Cheese and wine, straight from Damrak. This focused Amsterdam tasting pairs five 2024 award-winning cheeses from Old Amsterdam Cheese Store with selected wines, explained in English on the spot. It’s a small, easy-to-fit-in stop that teaches you how flavors actually connect, not just what to like.

What I like most is the pace: about 55 minutes of tasting, so you get real learning without eating your whole day. And because there’s a guide on hand to answer questions and offer pairing recommendations, you leave with take-home instincts for your next Dutch cheese run.

One consideration: this is very much a shop experience. You’ll taste, you’ll learn, and you’ll likely want to buy—some sessions even include a discount to take cheese home.

Key takeaways before you go

• Five cheeses in one session: you’ll taste a variety, including goat and cow options, rather than one safe pick
• White, red, and port pairings: the lineup is built to show how wine style changes the cheese experience
• A guide-led, Q-and-A style format: you can ask why a pairing works, not just what you’re tasting
• Cutlery included: helps the tasting feel like a proper sit-down, not a snack-on-the-go
• A small-group cap (26): keeps it feeling more like a class than a crowd scene
• Central Damrak location: easy to combine with other Amsterdam hits nearby

Old Amsterdam Cheese Store on Damrak: the simple starting point

You’ll meet at Damrak 62HS, 1012 LM Amsterdam, which is right in the city-center flow. That matters because this tasting is short—about 55 minutes—so you don’t want time wasted on complicated transit or lots of walking.

The tour itself is straightforward: it starts at the shop and ends back at the same meeting point. No transfers, no extra stops, no “now we go somewhere else for dessert.” Just a focused tasting experience in one place.

Also, you don’t need to overthink logistics. The experience uses a mobile ticket, it’s offered in English, and the venue is near public transportation. And with a maximum of 26 travelers, the format should stay intimate enough for real interaction.

The lineup: five cheeses and what the wine pairing teaches

This is an Amsterdam cheese tasting built around variety. You’ll sample five different types of cheeses and learn about their characteristics—then you’ll taste them alongside specially selected wines.

From the tasting format described in the experience, you should expect a mix designed to teach pattern recognition:

• Different milk types: goat vs. cow cheese comes up in the instruction
• Different ages/aging approaches: you’ll learn how aging changes flavor and texture
• Different wine styles: you’re not only drinking one wine and hoping for magic

In practice, the pairings are typically built around a white wine, a red wine, and a port. That’s a smart mix because it forces your palate to respond to different wine structures—think acidity and freshness in whites, tannins and depth in reds, and sweetness-rich intensity in port.

And because the goal is education, the guide isn’t just handing you tastes and moving on. They explain what to notice. That turns a simple snack into a repeatable skill: you start learning how to choose wine based on what the cheese is doing.

Goat vs. cow and why aging changes everything

One of the most useful lessons you can take away is the difference between goat and cow cheeses, including how the “mild” styles behave. Aging also shows up as a key topic—so you’re not just memorizing names.

If you like the idea of being able to order confidently later (instead of guessing at the counter), this kind of lesson is gold. You’ll start tasting “signals,” like how a cheese’s age tends to affect sharpness, nuttiness, or intensity. You don’t need to become a cheese detective. You just need a few working rules.

Inside the experience: what the 55 minutes feels like

Even though there’s only one main stop, the tasting is designed as a full session. You’ll begin at Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, then spend roughly 55 minutes tasting and listening.

The included items matter here:

• Food tasting (the cheeses)
• Wine tasting (the pairings)
• Cutlery (so you’re not eating cheese with your fingers like it’s a street market)

The room and setup can feel structured. People have described an upstairs learning area with presentation help before the tasting itself. Some sessions also include a light quiz at the end, which is a fun way to lock in what you learned.

And if you’re solo, this is usually a friendly format. The small-group cap and guide-led pacing make it easier to be part of the conversation without feeling lost.

Who’s running the show

A big part of why these tastings get such strong ratings is the presenter. In the experience descriptions you provided, certain staff names come up repeatedly—like Ron Pieters, plus guides such as Maria and Luca. The common theme across these names is clear: the guides mix cheese details with friendly delivery, and they make room for questions.

