A New Way to Pair: Exploring Non-Alcoholic Aperitifs with British Artisan Cheese

Written By Alli Briaris, Drinks Kitchen. Many thanks to Victoria Dunthorne, Victoria’s Cheese, Ely

Competition: Win A Set of Drinks Kitchen Aperitifs

I have always been a cheese person. One of my earliest memories is stealing a bite of my mum’s very strong cheddar on mustard-pickle slathered Ryvita when I was about five. While most children wanted jelly, I was already happily eating cheese that tingled all the way up my nose. Some things do not change: I still choose the cheeseboard at the end of a meal, and I still nibble pieces straight from the fridge while I am thinking.

Why Pair Cheese with Non-Alcoholic Aperitifs?

Rediscovering cheese without alcohol

For years, cheese for me meant wine: port, dessert wine or a lush red. But when I stopped drinking, I realised I did not want to give up the ritual of pairing. I wanted to reinvent it. That became the starting point for Drinks Kitchen: non-alcoholic botanical aperitifs with enough depth, fruit, spice and structure to sit proudly alongside brilliant cheeses.

A woman in a blue jumper choosing from a selection of four non-alcoholic drinks in paper cups and a selection of cheese on a board. There is a green plate and knife in the image and four bottles in the background

Last week I sat down with Victoria from Victoria’s Cheese in Ely. We met at the Academy of Cheese Affineur of the Year awards and bonded instantly over our shared love of curds and proper food conversation. Over a cheese breakfast, which I highly recommend as a lifestyle choice, we tasted our way through a series of festive pairings.

How botanical aperitifs mimic classic pairing notes

My aperitifs are built on fruits, herbs and spices, many of the same flavours you find in chutneys, membrillo, jams and syrups. That makes them intuitive partners for cheese, especially when you want everyone at the table, drinkers and non-drinkers, to enjoy something thoughtful and special.

A woman's hand holding a glass containing a red drink, ice and sprig of rosemary with another drink that is yellow with 2 cheeses, a dish of chutney and a bottle of non-alcoholic aperitif.

When the two foods or food and drink are partnered, the outcome might be positive – “Lovers”, or negative – “Enemies”.  Enemies bring out the worst by emphasising, for instance, bitterness or acidity, by unbalancing the foods, or deflate entirely the flavours of one of the foods.  Lovers do the opposite: the foods together create greater balance or tone down negative flavours. 

Victoria Dunthorne

Top Alcoholic-Free Drinks and Cheese Pairings to Try This Season

Here are a selection of our favourite pairings:

Herb Verde paired with Graceburn and Cornish Yarg
Served with Mediterranean tonic or soda.

Herb Verde is bright and green with fresh herbs and a gentle thread of gentian bitterness, almost like serving some rocket on the side.

A bottle of Herb Verde non-alcoholic aperitif with a jar of Graceburn "feta"- style cheese and spoon.

Graceburn from Blackwoods Cheese Company is a British feta-style cheese made from cow’s milk and marinated in cold-pressed rapeseed oil with garlic and thyme. It is soft and creamy with delicate savoury notes from the marinade. Herb Verde cuts through the richness and picks up the thyme beautifully.

Cornish Yarg from Lynher Dairies has a lemon-bright crumbly paste wrapped in nettles that add a subtle earthiness. Herb Verde mirrors the citrus notes and brings a refreshing lift.

If you can’t find Cornish Yarg, why not try Gorwydd Caerphilly from The Trethowan Brothers.

Grapefruit Piquante and Eggleston
Served with sparkling water or a light citrus tonic.

Grapefruit Piquante is bittersweet and zesty with pink grapefruit, citrus peel and gentle aromatic spice. It is refreshing and palate-cleansing.

Eggleston, made by Chiswick Cheesemakers Grant winner, Jake Goldsmith at Primrose Creamery on the Welbeck Estate, is a raw cow’s milk cheese with a delicate bloomy rind and a soft, mousse-like paste. Young Eggleston has lemony brightness, and as it matures, the rind breaks down into rich creaminess.

