Cheese & Wine Help!

[James Miller]

I bought a few bottles of wine as a Christmas present and would like to get some cheeses to go with it. I know basically nothing about combinging them (not much about wine by itself either) and would really appreciate any help that could be given. The wines are as follows:

Beringer White Zinfandel
Kenwood Red Zinfandel
Barton&Guestier Sauternes
Any recommendation for an Asti Spumante?

What I've seen mentioned on this and other websites are imported cheeses. I live in a rural area which makes it difficult to find anything of that caliber. Thanks in advance for any assistance that may be available.

[Jerry D Mead]

FYI...There's a great company that overnights cheeses from France direct to your door. They aren't cheap, but I've used them several times to great satisfaction.

Check out: www.fromages.com

[Randy Caparoso]

In the neighboring pre-Thanksgiving meal thread I suggest a Maytag blue cheese from Iowa. This is a great cheese for wines of nearly any kind of sweetness -- Ast Spumante, Sauternes, and even White Zinfandel. Maytag is not excessively "blue" tasting, and wonderfully mild and creamy, with the requisite blue saltiness that does magic with fruity tasting wines. Barring that, any type of Roquefort style cheese would do the trick.