That’s important. Cheese and wine pairing can feel intimidating if the tone is too academic. Here, the tone stays practical—built to help you taste better, not to score you.

How the tasting helps you choose better wine later

Most wine mistakes abroad come from pairing the wrong mood. You get a bottle that’s good on its own, but it doesn’t “talk” to the food. This tasting trains you away from that habit.

You’ll go through multiple cheeses and multiple wines. So you learn patterns fast:

• When a white wine fits better with certain cheese traits
• When a red supports richer or more aged flavors
• How port shifts the experience with sweetness and intensity

The benefit isn’t just that you’ll enjoy the glasses you get. It’s that you’ll understand what to look for next time you’re picking a bottle in a shop or ordering at a café.

A practical tip for tasting (even if you don’t love wine)

Here’s a simple trick you can use during the session:

1. Take one bite of cheese.
2. Then sip water or wait a beat.
3. Taste the wine on its own.
4. Only then try them together.

This helps you separate what each item contributes. Guides do this naturally, but you can use the same mental steps to get more out of each pairing.

What you can buy after: the shop discount reality

Because the tasting happens at a store, there’s naturally a shopping layer. That’s not a deal-breaker—most cheese lovers actually enjoy it.

In the information you shared, there are mentions of a discount at the end (one example notes 10%). Also, people point out that you can purchase cheeses at the shop.

So here’s the balanced way to think about it:

• If you came to learn, the tasting stands on its own.
• If you came to bring home cheese, the shop setup makes it easy.

The only potential downside is for people who hate anything that feels like a sales pitch. Since this is a cheese store, you should expect some promotional energy. If you’re sensitive to that, go in knowing the tasting ends in a place where buying is part of the experience.

Value check: is $32.65 a good deal for Amsterdam?

Let’s talk real value, not just sticker price.

At $32.65 per person, you’re paying for:

• Five cheeses (not one plate)
• Three wine options (white, red, and port are typical in this format)
• A guide who explains how pairings work
• Cutlery and a structured tasting session in a central area

Amsterdam can be expensive, and short food experiences add up fast. The value here comes from the “teaching per hour” angle. In a single session, you taste through enough variety to learn something you can use again later—especially how cheese age and milk type change what wine should do.

Also, the session is not overly long. At about 55 minutes, you’re buying concentrated time with minimal hassle. For many people, that’s the sweet spot: enough food education to matter, not enough to derail the rest of the day.

Timing and who this suits best

This is ideal if you:

• Love cheese and want an organized tasting instead of wandering blindly
• Want to understand why pairings work (not just what tastes good)
• Prefer a short activity that fits between canal time, museums, or dinner plans
• Enjoy meeting other small groups in a food-focused setting

It’s also a solid choice for rainy-day Amsterdam. Indoors, guided, and timed. No long lines promised here, just a straightforward tasting at a real cheese store.

One filter to keep in mind: minimum drinking age is 18. If your group includes younger travelers, this affects whether everyone can participate fully in the wine portion.

Should you book this cheese and wine tasting in Amsterdam?

Yes, if you want a well-structured Amsterdam cheese and wine pairing lesson without committing to a full meal or a multi-stop tour. The combination of five cheeses, a guided pairing format, and a one-hour structure makes it a smart use of time.

Skip it if you hate shop-based tastings that feel like they’re meant to send you home with purchases. You’ll probably still learn a lot—but you should go in with the expectation that the store environment is part of the deal.

If you’re on the fence, my advice is simple: book it when you want a calm, indoor, educational break and plan to treat the end as optional shopping rather than pressure.

FAQ

How long is the cheese and wine tasting in Amsterdam?

The experience lasts about 55 minutes.

Where does the tasting start?

The meeting point is Damrak 62HS, 1012 LM Amsterdam, Netherlands.

What’s included in the price?

It includes food tasting, wine tasting, and cutlery.

What’s the typical pairing lineup?

You’ll taste five cheeses with wines that include a white, a red, and a port.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes, it’s offered in English.

What is the minimum drinking age?

The minimum drinking age is 18.

How big is the group?

The tour/activity has a maximum of 26 travelers.

Can I cancel for free?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience start time.