Christmas Cheese and Wine - Colchester

Cheese is often considered the perfect partner to wine, but it's not always that easy. Often white wine works just as well as red - find out why when we taste 7 wines matching them with 7 top quality cheeses from around the world.

We will try a variety of combinations and at the end of the evening you can vote which works best for your palate - a great way to learn what works for you.

You'll learn the principles of cheese and wine pairing so you can get it right first time when you do it at home.

There will be something for everyone in this special tasting. If you like cheese and you like wine, it is the perfect combination.

The line-up may vary but is likely to include such festive favourites as:

• Gruyere, firm dense, rich, nutty and strong. Paired with Premier Cru Champagne
• Norfolk Dapple with a South African barrel fermented Chenin Blanc
• Caerphilly, raw cow's milk clean, fresh with a pleasant mineral tang and creamier at the rind. Paired with a lovely Chiroubles.
• Comte, matured by Marcel Petite at Fort Saint Antoine for 12-18 months with a creamy texture, occasional crystals, nutty and savoury flavour. Paired with Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux.
• Brillat Savarin, a triple cream cheese that is luscious, rich and soft. Paired with a Prosecco Brut
• Munster, matured with a rich milky taste. Paired with Alsace Gewurztraminer
• Colston Basset Stilton, pasteurised cow’s milk turned blue, rich, buttery and full bodied. Paired with Quinta do Crasto LBV Port

Biscuits for cheese are included as well as details of where to source the wines locally if you want to get your hands on pairings you enjoy the most..