Tag Archives: Great Britain

October Cheese Club: Iowa

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Jaspers Eligo cheeseCheese ClubJasper Hill Farm Eligo Pasteurized Cow and Goat Milk Cheese Greensboro, Vermont

Eligo, named for a nearby lake, is the first cheese Jasper Hill Creamery has developed to suit the expertly crafted goat milk coming from their partners at Bridgman Hill Farm. Eligo’s flavors bring out the best in both milk types; buttery richness from the cow milk carries a soft, white pepper spice note and goat aromas. A densely creamy texture is a bit softer beneath the rosy-orange washed rind, where the flavors are more pronounced.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Eligo’s goat aromas and subtle earthiness from the rind make it a great match for skin contact or full-bodied white wines, and mixed fermentation ales. Preserved lemon, mild green olives, and toasted almonds make for nice accompaniments.

ABOUT THE CREAMERY: It all began when brothers Andy and Mateo, along with their wives, Victoria and Angie, pooled their life savings and bought a rocky hillside farm in Vermont’s subarctic climate zone near the Canadian border. What made the Northeast Kingdom region special to them was the sleepy village of Greensboro with its sparkling, secluded Caspian Lake – where their family had found summer respite for more than 100 years.  Greensboro’s sparse population and rural locale held few opportunities for conventional career paths. The old dairy barn they found themselves with hadn’t seen cows for nearly 40 years. About a third of the farms in town sold their cows in 1998; the same year that the Kehlers bought what locals referred to as “the old Jasper Hill farm.” Learn more about Jasper Hill Farm’s story here> Information and Photos © Jasper Hill Farm – 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 >

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 >

February Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese ClubSaint Nectaire cheeseSaint Nectaire AOC
Semi-soft Cheese
Auvergne, France

This semi-soft, washed-rind cheese comes from the Auvergne region of France. It is made from either raw or pasteurized cow’s milk, sourced primarily from breeds like Salers or Montbéliarde. The paste is soft and aromatic with a creamy color. It is slightly sweet and has subtle flavors of hazelnut with an almost spice-like after-bite.

Saint Nectaire is distinguished with the prestigious AOC designation and it undergoes a maturation period lasting six to eight weeks. Throughout this process, the cheeses are washed with salted water and regular turned over to cultivate the specific orange-grey rind. the cheeses are aged on rye straw to impart a distinct pungency.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
For a wine, pair with this month’s sweet club selection: Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Old Vine Muscat. For beer, enjoy this semi-soft, washed-rind cheese with a Belgian Saison.

WINESTYLES: Nectar
BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy

Information & Photos © Zuercher & Co. and Cheese.com – All Rights Reserved.

Blue Stilton Reserve CheeseClawson Farms
Reserve Blue Stilton Cheese
Leicestershire, England

This traditional cheese is still made by hand in just three English counties: Leicester, Derby, and Nottingham. It has long been valued for its ability to evoke the flavors of the past. Beneath its rough, mottled grey-brown rind lies an ivory paste threaded with greenish-blue veins of mold. The texture is dense and fudge-like, and the flavor is gently fruity with a mellow richness.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
For a wine, pair with this month’s sweet club selection: Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Old Vine Muscadelle. For beer, enjoy this English cheese with an English barleywine.

WINESTYLES: Nectar
BEERSTYLES: Dark & Roasty

About Clawson Farms:
Clawson Farms is a farmer-owned co-operative founded in 1912 in Long Clawson, Leicestershire, now made up of around 30 local farms within a 30-mile radius. With over a century of cheese-making heritage, the creamery blends traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation to produce award-winning British cheeses like Blue Stilton, Shropshire Blue, and Aged Rutland Red. Clawson remains committed to sustainability, animal welfare, and community values, recently unveiling a refreshed brand identity that celebrates its roots while inviting a new generation to discover its cheeses. Learn more here.

