Wine and Cheese for Your Derby Party

Wine and cheese pairings are the perfect addition to your Kentucky Derby party. (Photo by Wikimedia Commons)
The Kentucky Derby will be, as always, packed with talent. My goal is to let you focus on the horses by making a portion of your party planning easy. Odds are good you could handle this on your own but with so many choices out there, why not have a look at a free tip sheet?
Sparkling wine:
No Derby day would be complete without bubbles, so letʼs start there. Sourcing from out-of-the-way places can offer great bargains. My top-choice is from New Mexico … yes, really. The Gruet family searched all over California for a location to make sparkling wine but decided on the hills near Albuquerque. I prefer the Blanc de Noir (white of red) made with 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay. The wine has a creamy feel but remains fresh and lively on the palate. It drinks like a much more expensive bottle than its $15-$17 price tag.
If you want to add a little more festive touch to the day with sparkling rosé, find some Graham Beck from South Africa. If you can locate the vintage-designated version, buy it! The wine is more serious and complex than the non-vintage version (also very good) for only a few dollars more. $15-$20, imported by Graham Beck.

Whichever you choose, there is no better match for sparkling wine than a triple cream brie: the fatty richness of the cheese gets cleaned off your palate by the bubbles and you can experience all the flavor again on your next bite. Ideally, let this cheese “room up” and get slightly runny, dip a cracker or crostini and enjoy! Donʼt be afraid of the rind, completely edible … and delicious. St. André is a good choice but Explorateur is even better.
White wine:
Chardonnay used to be the safe party choice. Now itʼs sauvignon blanc and if someone can find a better value than Oyster Bay from Marlborough, New Zealand, please let me know. This has been a family house wine for many years and for good reason. It offers all the citrus flavors you expect from the grape and a touch of the New Zealand grapefruit but avoids any sharpness or rough edges. Itʼs very affordable – you’ll actually enjoy watching people refill their glasses. $10-$14, imported by Oyster Bay.

For a step up with the same grape, try Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre. $24-$29, imported by Kermit Lynch.
An excellent choice here is goat cheese and there are plenty to choose from. I recommend Humbolt Fog made by Cypress Grove Chevre in California. There is a vein of vegetable ash through the middle and the cheese is perfect for sauvignon blanc. If necessary, the logs of goat cheese at the supermarket can suffice.
If you want a white with a bit more weight, try the Cotes-du-Rhone from Guigal. Forget the blend and focus on the depth and complexity with some of that tingly French minerality. There is enough texture to satisfy palates that desire bigger wines (though not huge, oaky ones) but isnʼt too rich for afternoon sipping. $13-$15, imported by Vintus.

Or try Greco di Tufo from Feudi di San Gregorio, in Campania, Italy. Do not buy anything older than 2013 without being able to try it; this wine is better fresh. $15-$19, imported by Palm Bay International.
Either way, try a sheepʼs milk cheese here. My favorite is Idiazabal (ee-dee-AH-tha-bal), from the Basque region in Spain. The sheep are led to pastures in the mountains and feast on clover and new flowers, adding flavors not found in the valley. France also produces one from their Basque region, called Ossau-Iraty (oh-SOO-ee-RAH-tee). If you can find neither, Manchego is a more than suitable substitute.
OSSAU-IRATY CHEESE

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Red wine:
Finding delicious pinot noir at a reasonable price could be a full-time job. Fortunately, there is Anne Amie (AH-me not Amy) Cuvee A from Oregonʼs Willamette Valley. There is a hint of forest floor earthiness but mostly there is silky, red berry fruit that is a hallmark of Oregon pinot noir. $22-$26.

Pinots under $20 often leave me cold but this one surprised me, Cameron Hughes Pinot Noir, Central Coast 2012 Lot 425. $13-$16. Or, try an overlooked variety, gamay, in Jadot Beaujolais-Villages. Perfect with a slight chill on a warm day (30-45 minutes in the fridge or a few minutes in an icy cooler). $13-$15, imported by Kobrand.
We return to goat cheese here but a wilder style, subtly stronger than the previous ones. Specifically, the pyramid-shaped versions with ash rinds (donʼt be afraid here either), the classic is Valençay, from France. There are some really good domestic versions as well, Capriole is perhaps the most famous. Alternatively, try Boucheron, which has fairly classic goat cheese within a ring of creamier, richer goat cheese. Get both sections on a cracker with these wines and youʼll be really happy.
VALENÇAY CHEESE

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For fans of bigger wines, try Crios Malbec from Argentina. Susana Balbo is a hands-on winemaker, hence the hand on the label, and she produces wines that are ripe, rich and full but with impeccable balance. This offers all the intensity you want in malbec but wonʼt be too heavy. $13-$16, imported by Folio Wine Partners. Susana also makes the Benmarco Malbec, bigger, brawnier but still displaying a hint of restraint. $16-$20, same importer. Or try the dʼArenberg Stump Jump, a grenache, shiraz, mourvedre blend, that seems a bit reserved for Aussie wine but still nearly leaps from the glass. $10-$13, imported by Old Bridge Cellars.

For the cheese, itʼs time for cowʼs milk. Gruyère is great, slightly funky and between soft and hard, this is great with more intense reds. If you want a little blue in your day, Morbier might be just the trick with these wines also, there is a vein of blue in the middle. If your guests donʼt want it they can eat around it...leaving more for you.
Consider getting some aged Gouda or Pecorino to put out as well. The former, with about 4+ years of age gets a wonderful crunchy quality, reminding me of fresh ground peanut butter. Both are wonderfully versatile and fun to chip into, creating nuggets of goodness perfect for finger-food.
GOUDA CHEESE

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Some horses and jockeys perform well no matter who they are with on race day. The special moments come when both participants get the best out of each other. Cheese and wine get along most of the time so feel free to mix and match, but these suggestions should make your mouth feel like you just hit an exacta.
If you need wines more in theme with the day, check out this article (and this one) and maybe pick up some Sage Derby cheese. The name is spot on and although I do not love it with wine, it is excellent with a variety of beers.
Enjoy!