Tag Archives: goat cheese

October Cheese Club: Cedar Rapids

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Cheese Club Fromager florette goat cheese Fromager d’Affinois Florette Goat’s Milk Brie Cheese Pélussin, France

Florette is a goat’s milk cheese with a stark white paste and a dimple-edged rind, folded over itself like a freshly baked pie crust. It’s the brightest, freshest-tasting cheese in Fromager d’Affinois’ lineup, with notes of tangy lemon yogurt and a clean, fresh scent, reminiscent of grass after a morning rain. 

PAIRINGS: Best paired with fresh, springtime flavors, like lemon marmalade, Granny Smith apples, and Marcona almonds. Or ripe blueberries, honey and fresh basil. Also great with spiced fig jam. This cheese pairs beautifully with Sauvignon Blanc wines, cool-climate Chardonnay, sparkling wines, or Beaujolais and light Pinot Noir wines. 

WINESTYLES: Silky or Mellow

BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean

ABOUT THE CREAMERY: In the 1980s, Jean Claude Guilloteau and his wife settled in Pélussin, a picturesque village in France’s Rhône-Alpes region, near Lyon. Surrounded by vineyards, mountains and a rich culinary tradition, Guilloteau set out to rethink the art of French cheesemaking.

Drawing on his experience in yogurt production, Guilloteau pioneered the use of ultrafiltration, a process that removes excess water from milk while retaining its natural richness. Combined with years of research into unique cultures and rennet, this innovative approach created the signature silky, creamy texture and delicate flavor found in Fromagerie Guilloteau cheeses, like Florette. What began in a small French village eventually found its way to cheese lovers around the world. Learn more about the history of Fromager d’Affinois here> Information © Fromager d’Affinois – All Rights Reserved.

Coopers-Hill-Header-Product-485x485Cooper’s Hill Double Gloucester Great Britain

Cooper’s Hill celebrates a famous cheese rolling tradition enshrined in English folklore.  This pasteurized cow’s milk cheese combines the creamy texture and rounded taste of a quintessential British Double Gloucester with the tang of added chives and onions. Every year, a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is sent down the hill and the first person chasing it to cross the finish line receives the wheel of the cheese and all the accolades. Learn more about this fun tradition > WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: This cheese suits Mellow or Bold wine styles, such as a Syrah or Spanish Rioja wine. Silky white wine style, such as a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre region in Loire Valley, France. For craft beer, a natural partner would be British or American Brown Ales. WINESTYLES: Bold or Mellow red wines or  Silky white wines. BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy Information © Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!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: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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Cheese ClubLaClare Family Creamery Maple Bourbon Goat CheeseLaClare Family Creamery
Maple Bourbon
Goat Cheese
Malone, Wisconsin

LaClare’s original goat cheese is blended with sweet maple and is complemented by an aromatic bourbon flavor. Enjoy as a delicious snack spread on crackers or paired with fresh fruit.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
This cheese pairs beautifully with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon. For our beer lovers, pair this goat cheese with stouts and dark ales.

WINESTYLES: Bold
BEERSTYLES: Dark & Roasty

About the Creamery:
LaClare is one of the only 100%-domestically produced goat cheese brands in the country; milk is sourced exclusively from local dairies. With respect to sustainability, transparency, and tradition, their innovative cheesemakers create unrivaled cheese to please palates with clean, fresh flavor profiles that cannot be imitated. Learn more here.

Information & Photos © LaClare Family Creamery. – All Rights Reserved.

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. Toma Background RemovedPoint Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
Toma
Cow’s Milk
Point Reyes Station, California

In Italian, “Toma” often refers to a wheel of cheese made by the farmer herself… a perfect way to describe this cheese. It is Point Reyes’ most versatile, any time, any table cheese. All natural, pasteurized, semi-hard table cheese with a waxed rind.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
This cheese can pair well with a variety of flavors… try serving with hop-heavy beers, Pinot Noirs or a barrel-aged scotch.

WINESTYLES:Bold or Mellow
BEERSTYLES:Hoppy

About Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.:
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company is a culmination of a family’s agricultural legacy. Founded by their great-grandfather, their California dairy farm has transformed over the years. In the 1990s, seeking a more sustainable path, the Giacomini sisters returned to the farm and transitioned it into an artisanal cheesemaking operation. Their handcrafted cheese, like the signature Original Blue and Toma, continues the family tradition of producing high-quality products while honoring their love for the land. In July 2013, Point Reyes story was featured on Jane Pauley’s segment on NBC’s Today Show (video below). Learn more here.

The Giacomini family.

The first day of cheesemaking, August 1, 2000

Bob Giacomini, 1980

Information & Photos © Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. – All Rights Reserved.

Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!

