Tag Archives: cheese
Shopshire Blue
Red Dragon Cheese
August Cheese Club: Iowa
Vermont Creamery
St. Albans
Websterville, Vermont
The St. Albans cheese is a uniquely American take on the French St. Marcellin. It is an aged cows’ milk cheese and takes its name from the town of St. Albans, Vermont. Hand-shaped and aged for eleven days, these delicate cheese disks are packaged in sturdy ceramic crocks that double as baking vessels.
INGREDIENT INFORMATION:
Pasteurized Cultured Milk, Salt, and Enzymes
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- Share on a cheeseboard alongside other fresh and aged cheeses
- Spread it on a seeded cracker or crostini
- Melt and drizzle on top of baked potatoes or roasted corn on the cob
- Other pairings: Pickled Eggs, Pomegranate Molasses, Sweet & Sour Pickle, and Pea Shoots
- 2017 US Championship Cheese Contest – Third Place
- 2017 Sofi™ Awards – Best New Product – Cheese Category
- 2016 World Cheese Awards – Bronze
ABOUT VERMONT CREAMERY:
Founded in 1984, on a chance interaction between two young entrepreneurs, Allison Hooper and Bob Reese. Allison learned how to make cheese during an internship on a farm in Brittany, France. Bob was working for the Vermont Department of Agriculture when he was in charge of organizing a dinner featuring all Vermont-made products. The French chef of this dinner requested fresh goat cheese, and Bob scrambled to find a local producer. He was able to find Allison, who was working in a dairy lab and milking goats, and asked her to make the cheese for them. The dinner was a success and the cheese was a hit – and so, Vermont Creamery was born that night.
Today, these two business owners continue to make consciously-crafted, delicious dairy in Vermont. Their cheeses and butters have won hundreds of national and international awards and their team remains the most valuable resource of them all. Learn more about their story here.
Beehive Cheese
Seahive Cheddar
Uintah, Utah
Seahive is a true expression of the flavors of Utah. This sweet and creamy Utah Cheddar’s rind is rubbed with local wildflower honey and ancient salt harvested from a pristine ocean deposit in Redmond, Utah giving the cheese its signature pinkish hue. The honey on the rind elevates its inherent sweetness, without becoming cloyingly sweet.
INGREDIENT INFORMATION:
Vegetarian rennet, cow’s milk, all ingredients rubbed on the rind are organic and this is a gluten-friendly product.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- Pair with stone fruits, berries, charcuterie, and toasted nuts
- Top with jam
- Sidecar with your apple pie.
- 1st Place International Cheese and Dairy Awards (ICDA) 2021
- 2nd Place World Cheese Awards (WCA) 2021
- 3rd Place American Cheese Society 2011
- 3rd Place WCA 2018, 2019
ABOUT BEEHIVE CHEESE:
In 2005, Tim Welsh and his brother-in-law, Pat Ford, had a vision of opening a creamery in the mountains of Northern Utah. With no more than eight days of cheesemaking experience between the two of them when they first began, the two broke tradition without even realizing it. They enjoyed the freedom to experiment and created their own rules about what artisan cheese could be. With their families by their sides, they built a company grounded in independent thinking, connectedness, and authenticity. They partnered with some of the best cheese researchers and creameries the western U.S. had to offer. Today, Beehive Cheese continues to produce award-winning cheeses that bring family and friends together. Learn more about their story here.
Photos and information © Vermont Creamery and Beehive Cheese – All Rights Reserved.
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
July Cheese Club: Iowa
Sawatch Artisan Foods
Baby Gouda
Colorado Springs, Colorado
This Gouda is a satisfying cheese that everyone will love. It’s made by hand, brined and aged for 2-4 months on traditional Dutch pine planks. The result is a creamy bite and a mild flavor that makes this cheese an easy crowd favorite.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a light wine, such as a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or glass or Champagne/Sparkling White Wine. For beer, look for a light or pale lager or ale.
WINESTYLES: Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
Sawatch Artisan Foods
European Style Butter – Unsalted
Colorado Springs, Colorado
This European Style Butter isn’t your run-of-the-mill butter you would find in the grocery store. Containing a minimum butterfat content of 85%, this is butter that’s made the way it should be: with fresh, local cream, churned daily in small batches. The result becomes a satisfying, creamy, high quality butter that makes everything you put on it, or in it, that much better.
ABOUT SAWATCH ARTISAN FOODS:
We are so excited to showcase Sawatch products for our Cheese Club this month, it’s the first time they are sold outside of Colorado! This high-quality Colorado dairy produces handcrafted products with care, time and good taste. They believe in simple, wholesome ingredients… nothing else. They work in small batches with only the freshest local dairy and commit to a slow, artisan, handcrafted process, even though it takes more time. They aim to produce creative flavors, while also maintaining their high-quality staples. Learn more about their story here.
