When the cold weather hits, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as cozying up with rich, cheesy comfort food. Fondue, raclette, tartiflette, truffade and Mont d’Or are classic winter dishes from the mountains, each featuring copious amounts of delicious cheese. Here’s a how to pair them with wine to make the most of it.
Raclette
Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish that is enjoyed during the winter months and made by heating some raclette cheese and scraping the melted cheese onto potatoes, cornichons and cured meats – what more do you need on a cold night?
For a perfect match, try a crisp white wine from Savoie like Jacquère or Apremont. These wines have a nice minerality, offsetting the richness of the cheese.
White wines from the Jura – Chardonnay or Savagnin, are also fantastic, offering a mix of texture, salinity, and nutty depth that pairs beautifully with raclette. A full-bodied Chardonnay or a Viognier from other regions are also excellent choices.
If red is more your thing, go for a light-bodied red wine such as a Gamay or a Pinot Noir. Their fruitiness and freshness won’t overwhelm the cheese.
Fondue
Cheese fondue is a quintessential winter dish, literally made of melted cheese, white wine and eaten with bread.
The best pairings for it are typically the same wines used in its preparation. Swiss white wines like Fendant (Chasselas) or a dry Riesling are spot on. These wines have high acidity that cuts through the rich, creamy cheese, keeping things balanced and lively..
For more inspiration with cheese fondue or other types of fondue, check out our Fondue pairing guide.
Tartiflette
Tartiflette is a hearty and comforting dish from the French Alps, made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons, and onions.
A full-bodied white wine like Pinot Gris from Alsace is an excellent match for tartiflette. Its rich, slightly oily texture and ripe fruit flavours pair perfectly with the creamy cheese and smoky bacon.
Other options could be along the same lines as for the fondue or the raclette with wines like Savoie or Swiss wines, a Gewürztraminer from Alsace, a dry German Riesling or a Gamay from Beaujolais if you want a red.
Truffade
This rustic dish from the Auvergne is all about simplicity: sliced potatoes cooked with lard and fresh Tome cheese from Cantal.
To keep the balance, pair truffade with a light red wine like Beaujolais. Its fresh acidity and red fruit flavours play nicely with the earthy potatoes and gooey cheese, without overpowering the dish.
Baked Mont d’Or
Few things say winter like a baked Mont d’Or – a dish from the Jura region, featuring a whole cheese baked with a splash of Jura white wine until molten.
The pairing then comes naturally, with the same wine used for cooking – a Jura white wine such as Chardonnay or Savagnin. Their subtle nuttiness, slight oxidative edge, and refreshing acidity make them a perfect match with the creamy, melted cheese.
