Course Overview
Get ready to swirl, sniff, sip and savour! This hands-on workshop is perfect for foodies, wine lovers, and hospitality students keen to explore the art of pairing cheese and wine. You’ll learn the basics, taste a curated selection of matches, and walk away with skills to impress at your next dinner party or service shift. It’s relaxed, educational, and seriously delicious.
This engaging, hands-on workshop explores the fundamentals of pairing cheese and wine, blending theory with tasting to provide an immersive learning experience.
Designed for hospitality students, industry newcomers, or anyone with a love of food and wine, this session introduces participants to a variety of cheeses and wines, teaching how flavour, texture, and aroma work together to create perfect pairings.
Participants will learn to identify the characteristics of major cheese and wine styles, understand the science and art behind successful pairings, and apply sensory analysis techniques used in professional food and beverage settings.
Through guided tastings, interactive discussion, and a touch of fun, students will walk away with newfound confidence to pair like a pro — whether in a service environment, at home, or in future study.
Macquarie Community College operates from a range of venues across Northern and Western Sydney. We have campuses in Blacktown, Carlingford, Chatswood, Epping, Mt Druitt, Richmond, and Ryde. Enrol now!
What you will learn
Course outline
In this course you will learn carving and garnishing techniques for example:
- Identify major cheese categories (fresh, soft, semi-hard, hard, blue, and washed rind) and describe their key characteristics
- Recognise key wine styles and understand basic wine tasting principles, including aroma, flavour, acidity, tannin, and body
- Explain the principles behind successful cheese and wine pairings, including complementary and contrasting matches
- Apply tasting techniques to assess and evaluate cheese and wine pairings using sensory analysis tools
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate service techniques for cheese and wine in a hospitality context
- Develop a simple cheese and wine pairing menu, suitable for a hospitality venue or event setting
Course outcome
By the end of the Cheese & Wine Pairing Workshop, participants will have a clear understanding of how to confidently pair a variety of cheeses and wines using professional tasting techniques.
Students will be able to identify key characteristics of different cheese types and wine styles, and explain how elements such as acidity, tannin, fat, and salt interact to create complementary or contrasting flavour experiences.
Through guided tastings and interactive discussion, they will develop their sensory analysis skills and apply pairing principles in real-time. This hands-on experience also introduces best-practice service techniques relevant to food and beverage settings, helping students connect theory to industry practice.
Whether working in hospitality or exploring a personal interest, participants will leave the session with practical knowledge, enhanced palate awareness, and the ability to create a balanced cheese and wine menu — perfect for impressing guests, colleagues, or future employers in the food and beverage industry.
What you need to know
Entry requirements
Students do not need to have any previous experience.
What you need to provide
- Notepad and pen