What wine goes with brie?
Champagne
Grappi pairing score: how well the match works, on a 100-point scale. Grappi's own assessment.
The best wines for brie
Champagne
Sparkling
High acidity and fine bubbles cut straight through brie's creamy fat and lift the mild paste, which is why it is the benchmark match.
Chardonnay
White (unoaked)
A crisp, unoaked style such as Chablis uses bright acidity to balance the richness without any oak fighting the delicate cheese.
Pinot Noir
Light red
Low tannin keeps it from clashing with the cream, and its earthy, red-berry notes meet brie's mushroomy rind halfway.
Why it works
Brie is soft, fatty and mild, with a creamy paste and an earthy, mushroomy bloomy rind, so the wine's main job is to cut that richness rather than match its weight. Champagne does this best: its bubbles and sharp acidity scrub the fat from the palate between bites. Tannin is the real enemy, clashing with the cream and turning metallic, which is why only a light, low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir reliably works.
Grappi scores every pairing out of 100 against a reference of 185,000 wines. Brie with Champagne rates 94.
Serving tips
- Take the brie out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before serving, since a cold, firm wheel mutes both the cheese and the wine.
- If you choose Pinot Noir, chill it lightly to around 13 to 14C so its fresh fruit holds up to the rich cheese.
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