Information & Photos © Zuercher & Co. and Clawson Farms – 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 >

July Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese ClubArtikaas-Spring-Milk-GoudaArtikaas
Youngsters First Milk Gouda
Holland

A little taste of Holland. This gouda is made with milk that is collected from cows that have had their first taste of Spring’s tender grasses. Artikaas turns their rich, nutritious milk into irresistibly smooth Gouda.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
4-6 week aged, milk, creamy, smooth

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Try a crisp Chardonnay or a refreshing dry cider. The bright acidity and fruity notes in either beverage beautifully complement the cheese’s creamy texture and subtle sweetness, enhancing its fresh, yet rich flavor.

WINESTYLES: Crisp
BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean or Fruity

RECIPE IDEAS: Want to think outside the cheese board? Try Artikaas’ Hatch Chile Cheese Fondue recipe! Click here >

ABOUT THE CREAMERY:
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.

Information & Photos © Artikaas. – All Rights Reserved.

shropshire_blueClawson Farms
Shropshire Blue
Leicestershire, England

An absolute standout, Shropshire Blue gets its rich golden-orange color from natural annatto, derived from the berry of the achiote tree. This award-winning British blue cheese is fudgy, gently tangy, and irresistibly meltable. With a creamy, mellow flavor that still carries plenty of character, it’s the perfect gateway to blue cheese. Beloved by food lovers, it’s hard to beat for melting onto a crostini, especially with a spoonful of red onion marmalade.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a Riesling Spätlese—its vibrant acidity and touch of sweetness balance the cheese’s tang and richness. For beer, an English strong ale offers malty warmth that complements the cheese’s fudge-like texture and savory depth.

WINESTYLES: Fruity
BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy

RECIPE IDEAS: Try this delicious cheese on a flaky phyllo dough (what’s not to love?).  You’ll love this recipe for Shropshire Blue Tart >

ABOUT CLAWSON FARMS:
Clawson Farms is a farmer-owned co-operative founded in 1912 in Long Clawson, Leicestershire, now made up of around 30 local farms within a 30-mile radius. With over a century of cheese-making heritage, the creamery blends traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation to produce award-winning British cheeses like Blue Stilton, Shropshire Blue, and Aged Rutland Red. Clawson remains committed to sustainability, animal welfare, and community values, recently unveiling a refreshed brand identity that celebrates its roots while inviting a new generation to discover its cheeses. Learn more here.

Information & Photos © Clawson Farms. – 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 >

May Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese Clubhuntsman-cheeseLong Clawson Dairy
Huntsman
Double Gloucester with Blue Stilton
Great Britain

Huntsman is the combination of two British classics—Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton—brought together through a layering process. Creamy, flavorful Stilton is sandwiched between and exterior of mellow, satiny Double Gloucester. It makes a perfect center-piece for a cheeseboard or enjoy with this recipe for a Huntsman burger>

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Try with a  Tawny Port for nutty complexity, or a Ruby Port for fruit-forward contrast.For beer, keep it simple, pair with a pint of a good, strong Ale.

WINESTYLES: Mellow, Bold or Nectar
BEERSTYLES: Malty & Sweet or Fruity

Information & Photos © Long Clawson Dairy and Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

rutland-red-cheeseLong Clawson Dairy
Rutland Red
Red Leicester
Great Britain

Made using a traditional recipe, Rutland Red is buttered, clothbound and matured for six months to produce a flaky, open texture cheese with a slightly sweet, caramelized flavor and rich golden-orange color. It is the the only pasteurized Red Leicester produced in the county of Leicestershire and is a farm favorite at Long Clawson Dairy. It is an award winning cheese, winning three golds at the Global Cheese Awards and four golds and the Tesco Red Leicester Trophy at the International Cheese Awards. Enjoy the Rutland Red with this recipe for Roasted Veg Filo Tarts>

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
Pair with a Chardonnay to highlight the cheese’s creamy texture and nutty flavors, or a British Pale Ale to complement its mild, savory notes with a touch of hoppy bitterness.

WINESTYLES: Crisp or Rich
BEERSTYLES: Hoppy

ABOUT LONG CLAWSON DAIRY:
​Long Clawson Dairy, established in 1911 in the village of Long Clawson, Leicestershire, is a renowned British cheesemaker celebrated for its traditional methods and commitment to quality. Operating as a farmer-owned cooperative, the dairy sources milk from over 40 local farms—many of whom are descendants of the original 12—ensuring sustainability and community support. Learn more here.

