“Buy on apples, sell on cheese,” a saying popular among winemakers, shows how food can influence the taste of wine. Biting into an apple before trying a wine can expose possible defects. Eating cheese, however, coats your taste buds, disguising any defects. The creamier the cheese, the better the wine tastes, although it can also mute the symphony of tannins found in great wines. But unless you are a wine expert or drinking an extremely expensive bottle, the pairing of cheese and wine is a wonderful marriage. Some of the best places in Beijing to enjoy wine with cheese include Enoteca, which has a cheese fondue promotion this month, as well as 50 percent off cheese plates every Tuesday, and Scarlett, where Tuesdays get you a free cheese plate with every bottle. For those willing to experiment, contact the MPC Spanish wine importers and get yourself a bottle of Almocaden Pedro Ximenez vintage 1973 sherry (¥756) and a big lump of blue cheese. You won’t be disappointed.

By Tomaz Hladnik, Manager of Enoteca