DIY Cheese Tray

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You should consult your physician before consuming Fre if you are pregnant or have any health concerns regarding alcohol.

Putting together the perfect cheese tray is often a daunting task.  Before I knew much about food, I would just buy a bunch of ‘fancy’ cheeses, and then throw them on a plate. Once I started learning about pairing cheese with wine, I wanted to take it to the next level and learned about the various flavors and what foods they pair well with. On the weekends I love trying various wines, and I was really excited when I came across Fre Alcohol-removed wines. The Merlot is the perfect weeknight solution – I can sip on it while eating my favorite cheeses and snacks, and not have to worry about waking up with a headache the next day.

Fre Alcohol-removed wines provide an alternative beverage for people who cannot or choose not to consume alcohol. I was really excited to learn more about the process this wine goes through; Through the de-alcoholization process of producing Fre, less than one half of one percent of alcohol remains in the wine. To make Fre, the winemakers use the revolutionary spinning cone column to remove alcohol while preserving the delicate fragrances and flavors of the wine. The finished product is a fresh, delicious beverage with all of the characteristic aromas and flavors of premium wine, but with less than 0.5% alcohol and half the calories of traditional wine. It sounds really cool!

Now, since I was pairing my cheese with Merlot, I didn’t want any cheeses that were that crazy. Merlot really stands alone well, so you don’t want any flavors to throw a wrench in that.  Merlot pairs well with medium flavored cheeses but can also go with a few stronger cheeses as well. I decided to go with some classics; A Dubliner aged cheddar, Asiago, Havarti, and Muenster. They are went deliciously with the Fre Alcohol-removed Merlot. I used my fun chalkboard tray for this cheese tray too, want to make your own? Check out the simple DIY tutorial.

Then, I decided to mix it up and add some marinated artichokes (delicious), and a tomato and mozzarella salad. The tomato salad is so easy to whip up – just toss cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with olive oil, basil, and garlic – YUM!

Then, I added some crackers and a baguette to serve with the cheeses. Everything went really well together. My friends were thrilled with the wines and cheese, and we had a really nice weeknight feast! 

What is your favorite thing to pair with wine? What would you pair with Fre wine?

-You should consult your physician before consuming Fre if you are pregnant or have any health concerns regarding alcohol.-