{"id":5293,"date":"2013-06-29T18:47:20","date_gmt":"2013-06-30T01:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=5293"},"modified":"2014-02-23T17:26:44","modified_gmt":"2014-02-24T01:26:44","slug":"cocktail-corner-wine-and-cheese-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=5293","title":{"rendered":"Cocktail Corner: Wine and Cheese Please!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cest<\/a>

It’s not wine … but C’est Cheese is giving away a free cup of tomato soup with each grilled cheese sandwich on National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12)<\/p><\/div>\n

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg<\/strong><\/p>\n

I just returned from a lovely trip to Paris, where the wine is wonderful as well as less expensive than the coffee, and the cheese is nothing short of ambrosia.
\nI am a firm believer, as M.F.K. Fisher said, that, “Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble ventures.” Though my husband forbid me from filling our suitcases with Camembert, Reblochon and Tomme de Savoie (so I filled my belly instead), my appetite for cheese was not completely sated.<\/p>\n

So I was thrilled to discover that today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day<\/a>. What better way to fight the post-vacation blues than to celebrate this traditional American treat and pair it with some of our favorite local wines?<\/p>\n

Here are a few options:<\/p>\n

American Cheese & White Bread<\/h3>\n

Still a classic for good reason, this simple but oh-so-yummy version of a grilled cheese sandwich pairs well with Qup\u00e9\u00a0Bien Nacido Y Block Chardonnay’s<\/a> crisp apple and Asian pear flavors and lovely savory, buttered toast finish. My mouth is watering just writing about it.<\/p>\n

Cheddar & Bacon<\/h3>\n

The sharpness of cheddar cheese pairs well with reds that are not too heavy. A Longoria Pinot Noir<\/a> would be delicious with this one … or by itself, for that matter!<\/p>\n

Gruyere & Caramelized Onions<\/h3>\n

Nutty Gruyere and sweet caramelized onions is an excellent grilled cheese option, especially when paired with a light, sweet Riesling like Fess Parker’s 2011 Santa Barbara County Riesling<\/a>, which Wine Enthusiast<\/em> describes as, “one of the most pleasant California Rieslings on the market. While this wine is clean and vibrant, it tastes off dry, with its honeyed finish and flavors of peach, nectarine and apricot jam.”<\/p>\n