Information & Photos © Long Clawson Dairy and 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 >

April Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese Clubmontgomery cheddarNeal’s Yard Dairy
Montgomery Cheddar
Somerset, England

Montgomery Cheddar is rich and nutty, reminiscent of brown butter. Its caramelized flavor is described as being similar to the enzymatic browning one finds on roasted meat. It is all softened by a fruity apple-like sweetness. More mature wheels display delightfully crunchy, crystalized bits of tyrosine and a more pronounced sweetness.

Montgomery Cheddar cheese has been made by Jamie Montgomery’s family for over 70 years. Although the term “cheddar” was never protected by his ancestors, a PDO has been established under the name, “West Country Farmhouse” to protect the tradition and a select number of other cheddars in Southwest England. Additionally, Slow Food has partnered with Montgomery, George Keen (Keen’s), and Richard Calver (Westcombe) through the Cheddar Presidium to further preserve this tradition.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
For wine, pair with a New World oaky Chardonnay, a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon (watch the tannins, though), or a tawny port. For beer, try with a dry English cider, hoppy IPA or Malty Belgians.

WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity wines
BEERSTYLES: Fruity, Hoppy or Malty beers

Information © Zuercher Cheese. – All Rights Reserved.

Ploughmans-Choice-cheese- blogClawson
Ploughman’s Choice
Great Britain

English Red Leicester is blended with caramelized onions that have been cooked in balsamic vinegar to make Ploughman’s Choice. The result is a sweet, creamy cheese with just a hint of onions and balsamic.

WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS:
For wine, try this cheese with a medium-bodied white wine such as a dry Chenin Blanc or a Sauvignon Blanc, or a light red such as a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais. For beer, this cheese will pair beautifully with an Amber or Brown Ale.

WINESTYLES: Crisp or Mellow
BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy or Dark & Roasty 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 >

September Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese ClubArtikaas-Youngsters-Smoked-Gouda.SM_-485x485Artikaas Youngsters Smoked Gouda Netherlands

Every Youngsters Gouda is aged 4 to 6 weeks for a perfectly creamy texture. In addition, this exceptional cow’s milk Gouda is smoked to infuse a velvety, toasty smokiness that is also creamy and buttery. It is great for melting over burgers, or snacking with salami.  WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: For wine, try this cheese with a Spanish red, such as a Tempranillo. The bold, fruity notes of Tempranillo can handle the richness of the smoked gouda, while the wine’s acidity can cut through the creaminess.  For beer, look for an Amber Ale; the malty sweetness of an ale complements the smoky flavor of the cheese, creating a balanced and satisfying combination. WINESTYLES: Fruity or Bold red wines BEERSTYLES: Malty beers Information © Artikaas and Zuercher & Co. – All Rights Reserved.

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

We’re bringing back a fan favorite! 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.   Cooper’s Hill celebrates a famous cheese rolling tradition enshrined in English folklore.  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. The next event is scheduled for May 26, 2025. Learn more about this fun tradition > WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: For wine, pair with a Syrah; the bold, peppery notes of the red wine can handle the richness of the cheese. Or, if you’re looking for a white wine, try with this month’s Terra Dives Liolà Bianco; the balance of fresh fruit and acidity will pair well with the cheese’s creamy texture. 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 >

May Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese Clubpiave-cheese-clubPiave Aged Veneto, Italy

Aged for a minimum of 1 year, this Italian mountain cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s milk. It has a dense texture, similar to a young parmesan; at first rich, tangy, caramel-sweet and nutty in flavor, with a delayed component of citrus notes in its finish. Piave is regarded as a cheese that gains character as it ages. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: This cheese pairs beautifully with with Mellow or Bold Italian wines, such as Valpolicella, Amarone,or Chianti (Sangiovese). For craft beers, pair with a light Pilsner or Lager, such as Italian Peroni or a Saison. WINESTYLES: Mellow or Bold BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean Information © Zuercher & Co. – 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.  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. This year’s event is scheduled for May 29, 2023. Learn more about this fun tradition > 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.   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 >