Pairings Zero-Proof Pairings
Zero-Proof
Zero-Proof Pairings for charcuterie boards
The best non-alcoholic drinks for a charcuterie board are sparkling apple cider, black or green iced tea, kombucha, tart cherry spritz and sparkling water with citrus. Bubbles, acid and tannin do what wine does.
Wine works with cheese because of acid, bubbles and tannin. Plenty of alcohol-free drinks have the same three things, so the same pairing rules apply.
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Sparkling apple cider (non-alcoholic)
Acid and bubbles, like Champagne or cider, with apple fruit that loves cheddar.
Aged Cheddar · Brie · Camembert · Gruyère · Prosciutto di Parma
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Black iced tea, unsweetened
Tea has tannin, just like red wine, so it softens with fat and aged cheese.
Aged Gouda · Genoa Salami · Soppressata · Manchego · Dark Chocolate
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Green tea or jasmine tea
Light, grassy and gently bitter, like a Sauvignon Blanc.
Fresh Chèvre · Burrata · Smoked Salmon · Rice Crackers · Pears
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Kombucha (ginger or plain)
Tangy and fizzy; it handles funk, smoke and pickles the way Riesling does.
Taleggio · Smoked Gouda · Chorizo · Kimchi · Pickled Red Onions
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Tart cherry or pomegranate spritz
Sweet-tart fruit balances salty blue cheese, like port.
Stilton · Gorgonzola · Duck Prosciutto · Walnuts · Dark Chocolate
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Sparkling water with lemon or lime
Pure bubbles and acid reset your palate between salty bites.
Feta · Castelvetrano Olives · Prosciutto di Parma · Marcona Almonds · Cornichons
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Cold brew coffee
Roasty and bitter like a stout, for dessert boards.
Aged Gouda · Mascarpone · Biscotti · Dark Chocolate · Candied Pecans
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Every drink on this page follows the same rules as wine: acid, bubbles and tannin.
Questions
What non-alcoholic drink goes with charcuterie?
Sparkling apple cider for most boards; unsweetened black iced tea for salami and aged cheese.
Why does iced tea go with cheese?
Black tea has tannin, the same drying compound in red wine, so it pairs the same way: fat and protein soften it.
What's a good mocktail for a cheese board?
A tart cherry or pomegranate spritz with blue cheese, or sparkling cider with cheddar and brie.
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