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.
