The Ultimate Cheese and Cocktail Pairings for Brunch

Bloody Mary and Cheese Pairings

Usually, a bloody mary is spicy and the add ons are either pickled vegetables, citrus, seafood or cured meats.

Our 724 Wisconsin Select 11 year aged cheddar is packed with savory, intense flavors that pair so well with the spice and heat of a bloody mary. Plus, the calcium lactate in the cheese provides a surprisingly delightful little crunch.

Blue cheese is a natural pairing with a bloody mary. If you are going to include blue cheese, I recommend Original Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese. This fudgy, crumbly cheese has lemon and pepper flavors that are a perfect match for the cocktail.

The final pairing option is Reading Raclette from Springbrook Farm. Raclette is a French word that means to scrape. This cheese is best melted and drizzled over roasted potatoes and pickled vegetables, so be sure to save some vegetables for your drink. I promise you are going to eat them all with your Raclette.

If you don’t want to be so daring, you can’t miss with any good Italian-style hard cheese, especially Parmigiano Reggiano.

Sparkling Wine and Cheese Pairings

Sparkling wines like Prosecco pair well with soft, ripened cheeses. Brie and Camembert are natural pairings, especially since mimosas can feature additional complementary ingredients, like honey, fig spread and fresh berries.

If you want to pick just one cheese to have at your mimosa or bellini brunch, consider serving Harbison from the Cellars of Jasper Hill. This cheese is so good: It has a bloomy rind wrapped in strips of spruce cambium (the inner bark layer). Keep an eye on the sell-by date and try to get a piece that is about 7-10 days from expiration for a perfect paste.

To serve it, keep the spruce layer around the outside and just slice the top off of the Harbison. Now you can use a spoon to scoop out the gooey greatness that is Harbison!