Port and Canadian Cheese

There is no more respected name in Port than Taylor Fladgate, a company that, for over three centuries, has been making wine in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal, a region so steeped in Port tradition that it has earned a World Heritage Site classification.

There, on the valley’s ancient walled terraces, Taylor Fladgate produces Port the time-honoured way, fortifying the wine by adding fine grape spirits to it halfway through fermentation, preserving much of the grape’s original sweetness and giving the Port its unique, velvety richness. Careful, controlled aging in oak casks for 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years yields Ports whose flavours can be described as nothing short of sumptuous.

Simple choices, many rewards

While connoisseurs may rhapsodize for hours on a seemingly infinite number of Port and cheese pairings, most of us will prefer to keep things simple. And simple means Taylor Fladgate First Estate, a soft and glorious mouthful cask-aged for four years and ready to be enjoyed. The perfect pairing? A bold Canadian Blue such as Ciel de Charlevoix, 2009 winner of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

You prefer milder cheeses? Try the rich, nutty flavour of Oka with a Taylor Fladgate 10-year-old Tawny Port. Its delicate woodnotes and rich undertones of mellow fruit also pair beautifully with soft cheeses such as Canadian Brie. Or enjoy the lighter, buttery taste of a Canadian Gouda perfectly complemented by the full blackberry and fruit taste of Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Ruby Port.

Whatever the type of Port you prefer or your favourite type of Canadian Cheese, Port enthusiasts claim that even the mellowest of their favourite wines best accompany the likes of a Canadian Gruyere or Castello Gorgonzola, which can overpower a meeker beverage.

The pleasures of discovery and sharing

Canadian Cheese lovers love adventure. Why not provide guests with one glass each of contrasting Ports, like a Taylor Fladgate Late Bottle Vintage and a Taylor Fladgate 20-year-old Tawny, and a platter with a wide assortment of great Canadian Cheese including firmer cheeses such as Aged Cheddars, softer, milder cheeses and bold Blues. Your friends will soon discover which combinations they like and what works for them. And you can be sure that the resulting conversations will be nothing short of, shall we say, spirited.