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
June Cheese Club: Iowa
Beehive Cheese
Queen Bee Porcini Cheddar
Uintah, Utah
The rind of this rich and creamy Utah cheddar is hand-rubbed with Porcini mushrooms, imparting an earthy, umami notes throughout the paste of the cheese. On the palate, you can expect all the creaminess of the Beehive Cheese’s award-winning Promontory cheddar to be combined with savory notes from the Porcini mushrooms.
Production: Regalis Porcini mushrooms are pulverized into a fine power, rubbed on the rind of the cheese, and then aged. During the aging process, the earthy flavors permeate throughout the 20-pound wheel of cheese and marry beautifully with the natural sweetness of the cheddar.
The Gist: Aged for 6-8 months; Vegetarian Rennet; Cow’s Milk
Serving Recommendation: Salami, assortment of pickled/brined veggies or olives. It has superb melting capabilities, perfect for risotto or mac and cheese.
Awards: Super Gold WCA 2021, 2022
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pairs well with a Sangiovese or Pinot Noir, such as our June Wine Club – La Montage Pinot Noir. For beer, reach for an American Pale Ale.
WINESTYLES: Mellow
BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean
Beehive Cheese
Teahive Cheddar
Uintah, Utah
This Utah cheddar rubbed with Earl Grey is a “feel good” cheese. The soothing qualities of tea and the relaxing properties of bergamot combine to produce a lovely cheese with rich fragrances of orange blossoms. On the palate, it is sweet and creamy. This Jersey cow’s milk cheese immediately delights the palate and the complexities of the tea-rubbed rind continue through the finish.
The Gist: Aged for 6-8months; Vegetarian rennet; Cow’s milk; Gluten-friendly product; Organic, non-GMO ingredients in the rub
Serving Recommendation: Pair with stone fruits, berries, charcuterie, toasted nuts, or top with honey or jam. This cheese is perfect on scones, baked into shortbread biscuits, or sliced on a sandwich.
Awards:
- 1st ACS 2012
- Silver WCA 2017, 2018, 2019
- 2nd ACS 2015
- 2nd IMPA 2018
- 2nd British Empire Cheese Competition 2018
ABOUT BEEHIVE CHEESE:
In 2005, Tim Welsh and his brother-in-law, Pat Ford, had a vision of opening a creamery in the mountains of Northern Utah. With no more than eight days of cheesemaking experience between the two of them when they first began, the two broke tradition without even realizing it. They enjoyed the freedom to experiment and created their own rules about what artisan cheese could be. With their families by their sides, they built a company grounded in independent thinking, connectedness, and authenticity. They partnered with some of the best cheese researchers and creameries the western U.S. had to offer. Today, Beehive Cheese continues to produce award-winning cheeses that bring family and friends together. Learn more about their story here.
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
May Cheese Club: Iowa
Artikaas
Hay There
Raw Milk Gouda with Walnut & Hazelnut
Holland
Artikaas has been a family run cheesemaker in Holland for over six generations. They make Gouda as they always have — meticulously, without shortcuts, with respect for nature, and using only the best milk from family farms. The ‘Hay There’ raw milk Gouda with walnut and hazelnut has the creaminess and earthiness of a traditional, raw milk Gouda with the addictive crunch of the walnuts and hazelnuts. This nut-flecked cheese is beautiful to look at and a real treat for your senses – combining smooth and crunch, with nutty and sweet.
Flavor Profile: Aged for 60 days – creamy, earthy and nutty
Serving Recommendation: Perfect for snacking, on a cheese board, or on a dessert cheese plate
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pairs well with a fruity red wine or a silky white wine, such as our May Primary White Wine Club wine, Casas del Toqui Barrel Series Semillón. For beer, look for something crisp, such as a Pilsner.
WINESTYLES: Fruity and Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean
Honey Bee
Goat Cheese
Holland
The Honey Bee Goat Milk Gouda is made by drizzling a bit of honey into pure goat milk. This creates a cashew-like, nutty flavor with a hint of caramel and a sweet warmth to lock in those sticky undertones.
Flavor Profile: Aged for 6 months – slightly sweet, not too strong or salty
Serving Recommendation: Slice, grate or cube. Wonderful in salads or as a snack with fruit.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Serve with a crisp white wine or for beer, grab a crisp and clean pilsner or lager.