The bitterness and citrus of the aperitif lift the cheese’s acidity, while the gentle sweetness rounds off the richer creamy notes near the rind.

If Eggleston is unavailable, St Jude or Lucky Marcel from Felthams Farm would make great alternatives.

Spiced Rhubarb and Norfolk White Lady
Served with Spiced Rhubarb and soda and a spoon of rhubarb jam.

Spiced Rhubarb is gently sweet and warm with soft spice and a little citrus brightness.

Norfolk White Lady is a ewe’s milk brie-style cheese with a delicate bloomy rind. It becomes lusciously creamy as it ripens, moving from fresh and milky to buttery and warm.

The rhubarb echoes the fruit pastes that often pair with soft cheeses, and the acidity of the aperitif keeps everything in balance. The addition of rhubarb jam makes it feel wonderfully indulgent.

For alternative sheep’s milk cheeses, try Wigmore or Spenwood from Village Maid Cheese.

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Orange Cinchona and Colston Bassett Blue Stilton
Served with 50 ml Orange Cinchona and 50 ml tart cherry juice and 150 ml soda.

Also excellent with zero percent red wine with an added 25ml Orange Cinchona which adds depth and almost tannin elements.

Orange Cinchona is built to mirror Italian Amaro’s, Zesty bitter orange notes and woody bitters from cinchona bark, chiretta, orris root and more. It has a bittersweet aromatic character with orange oils and herbs.

A bottle of orange cinchona non-alcoholic aperitif with a small jar of chutney and a slice of blue cheese.

Colston Bassett Blue Stilton is mellow, creamy and gently sweet with a rich buttery paste and elegant blueing.

Bittersweet orange, cherry and blue cheese work beautifully together. The bitterness cuts through the richness of the cheese, and the cherry adds a fruity roundness. With soda, the pairing becomes light and refreshing.

If you’re struggling to get Colston Bassett Blue Stilton, any Blue Stilton PDO cheese will be perfectly suitable, as would Shropshire Blue, or Young Buck from Mikes Fancy Cheese.

Final Thoughts: Why Non-Alcoholic Drinks Create Brilliant Cheese Pairings

A thoughtful tasting journey for drinkers and non-drinkers alike

What I love about these non-alcoholic pairings is how clearly everything tastes. Without alcohol, nothing dulls the palate. The cheese’s texture, lactic brightness and salt all come through vividly.

And for people who are not drinking, these pairings ensure they are not missing out. They get their own tasting journey that is thoughtful, flavour-led and delicious.

Two ladies sat at a wooden table looking at the camera, with two green plates and knives and a selection of cheeses on a board.
Alli and Victoria

Thank you to Victoria at Victoria’s Cheese for a joyful morning of tasting, and to the Academy of Cheese community for inspiring such curiosity and passion around British cheese.

For more information, and to see Alli’s full range, head to: https://drinkskitchen.online/

Competition: Win A Set of Drinks Kitchen Aperitifs

To celebrate these non-alcoholic aperitif and cheese pairings, we’re offering two readers the chance to win a set of The Curiosity Collection from Drinks Kitchen.

Each prize includes four x 225ml bottles of Drinks Kitchen Non-Alcoholic Aperitif, beautifully presented in a gift box. This curated selection is the perfect way to explore the full range of Drinks Kitchen flavours, with each bottle providing just over nine 25ml servings — ideal for mixing with sparkling water or your favourite mixer to create a refreshing non-alcoholic spritz.

The Curiosity Collection includes:

  • Spiced Rhubarb
  • Herb Verde
  • Grapefruit Piquante
  • Orange Cinchona

How to enter

Simply complete the form below for your chance to win.

Terms & Conditions:
Open to UK residents only. Competition closes on 11 January 2026. Two winners will be selected and notified by email on 12 January 2026. The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.