What to put in a cheese and wine hamper
Cheese and Wine; a love story as old as time. If you know a cheese lover and you’re looking for the perfect gift for them, then a cheese and wine hamper is sure to delight them! But what cheeses and wines will pair together perfectly? And what snacks or other treats could you include in the hamper to tailor it to their tastes? In this article, we’ll share some cheese and wine hamper ideas so you can put together the perfect gift!
The main event
The cheeses you pick for your gift basket will of course be the stars of the show. Here are some ideas for which cheeses you could include in your hamper…
Cheddar cheese
Organic cheddar cheese is loved by many foodies. Our vintage organic cheddar is smooth, creamy and aged to perfection. You could get creative here by choosing various flavoured cheddars. Here at Godminster, we sell the following delicious cheddars:
- Black Truffle Vintage Organic Cheddar – truffles are considered to be a delicacy and are loved for their earthy, garlicky and distinctive taste. Our Black Truffle Vintage Organic Cheddar is smooth and creamy, packed with the moreish flavour of truffles throughout. Aged red burgundy or champagne would pair well with black truffle cheddar.
- Oak-Smoked Vintage Organic cheddar – our organic oak-smoked cheddar is delightfully smokey and would pair perfectly with red wine thanks to its fruity flavour.
- Daredevil Chilli Vintage Organic cheddar – If you know an adventurous cheese lover, you can spice their cheese and wine hamper up with some chilli cheddar. This will go particularly well with fruity red wines or sparkling white wines.
- Traditional West Country Farm House Cheddar – unlike our waxed range of truckles this is a pleasantly natural, unadulterated and authentic traditional farmhouse cheddar. Dry and moreish yet full of clean, grassy flavours that evoke the rolling green pastures of Bruton, Somerset. Crumbly and moreish – perfect for a juicy farmhouse chutney or a spicy chilli jam.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese can be an acquired taste but it will certainly bring another dimension of flavour to your cheese and wine hamper. Blue cheeses you could include are
Stilton (which is strong and crumbly), Roquefort (which is a slightly moist but crumbly cheese) and Gorgonzola (which is salty, crumbly and known for its sharp taste from its blue veins). Or alternatively, if you don’t want to travel far from Somerset you could the lovely and mellow Dorset Blue Vinny made in beautiful bountiful Dorset.
In terms of wine pairings, blue cheese goes hand-in-hand with port, sherry, chardonnay and prosecco to name a few.
Soft cheeses
Popular types of soft cheeses you could include in a hamper include Brie (a very soft and buttery cheese), Feta (a soft cheese loved for its tangy taste) and Camembert (a cheese that can be shared and used to dip bread into). Our local recommendation would Bath Soft Cheese Company this is a cross between a Brie and a Camembert.
Soft cheeses pair exceptionally well with sparkling wines, white wines or a full-bodied red wine if they’re aged.
Of course if you already know what the recipient’s favourite types of cheeses are you can make sure that they’re included.
Snacks and other treats
Don’t forget to add in some nibbles and other goodies your foodie friend can tuck into alongside their cheese and wine. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Fruit – berries and crunchy apples are perfect for soft cheeses or you could get some dried fruits such as apricots to compliment hard cheeses
- Olives and pickles
- Cured meats such as prosciutto or chorizo
- Nuts – make sure you include a variety of spicy, salty and plain nuts
- Chutneys or jams – there are both salty and sweet options you could include. Here at Godminster we have our own Beetroot & Apple Chutney you could try.
- Bread, biscuits or crackers – these are a classic pairing with cheese and you should try to include an assortment of flavours to keep things interesting. Here at Godminster, we sell a range of crackers and biscuits, including:
- Charcoal and Cumin Seed Crackers
- Golden Honey and Oat Biscuits
- Beetroot and Nigella Seed Crackers
We even sell a mixed case of crackers and biscuits to give the recipient of the hamper a real selection.
Wine
The type of wine you select for your hamper may depend on the types of cheeses you’ve included, as you want to consider what wine will pair best to enhance the flavour of the cheese. That said, hard cheeses are generally paired with medium-bodied red wines, softer cheeses are best suited to white or sparkling wines and blue cheeses are great with sweeter wines.
Other cheese gifts
Other thoughtful gifts you could include in a cheese and wine hamper are:
- Cheese boards
- Wine glasses
- Cheese cutting tools
Many cheese gifts online can even be personalised to add an extra special touch to your cheese gift basket.
How to make a cheese hamper
So, now you know what to put in your cheese and wine hamper, let’s think about how you’ll be putting it together so it looks as good as it tastes!
- Choose a gift basket – popular ways to present a cheese and wine hamper is in a wicker basket, metal tin, decorative cardboard box, or a wooden box. Try to find a deep basket or box as this will help to keep everything secure…the last thing you want is a bottle of wine slipping out! You should also consider how many items you have to place in your hamper as this will determine the right size gift basket to choose.
- Line your box or basket – lining your hamper can really help to zhuzh it up! Raffia straw is perfect for a more rustic look or you could use tissue paper (plain or patterned…you decide) to make it stand out.
- Place heavy items in your cheese hamper first – this may be a cheeseboard for the lucky recipient to prepare and serve the cheese on or alcohol just as a bottle of wine or port.
- Place taller items at the back – bottles of wine or a cutting board should be placed to the rear of the hamper. Not only will this look more appealing, but it will ensure the recipient can see all of the items inside.
- Arrange smaller items in the hamper – place these on top of your bulkier items so that they’re visible and don’t get crushed. If you aren’t giving the cheese and wine hamper to the recipient straight away, it’s a good idea to keep your cheeses (and other chilled items) refrigerated until you’re ready as this will keep everything fresh.
- Make some final touches (if you wish!) – for example, you could decide to wrap the basket in cellophane and tie a ribbon around it to give it more of a wow factor. Alternatively, you could use some wrapping paper if you want to keep your cheese and wine hamper hidden from view.
If you’re wrapping up cheese in your gift hamper, read our blog on how to wrap cheese as a gift to ensure your cheeses both stay fresh and are dressed to impress!
Creating a Christmas cheese and wine hamper?
If you’re looking to create a Christmas cheese and wine hamper, you can think about adding more seasonal touches.
Why not check out our blog ‘Cheese gift ideas for Christmas’ to get some more ideas on what items would make the perfect addition to your hamper?
Looking for cheese and wine hampers?
Whether you want to pick out the best cheeses and treats to create your own hamper or you’ve decided you’d like to save yourself the fuss and buy a cheese and wine hamper that’s ready to go, you’ve come to the right place.
Here at Godminster, we sell a variety of organic cheese products, cheese gifts and lovingly put-together cheese and wine hampers for you to choose from. Browse our wide-range of cheese products today or get in touch if you have any questions.