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

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Cheese ClubArtikaas_VintageLot-18-485x485Artikaas 18 Month Aged Gouda Netherlands

Complex flavors develop slowly as it matures for a year and a half in a state-of-the-art aging facility. A firm texture with some salt crystallization, a deep ochre interior, notes of toasted walnuts, and a brown-butter finish equal perfection!  Aged: 18 Months Milk: Cows Pasteurization: Pasteurized WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: For wine, pair with Pomar Junction Reserve Pinot Noir; its elegant structure and red berry notes provide just enough acidity and contrast for the cheese’s aged nuttiness. If you prefer white, a lighter-white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. For craft beer, go with a dry cider, which cuts through the richness while highlighting the cheese’s caramel notes, or an amber ale, whose balanced malt sweetness pairs naturally with the aged Gouda’s butterscotch flavors. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Mellow wines BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy beers Information © Zuercher Cheese. – All Rights Reserved.

Black-BettyL’Amuse Brabander Reserve (Black Betty) Gouda Goat Cheese Netherlands

This may be our favorite cheese ever (secret’s out). A mature Gouda from the North Brabant region of the Netherlands, imported by Essex St. Cheese Co. Affineur Betty Koster chooses wheels of Saanen goats’ milk Brabander, normally aged 6-8 months, which she feels are capable of further aging. The Reserve Brabander’s texture is firmer and drier than a typical Brabander, with flavors reflecting brown butter, salted caramel, and pineapple. Aged: 16 Months Milk: Goat Pasteurization: Pasteurized WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: For wine, pair with Pomar Junction Roussanne; its smooth texture and subtle floral and stone fruit notes enhance the cheese’s creamy, nutty flavors without overpowering them. If you prefer red, Pomar Junction Reserve Pinot Noir is a great match—its bright acidity and red fruit contrast the cheese’s richness. For craft beer, try a Belgian Tripel, whose fruity esters and effervescence balance the cheese’s creamy texture, or a Pale Ale, which mirrors its caramelized nuttiness. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Mellow BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean or Fruity & Spicy beers Information © Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

Join our Cheese Club and bring home a match made in heaven!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

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Cheese ClubSmoking-GoatGrupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura The Smokin’ Goat Smoked Goat Cheese Canary Islands, Spain

This smoked, pasteurized goat’s milk cheese is made by a family-run dairy on the Canary Islands that aims to protect the strong cheesemaking traditions of that region. The Smokin’ Goat is made with local Majorero goat’s milk, creating a smooth paste that is naturally high in fat and protein. The cheese is lightly smoked over beechwood, adding toasted notes to this otherwise sweet and tangy goat cheese. The rind pattern is a nod to the palm leaves that were historically used as cheese molds in this region. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: What grows together, goes together. Pair this cheese with any of our 2023 February Wine Club wines from Spain. For beer, grab something crisp and clean, like a Pilsner.  WINESTYLES: Bold or Crisp BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean

Drunken-Goat-cheeseThe Drunken Goat Semi-Soft Goat Cheese Queso de Murcia al Vino DOP Jumilla, Spain

The Drunken Goat is a semi-soft goat cheese bathed in red wine. It is made with pasteurized goat’s milk from the Murcia region of Spain and it’s smooth and mild with a beautiful violet hue – from soaking in Doble Pasta (DOH-blay PAHSS-tah) from the Monastrell grape. Aged for 6-8 weeks with 45-50% fat content, this cheese has a slightly fruity and herbal finish. The Drunken Goat is a great introduction to goat cheese as it doesn’t have the tangy or “goaty” cheese flavors that many people don’t like. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Same thing here – what grows together, goes together. Pair this cheese with any of our 2023 February Wine Club wines from Spain. For beer, grab something fruity and spicy, like a Belgian-Style Wheat Ale. WINESTYLES: Bold or Crisp BEERSTYLES: Fruity and Spicy Information © Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

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

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Cheese ClubZamorano-cheeseCecilia Zamorano D.O.P. Sheep Semibold Cheese Castile-León, Spain

Aged for 3-9 months, this DOP cheese is made from raw milk of its namesake region’s Churra and Castellano sheep. The rind has a familiar zigzag pattern – typical of many Spanish cheeses – but its flavor is all its own. This cheese is deliciously sweet and nutty with a touch of salt. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Pair with a fruity wine such as a Tempranillo or a mellow wine such as our January Wine Club wines: Chateau Govain Merlot and the Domaine de Lilotte Bordeaux. For beer, grab something fruity and spicy, like a Belgian-Style Wheat Ale. WINESTYLES: Fruity or Mellow BEERSTYLES: Fruity and Spicy

Tomme-Pur-Chevre-cheeseOnetik Tomme Pur Chèvre Goat Cheese Pyrenees, France

This natural rinded Tomme cheese is made from pasteurized goat’s milk. Similar in texture to Onetik’s Ossau-Iraty Cheese, however, the flavors here are clearer and brighter, with cool herbal tones to replace the nuttiness that you would get from a sheep’s milk Tomme. This is a great addition to any cheese board. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Pair with a crisp wine such as a Sancerre or a Sauvignon Blanc – try with our January White Wine Club wine – Chateau Le Prieur Cuvée Passion. For beer, pair with a crisp Basque Cider from the Basque region of Europe (think: “what grows together, goes together”). WINESTYLES: Crisp BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean Information © Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

