Cheddar cheese
- cow milk
- hard
- Drink
- Claret, or an English bitterAged cheddar has the tannin-friendly structure a Bordeaux wants; the bitter is the older pairing.
- Driving
- Strong builder's teaTannin against fat, which is exactly the red wine's job.
- Eat with
- Oatcakes, apple and a sharp chutneyThe ploughman's, essentially. Sharp fruit and vinegar against a dense fatty cheese.
A classic pairing — settled enough that it belongs to the region.