends "cheeses with a slightly tangy flavor, a bit nutty, and semi-cured or soft" in texture. His three top picks are mahón, camembert, and monte enebro.

Chef Sergio Chamizo recommends pairing Prosecco with Mahón and calls it, "Bright, flaky, and salty with an unmistakable tang." While not as well known as it's Spanish cousin, Manchego, Mahón is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca. The edible washed rind gets it's light orange color from being rubbed with paprika, olive oil, and sometimes butter while it ages, imparting a soft but inviting boost of warm flavors to the cheese. Chamizo prefers Mahón that's been aged for a year, if you can find it, as the longer the cheese is aged, the more intense the flavor gets, not unlike an aged parmesan. Chef Chamizo told us that the flavors of an aged Mahón really complement "the fruity and bubbly character of Prosecco. The acidity of the wine balance[s] the richness of the cheese."

In addition to the salty Spanish cheese, try serving a mild cured sausage like Spanish chorizo alongside something sweet like dried apricots, which will mirror the sweetness of the Prosecco. To cut through the salty, rich, and sweet notes, a light drizzle of balsamic glaze would go a long way on a slice of grilled sourdough. Fruits and nuts like figs, both fresh or dried, and Marcona almonds — another delicious export from Spain — are fairly mild and delicate enough to be enjoyed alongside Prosecco and Mahón without distracting too much from the flavors of the wine and cheese.

Camembert is a French cow's milk cheese that chef Sergio Chamizo recommends as a pairing with Prosecco. The cheese has a bloomy rind reminiscent of a wheel of Brie, but a mature Camembert has more intense tasting notes like mushrooms and a vegetal sweetness. As the small wheel of cheese ages, the center becomes softer and more gooey, making it perfect for spreading on a crusty fresh baguette. The world might be running out of true Camembert cheese due to troubles with certain types of fungi used to age the cheese, so it may take a bit of searching to find a true Camembert from Normandy, France. 

Sometimes known as a stinky cheese, Camembert is ideal when served along other slightly pungent ingredients, like cornichons or a small bowl of whole grain mustard, where the acidity of those foods can help cut through the distinct richness of the cheese. In contrast, serve a sweeter element alongside the cheese, pickles, and Prosecco, like fig jam or honeycomb, for a bit of added texture as well as sweetness. Fresh berries with a bit of tartness, like blackberries or raspberries, are a perfect complement to the funky cheese and bright Prosecco, along with a square of semi-bitter dark chocolate to offset other sweet items. Along with Prosecco, camembert also pairs well with chardonnay. 

Along with Camembert, chef Sergio Chamizo suggests monte enebro to pair with the sparkling Italian wine. Chamizo says, "The cheese provides earthy and rich tones that complement the acidity of Prosecco." Another Spanish cheese, monte enebro is an award-winning, soft-ripened goat's milk cheese originally made by a father and his daughters in central Spain. What makes monte enebro so different from most goat cheeses is that it's covered in a mold commonly used to make blue cheeses, like Roquefort, which has an idyllic myth tied to its origin. 

Unlike most blue cheeses aged with this mold, monte enebro stays pure and creamy in the center as the outer surface is not pierced, which prevents the mold from permeating past the rind. This outer coating is edible and can sometimes be confused with ash, which is used in the popular soft goat cheese Humbolt Fog. Monte enebro has citrusy notes as well as funky, pungent, and peppery flavors due to the outer rind, which only intensify as the cheese ages. 

As an accompaniment to Prosecco, monte enebro is delicious when served alongside something with a gentle sweetness, like orange blossom honey or slices of fresh pear or a stone fruit like nectarine. Candied walnuts or pecans are a sweet and spicy pairing for the cheese and Prosecco and also provide a crunchy contrast to the softer cheese. A salty yet delicate cured meat like jamón ibérico or jamón serrano would be excellent with monte enebro.