It’s easy to match up a sparking wine with cheese. Just about anything goes, with the possible exception of very stinky cheeses. Since sparking wines are usually served before the main course, a platter of cheese is a simple way to bring out some of the flavors of the brut.

I’ve heard that the Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk triple cream cheese from Berkeley, California is a heavenly accompaniment to sparkling wine, though I haven’t been lucky enough to try it. But I can say that a nice bottle of Veuve Clicquot will go down very well with a rich chèvre. The contrast of the acidity in the wine and the creaminess of the cheese makes both taste better, and the Champagne’s micro-fine bubbles meld with the fat in the chèvre.