WINESTYLES: Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
April Cheese Club: Iowa
Bonvallis
Mahón Semi-Cured Cheese
Menora, Spain
Named after the port of Mahón on the Minorca (or Menorca) Island in Spain, this cow’s milk cheese is produced by various small farmers organized in a cooperative. This semi-hard artisan cheese is pale yellow in color and has a nutty and sweet aroma. It is buttery, fruity, sharp and salty in taste. During maturation, the cheese is hand rubbed with butter, paprika and olive oil to give it its traditional orange exterior. The Mahón cheese is sold at different ages ranging from 2 months to 10 months. This cheese was awarded with Bronze and Silver medals at the 2014 and 2011 World Cheese Awards.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pairs well with this month’s Wine Club wines, or enjoy with a FRUITY Tempranillo or Rioja; or a SILKY Albariño wine. Enjoy with craft beers that are crisp, such as a Pale Ale or a Cider.
WINESTYLES: Fruity or Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean
SERVING RECOMMENDATION:
Spaniards call this a table cheese because it is versatile with almost all foods. It can be served alone as an appetizer or dessert, or with fresh fruit and nuts on a cheese board. It also can be melted beautifully to give life to sandwiches or burgers.
Quorum
Idiazabal Smoked Cheese
Northern Spain
Named after the village of Idiazabal, this Smoked Cheese is a traditional farmhouse hard cheese made from raw sheep’s milk in the Basque and Navarra regions or Northern Spain. In the old days, the Basque shepherds lived in small mountain huts, and could only age their cheeses within their stone chimneys – giving the cheese its traditional smokey flavor. Today, the cheese is produced in more modern ways, however, the process is still all-natural to give the cheese it’s smokiness – usually slowly ripened and naturally smoked with beech or cherry wood. Its compact texture and smokey flavor are reminiscent of burnt caramel and bacon. The cheese has a vibrant bouquet of aromas with rich, buttery flavors on the palate.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Serve with any of this month’s wine club wines, or enjoy with a FRUITY Tempranillo or Rioja, or with a SILKY or RICH Chardonnay. For beer, enjoy with a crisp Pale Ale.
WINESTYLES: Fruity, Silky, or Rich
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
SERVING RECOMMENDATION:
Enjoy with thinly sliced, fresh bread or melt in the oven as a complement for grilled meats, salads or as a key part of an elegant meal.
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
March Cheese Club: Iowa
Caseificio Il Fiorino
Pecorino Toscano DOP
Tuscany, Italy
The Tuscan Pecorino DOP is a cheese that is protected by the Denomination of Origin, which means it is produced according to strict disciplinary rules according to tradition of that geographical location. This fresh cheese has undergone a short seasoning period, making it soft and delicate on the palate. The smell is fairly strong, with notes of buttermilk and fresh hay. On the palate, the consistency is tender and creamy; it is fairly mild, well-rounded and balanced with a hint of tang. Serve with a light salad or with a bit of bread for a delicious lunch.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
This Pecorino pairs well with a mellow Malbec, such as our Premium Club – Materra Cunat Family Vineyards Midnight Red Blend, a Chianti or a Prosecco. For beer, pair with an IPA, a double IPA and a Belgium Tripel.
WINESTYLES: Mellow and Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean
ABOUT THE CREAMERY:
The Fiorino family rooted themselves in southern Tuscany in the 1800s. Years later, they dedicated their land to breeding sheep and discovered the rocky ravines and consistent humidity was ideal for aging sheep’s milk for cheese, and thus, started their passion for quality cheese.
Fontina Val D’Aosta
Semi-soft
Aosta Valley, Italy
Since the 12th century, Fontina Val D’Aosta is a classic Italian cheese that is traditionally made with unpasteurized cow’s milk and usually aged 90 days. This Italian Fontina has a natural rind that turns tan to orange-brown as it ages. The interior is a pale cream color with holes known as “eyes”. Rich and creamy in flavor, with more notes of nuts as it ages. This is a great cheese for fondues, Italian dishes, dishes with wild cherries and truffles.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Serve with a glass of Nebbiolo, a bold Italian Red Wine, a big Chardonnay, or our March Wine Club – Reguta Ribolla Gialla. For beer, pair with a crisp beer such as a pilsner, or a pale Lager such as an Italian Peroni.
WINESTYLES: Bold, Rich or Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
February Cheese Club: Iowa
Cheeseland
Gouda with Peppercorns
Holland
This mild, creamy Gouda with black peppercorns is a versatile cheese with a unique and interesting flavor profile. It is made with pasteurized milk, organic cream, salt, cheese culture and vegetarian rennet. It is delicious in salads, sandwiches or omelettes. This cheese also pairs beautifully with potatoes, or rich dishes like quiches, casseroles and frittatas.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Serve with mimosas using a dry Champagne, or serve with California Zinfandels, or Italian Primitivo wines. For Beer, look for a Lager, Pilsner, Brown Ale or Wheat Beer.
