The Perfect Cheese Board to Serve with Rutherglen Topaque

Topaque is one of Rutherglen’s great unsung wines. Lighter and finer in style than Muscat, with a distinctive character of cold tea, honey, candied citrus and toffee that makes it endlessly interesting in the glass and extraordinarily versatile at the table.

Cheese is where Topaque really shows what it can do. The wine’s natural sweetness, acidity and that distinctive cold tea character create a combination with cheese that is genuinely compelling: it cuts through richness, complements sweetness and stands up to bold, assertive flavours without being overwhelmed. Almost every cheese on the board tastes better alongside it.

Here is how to build a cheese board that makes the most of a bottle of Topaque, and why each element works.

The Cheese Picks

Blue Cheese: The Star Pairing

Blue cheese and Topaque is one of the great food and wine combinations in the Australian repertoire, full stop. The wine’s sweetness cuts through the saltiness and assertive flavour of the blue, while the cold tea and honey character creates a contrast that is genuinely thrilling. Gorgonzola Dolce is the softest and most approachable option. Roquefort is the most dramatic. A good Australian blue, such as Gippsland Blue or King River Gold, keeps things local and works beautifully.

Aged Hard Cheese: The Reliable Partner

An aged cheddar or a hard sheep’s milk cheese like Manchego or Pecorino works remarkably well alongside Topaque. The crystalline texture and savoury, slightly sharp character of a well-aged hard cheese is a perfect foil for the wine’s sweetness and complexity. Go for something aged at least 12 months for maximum contrast.

Washed Rind Cheese: The Adventurous Choice

A good washed rind cheese, something like Taleggio or an Australian Limburger-style, brings a pungent, earthy quality that Topaque handles surprisingly well. The wine’s sweetness and acidity tame the intensity of the rind without losing any of the cheese’s character. Not for the faint-hearted, but deeply rewarding for those who like their cheese boards to have a conversation starter on them.

Fresh Goat’s Cheese: The Light Option

A fresh, tangy chevre or goat’s curd brings a lightness and brightness to the board that balances the richness of the other cheeses and the sweetness of the Topaque. It also works well with the honey and fig accompaniments and is a good option for those who find blue cheese too assertive.

The Accompaniments

The accompaniments on a Topaque cheese board should complement both the cheese and the wine rather than competing with either. Here is what we recommend:

Honeycomb or good runny honey: The natural sweetness mirrors the Topaque and adds texture alongside the creamier cheeses. Local Rutherglen honey is the obvious choice if you can find it.

Fresh and dried figs: Fresh figs in season, dried ones year-round. Their sweetness and jammy depth are a natural bridge between the wine and the cheese.

Quince paste: A classic cheese board pairing and a particularly good one here. The quince’s floral, sweet-tart character echoes the Topaque’s candied citrus notes.

Toasted walnuts and almonds: Texture and a gentle bitterness that cuts through the richness of the board and adds contrast.

Good crackers and sourdough: Keep them relatively plain so they do not compete. Water crackers, a simple sourdough or a seeded cracker all work well. Avoid anything with strong herbs or spices.

Dark chocolate: A square of good dark chocolate (70% or above) is a surprising but deeply satisfying addition to a Topaque cheese board. Try a small piece with a bite of blue cheese and a sip of Topaque. It is one of those combinations that should not work and absolutely does.

How to Serve It

Serve the Topaque slightly chilled, around 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. Cold enough to feel refreshing, warm enough to let the aromatics open up. A small dessert wine glass or a short-stemmed glass works well, allowing you to smell the wine as you sip.

Take the cheese out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Cold cheese has muted flavour and texture: room temperature is where everything comes alive.

Pour generously. A cheese board with Topaque is not a single-glass occasion.

Which Topaque to Use

NV Rutherglen Topaque: The entry-level tier. Fresh, lighter and more delicate. Best with the goat’s cheese and fresh accompaniments.

NV Classic Topaque: Our pick for a cheese board. More depth and complexity than the entry tier, with a richer cold tea and caramel character that stands up to blue cheese and aged hard cheese beautifully.

NV Grand Topaque: For a very special occasion or a particularly assertive cheese. The Grand’s intensity and complexity makes it the right choice alongside a strong Roquefort or a well-aged cheddar.

Shop the full Topaque range at stantonandkilleen.com.au.