Cigar and Wine Pairing Guide

Deciding what to pair is sometimes a shot in the dark, but fear the dark no more! We scoured the web, interviewed connoisseurs, and sampled some of our own, and we came up with a graph we hope will be helpful when you’re deciding how to properly pair your wine and cigar. (Don’t forget the cheese and chocolate!)

Cigar
Mild to medium

Wine
Light riesling or chardonnay

Cheese
Blue or brie

Chocolate
Milk chocolate

Cigar
Medium to full

Wine
Smooth merlot or earthy cabernet

Cheese
Aged cheddar or aged gouda

Chocolate
Dark bittersweet

Cigar
Full

Wine
Malbec or pinot noir

Cheese
Brie or aged cheddar

Chocolate
Dark semi-sweet

Cigar
Full and spicy

Wine
Tuscan or Burgundy

Cheese
Gruyere or havarti

Chocolate
Dark chocolate

Cigar
Candela

Wine
Rich zinfandel or shiraz

Cheese
Feta or blue

Chocolate
White chocolate

Tip!
Everyone has different tastes, so there is no wrong way to pair. Try things out and you may discover your favorite pairing is one that the connoisseurs say is contrasting. Salud!

Cigar body
The body of a cigar is what we experience through the taste and touch receptors in our mouth and nose. For example, a full-bodied cigar may taste thick and honeylike.

For more wine tips, check out our interview with wine connoisseur, Josh Villapando.