WINESTYLES: Bubbly or Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
Neal’s Yard Dairy
Montgomery’s Cheddar
England
Since 1911, Montgomery’s Cheddar has been made at Manor Farm, with milk from the 200 Friesian cows that roam the 1200 acre farm. Rich and savory flavors are the hallmark of Montgomery Cheddar.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a red wine, such as a Pinot Noir, Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon. For beer, pair with an IPA or an English Cider.
WINESTYLES: Bold
BEERSTYLES: Hoppy & Bitter
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
January Cheese Club: Iowa
Ubriaco Pinot Rosé
Veneto, Italy
This semi-firm cheese is crisp and salty in flavor with a light fruity aroma, highlighting notes of berry sorbet and ripe peach. It is soaked in organic La Jara Pinot Grigio rosé, retaining the flavors of the wine without the sharp, alcoholic bite being too present or overpowering. The blush colored rind is topped with dried rose petals, making it almost too pretty to eat.
Milk Type: Cow – Pasteurized
Rennet Type: Traditional
Aging: Minimum 10 months
Serving Suggestion: Enjoy crumbles of Ubriaco Pinot Rosé on a cheese plate with fresh strawberries, dark chocolate, and a Sparkling Rosé.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a Prosecco wine or any crisp and clean beer like a Pilsner.
WINESTYLES: Bubbly
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
Fromagerie L’Amuse
Brabander Reserve Gouda (Black Betty)
Holland
Also known as Black Betty, the Brabander Reserve is produced by world-renowned affineur, Betty Koster of Amsterdam’s L’Amuse Cheese Shop. Betty hand-selects a very limited number of wheels of Brabander (which are normally aged for 6-9 months) and ages them an additional 6 months, creating this ‘black-label’ version of her goat milk gouda that is only available from November to January. This Brabander Reserve has brown-buttery notes and a creamy bite with additional rich flavors of licorice, caramel, and pineapple. Each shop is only allowed a certain number of wheels each year… so, when it’s gone, it’s gone until next year!
Milk Type: Goat – Pasteurized
Rennet: Traditional/Hard
Average Age: About 16 months
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a fruity red wine, such as a Cru Beaujolais, or a dark, malty beer with bite such as a Doppelbock.
WINESTYLES: Fruity
BEERSTYLES: Malty & Sweet
Don’t let your Wine Club go home alone!
Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!
If you enjoy pairing cheese with wine, this is your club! Each month you’ll discover specialty and artisan cheeses to pair with your Wine Club. Monthly cheese selections are chosen by your local WineStyles participating location. It’s the perfect opportunity to Taste, Learn and Enjoy® amazing artisan cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely! Click to learn more >
December Cheese Club: Iowa
Neal’s Yard Dairy
Pitchfork Cheddar
Somerset, England
The Pitchfork Cheddar is a full-bodied, dense and nutty cheddar from Trethowan’s Dairy in Somerset. It has a juicy bite and creamy texture that coats the mouth. The name, Pitchfork, references the old Cheddar-making tools used to toss the curd while mixing in the salt. This practice is something that Neal’s Yard Dairy continues today.
Milk Type: Cow
Milk Source: Produced on-site
Average Age: 12 months
Cheesemakers: Maugan & Todd Trethowan
Serving Suggestion: Fold grated Pitchfork Cheddar into scrambled eggs towards the end of the cooking process to get deeper, more savory eggs.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
The Pitchfork Cheddar pairs well with a light red wine such as a Pinot Noir, or a Silky White Wine, like a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. For beer, reach for a Cider or English Ale.
WINESTYLES: Fruity or Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
BACKGROUND:
© Photo by Neal’s Yard Dairy
Neal’s Yard Dairy
Lincolnshire Poacher
Alford, Lincolnshire, England
West Country Cheddar meets Comté in this cheese. It is smooth and densely creamy in texture with flavors ranging from rich and savory to long, sweet and somewhat pineapple-like. Lincolnshire Poacher is one of the very few cheeses to be produced on the east coast of the country, where the clay soils are usually improper for dairy farming.
Milk Type: Cow
Milk Source: Own herd
Average Age: 18-24 Months
Cheesemakers: Simon Jones and Richard Tagg
Serving Suggestion: Melt on top of buttered crumpets or toast.
WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Similarly, the Lincolnshire Poacher pairs well with light red Pinot Noirs, Gamays or a Sangioveses. If you prefer white wine, reach for a Silky White, like a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. Ciders or English Ales will pair best with this cheese.
WINESTYLES: Fruity or Silky
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean
BACKGROUND:
© Photo from Neal’s Yard Dairy
WineStyles Tasting Station 