Grilled Cheese and Wine Pairings

Grilled cheese? Yep, you heard us right. But don’t bust out the juice boxes and spaghetti-os just yet! Grilled cheese can be so much more than kid-food. With the wide assortment of artisanal cheeses and fine wines available at your nearest Spec’s—the gourmet pairing combos are endless.

In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, here are our favorite grilled cheese and wine pairings:

Cheddar and Bacon with Riesling

You don’t need a Riesling to enjoy bacon. (See what we did there?)

Piperade with Mild Gouda, Lemon Zest, Caper and Pinot Noir

The citrusy zing and touch of the saltiness of this sandwich mesh well a pinot noir like Capiaux.

Brie, Basil, and Mushrooms with Pinot Noir

Baked Brie takes on a slightly nuttier flavor when it’s baked. A touch of pesto and some mushrooms will really take this French cheese to another level.

Irish Cheddar Grilled Cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon

We recommend using a honey oat bread, or multi-grain on this bad boy.

Ricotta & Strawberry Mint Tartine with Rosé*

This is not a grilled cheese, but rather a lighter-open faced sandwich. Makes a great brunch time snack or dessert. Don’t go too sweet with the wine—instead, select a drier Rosé to balance out the semi-sweetness of the tartine.

Grilled Cheese Florentine and Borgo Boschetto Pinot Grigio

The grilled cheese Florentine puts a light, Italian spin on the typical grilled cheese and a Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with it. Here’s how to make one:

Grilled Cheese Florentine

serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 slices Italian bread
• ½ cup shredded Tomato Basil Cheddar*
• 1 tbs unsalted butter

(*As an alternative you can add 1 tsp of dried basil to cheddar of your choice)

Directions:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, but do not brown it.
2. Add spinach and salt then cook, stirring until lightly wilted. Remove from heat. Drain spinach if it is watery.
3. Lay bread slices on cutting board, and divide cheese between two of the slices. Top with spinach and the remaining two slices of bread. Clean and dry the skillet before adding the remaining 1 tsp olive oil and butter to the skillet and heat over medium heat.
4. When butter is melted, arrange sandwiches in the skillet. Cook until browned on both sides and enjoy!