How do we create the perfect cheese board combined with drink pairings for our Christmas wedding?

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There's no right or wrong way to create the ultimate cheese board – it's all about preference. It's a good rule of thumb to pair cheese and wines with equal intensity. Generally, creamy soft cheeses pair beautifully with sparkling wines. If you've chosen a cheese with a delicate character, avoid overpowering it with a full-bodied red wine.As you venture into the realm of complex aged cheeses, look for bold or fortified wines to match. It's also true what they say – what grows together, goes together. For example, Sharpham Wine and Cheese are made along the River Dart and the terroir shapes produce that pair well together. So, how much cheese do you serve at your wedding? If you plan to offer cheese as part of a meal, a typical recommendation is to provide 80g per person. However, over the Christmas period, guests may wish to savour the cheeseboard with drinks, so consider increasing the amount to 150g per person. What cheeses should you go for? Opting for a variety of textures and characters is a guaranteed way to please everybody. A classic choice includes blue cheese, soft cheese, semi-hard cheese, cheddar and goat's cheese. Sharpham Dairy has gathered up some of the most popular cheeses in the Essential Devon Cheese Board, £30. It includes the Devon classics - Sharpham Brie, Sharpham Rustic, Sharpham Ticklemore Goat, Quicke's Mature Cheddar and Ticklemore Devon Blue. When it comes to top pairings for the Christmas season, I love the delicate floral notes of our Sharpham Rushmore paired with a delicious light-bodied, aromatic white such as a sauvignon blanc. Christmas is a time for popping open the bubbly, which I would pair with one of my favourites – Sharpham Brie. A good brie is a Christmas cheeseboard essential. I'd also pair our Sharpham Brie with something with a little acidity like apple or plums. Final tips •Once cheese has been cut into, it's best eaten within a couple of weeks. •Don't forget to take cheese out of the fridge an hour or two before serving to come up to room temperature. •Do chat with your cheesemonger - they're often a font of knowledge and eager to introduce you to new cheeses, offer tasters and help build the perfect cheeseboard.

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