Cheers & Cheese: A Sparkling Italian Pairing at Divino Enoteca

Photo: Elizabeth Bowman

Bite was delighted to attend a flavour-packed evening celebrating two iconic Italian staples — Grana Padano PDO and Prosecco DOC — hosted by Diana Thompson of Wine Events Scotland and cheese expert Ned Palmer of Cheese Tasting Co UK. Set in the elegant surrounds of Divino Enoteca, the event was part of the Cheers and Cheese to EU campaign, designed to showcase the harmony between these two protected Italian products.

Read our review of Divino Enoteca

From the outset, the pairings surprised and delighted. A trio of Grana Padano cheeses — aged 9, 15, and 20 months — were matched with a range of Prosecco DOC styles, including a crisp white and a delicate rosé. While Prosecco remains the UK’s best-selling fizz, it was the interplay with the cheese that elevated the experience. The lush pear and apple notes in the sparkling wines found balance in the dry, savoury depth of the cheese — particularly the 15-month matured Grana Padano, which sang alongside the rosé.

Ned Palmer’s relaxed, informative style made the tasting feel like a conversation rather than a lecture. His encouragement to “eat a chunk of cheese before sipping” helped many of us better appreciate the contrast and complement between the bold umami of the cheese and the fruit-forward sparkle of the wine.

The evening’s showstopper came when Divino’s chef wheeled out a hollowed wheel of Grana Padano to prepare a classic North Italian pasta dish. Hot spaghetti was tossed directly in the cheese bowl, absorbing its richness before being finished with a flourish of black pepper. Simple, theatrical, and utterly irresistible — many of us queued for seconds, Prosecco flute in hand.

Throughout the evening, canapés generously topped with Grana Padano kept spirits high, and the goodie bags ensured the celebration continued at home.

This joyful event proved that pairing cheese and fizz doesn’t have to be reserved for special occasions — and that Grana Padano and Prosecco DOC are more versatile (and delicious) than many might expect.