My book "What to drink with what you eat" says to AVOID tannic reds with Manchego.

Yet the "Cheese issue" of Wine Spectator says to eat this with a Cabernet!!

What is the "classic wisdom" on this one?
Thanks,.

This is a "classic example" of how food/wine or cheese/wine pairings don't always have a "classic wisdom" to them. Harvey Steiman said the same in one of his blogs last year: just pair whatever wine you want with whatever dish you want. Are there, gastronomically speaking, better pairings than others? Sure. Are there any "wrong" pairings? No. Why don't you go buy some Manchego, and try numerous different types of wine with it. Let us know what you think. ... after all, you should only be concerned with your own opinion on this matter anways.

Manchego should be fine with Cabernet. Some people try to overly fine tune pairings. Most red wines and many if not most whites would be fine with Manchego.

I like Manchego cheese grated over a grilled chicken salad with Ken's Buttermilk Dressing and Rodney Strong Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc. Manchego cheese, is versitle. Try it with a red, who knows?

I agree with Board-O, it's a very versatile cheese. We keep some in the house most of the time.

According to my wine and cheese book: Serve manchego before dinner with a fino or manzanilla sherry. After the meal, a big red wine such as a Rioja or Ribera del Duero from Spain or a Corbieres or Coteaux de Languedoc from southwest France.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: snipes,

Manchego pairs well with mos red wines. An absolute tannin bomb? No, probably not. But your garden variety Cabernet should be perfectly fine.

Should be fine with full-bodied reds, and cheap if you get at Costco. I usually get some quince paste too and spread on the cheese

As others have said, not all cheese works. IMO a sharp dry cheese is a better bet with most reds than a softer or unripened cheese.

Manchego is a sheep milk cheese and many of those go well with reds like cab. Doesn't have to be sheep cheese although I like those. But dry tends to be a safer choice and there there are many decent pairings - Romano and Parmesan are always nice to have around, aged Gouda can be good, and so many others. Manchego isn't my favorite cheese by a long shot but it can be fine.

But who cares what your book says? If you like it, the book doesn't apply to you.

Manchego and Jacob's Creek Shiraz/Cab blend is one of my fav mid-week "budget" dinners. I have to agree with some of the others; if you like the pairing, don't be overly concerned with the suggestion.