Cheese_springDon’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

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Cheese ClubHay-there-walnut-cheeseArtikaas  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-cheeseHoney 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

Cheese_springDon’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 >

August Cheese Club: Iowa

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pre-sliced-Olli-calabrese-4-ounceOlli SalumeriaCheese Club Calabrese Oceanside, California

A spicy salami that gets its kick from cayenne pepper and paprika. It is zesty, yet not overpowering. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Red Zinfandels make the perfect accompaniment to this salami. For craft beer, reach for a Belgian-style Golden Ale or a hoppy IPA to balance the spice of the salami. WINESTYLES: Mellow or Bold BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean; or Hoppy & Bitter ABOUT OLLI SALUMERIA: Owner, Oliviero (or Olli) grew up in a family of salumi makers. In 1850, his great grandfather was already making salami in Norcia, Italy. By 1900, his family moved to Rome, opening many salumi stores throughout a larger market.  By 1950, his grandfather started a manufacturing business, that had later grown to be the most successful salumi business in Rome. Born in Rome in 1978, Oliviero spent many years learning from his grandfather. By 2010, he moved to the United States to start his own company, Olli Salumeria, using the traditional techniques learned from his family. Learn more about their story here >

Cypress Grove humboldt fog cheeseCypress Grove Humboldt Fog Arcata, California

The Original American Original® was conceived in a dream, states founder Mary Keehn. Her creation opened the door for soft-ripened goat cheese in America. Each handcrafted wheel features a distinctive ribbon of edible vegetable ash. On the palate, there are flavors of buttermilk and fresh cream, complemented with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, and a clean citrus finish. As Humboldt Fog matures, the cream-line develops and the flavor intensifies. FOOD PAIRING: Drizzle it with honey and serve with prosciutto, tart apple and Marcona almonds; or crumble it over a salad for a delicious treat. Try this recipe > WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Young Humboldt: Demi-sec sparkling or Sauvignon Blanc wines. IPA, Porter or Wheat craft beer. Ripe Humboldt Fog: Pinot Grigio, Rosé, Sweet Sherry, Vouray wines or enjoy with a Pale Ale craft beer. Mature Humboldt Fog: Pinot Noir or Zinfandel wines or IPA or Stout craft beer. WINESTYLES: Crisp, Mellow BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean or Malty and Sweet ABOUT CYPRESS GROVE: Cypress Grove is located on the rural north coast of California. Cypress Grove founder, Mary Keehn, had a dream of a soft-ripened goat cheese that later became an award-winning, recognized cheese; this creation fueled the growth to one of the most popular creameries in the country. Learn more about her story > 

Screen Shot 2021-06-28 at 7.24.47 PMDon’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 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 cheese every month! Only $19.99/month and your wine won’t be lonely!  Click to learn more >

Cheese – A Near Perfect Food

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Max

Interview with Max McCalman, Dean of Curriculum and Maitre Fromager of Artisanal Cheese

What cheeses are best during the summer months?
We are coming into a pretty good time of year for cheese. It’s unfortunate that people don’t eat as much cheese in the summer, because that is when a broader type of cheeses are really starting to show. The goat’s milk cheeses in particular are at their best in summertime because the animals have more to choose from to eat. They’re also cheeses that aren’t meant to age and keep for many months.

How are goats’ milk cheeses made?
Milk is saved from four milkings—an evening milking from day one, a morning and evening milking from day two and a morning milking from day three. Goats’ milk contains coagulants, which are then sped up with the addition of cultures and rennets. When the milk has coagulated, it turns into a spongy mass—the curds. These are then cut into little pieces, which allow the whey, or liquid part, to drain off easily. The curds are then put into perforated molds, so the whey continues to drain off. The young cheese is then gently removed from the mold and set out on shelves to dry. After a couple of weeks, the cheese is dusted with vegetable ash, which makes it a little less acidic and allows for even more beneficial mold to flourish. It also takes excess moisture out and puts flavor in.

What’s a good wine/cheese pairing for summer?
Pairing principles come down to a couple of things. A salty cheese will probably pair better with a sweeter or fruitier wine. That’s why dessert wines pair so well with cheese. They give them a balancing partner. Texture comes into play, too. The harder cheeses are more successful with a broader range of wine types.

Any tips on packing cheeses for outdoor dining?
Cheese should be kept out of sunlight, but kept cool. If you are having a picnic, put it in the cooler, but don’t put it down in the ice.  Then bring it up to room temperature before eating—it will taste better. Firmer cheeses are easier to transport. A brie-type of cheese in 90-degree weather is not going to be very pretty. That should be enjoyed indoors.