Charcuterie is some of the most delicious meat in the world.  The cured meat is mainly used for appetizers, cheese and meat plates, or lighter entrees.  Today we will talk about what makes a good pairing for charcuterie.

The first thing we need to talk about is the flavor of Charcuterie. Most of these meats are cured with a heavy amount of salt, which is a huge factor when it comes to pairing with wine.  Another thing to note is the smoky flavor in the meats, which is very common. Lastly is the fat content in the meats.  Most Charcuterie gains flavor from the fat content, which means that certain wines are more favorable than others.

The first wine that we will talk about is Chablis.  The wines in Chablis come from the most northern region of Burgundy and are grown on land that was once under water.  The soil itself is chalky and made up of fossilised crustaceans.  The natural mineral profile tends to be on the salty side, which is why the wines tend to have lots of salinity.  Secondly is the acidity level from the cool climate.  With charcuterie being fatty, the acidity level in the wine needs to be higher to cut through the fat.

The second wine is a classic red from Piedmont - Nebbiolo.  In all its form, nebbiolo is one of the best reds to go with charcuterie.  It naturally has plenty of acid to cut through the fat, it is earthy, and the tannin structure works well with meats.  Anything from your basic Langhe nebbiolo to your collectible Barolo are a perfect pairing for cured meats!

The last style of wine that pairs perfectly with charcuterie is Amontillado Sherry.  This full bodied fortified wine is salty, minerally, and overall a savory bomb.  Talk to anyone from Southern Spain and ask what goes well with sherry and they would be hard pressed to find something better than Serrano Ham.  Sherry and ham will always be a match made in heaven and you should try it too!