Tag Archives: Hard CHeese

July Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese ClubKynthos HalloumiKynthos Halloumi Cyprus, Greece

A traditional cheese of Cyprus, Greece, the Kynthos Halloumi will have you feeling like you’re surrounded by the turquoise waters and white sandy beaches of Greece. Made of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk and goat’s milk, this cheese has a very low acid content, making it the perfect grilling or frying cheese. Halloumi often resembles a much firmer and saltier block of clean, light mozzarella.  FOOD PAIRING: This is cheese is a great blank slate to all sorts of dishes. Try grilled, fried, baked, sautéed, or simply on its own. Chop up with watermelon for a fun summer salad, or add any sauce on top of your baked cheese – perfect for a summer BBQ. Try one of Kynthos’ Grilled Halloumi recipes here. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Crisp and fruity wines, such as a Rosé make a perfect accompaniment to this cheese. Look for a Greek wine – what grows together, goes together! For craft beer, reach for a crisp and clean brew. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean “Halloumi has been increasingly eaten all over the world since its creation in what is now known as the Middle Eastern island country of Cyprus back during the Medieval Byzantine period which started in 395 AD. Halloumi is widely recognized throughout the Mediterranean as the crowning cheese jewel of Cyprus cuisine as well as in neighboring Turkey and Greece.” – Kynthos Gril

Regular-kefalotyriKourellas Kefaloytre Grevena, Greece

Kefaloytre is a classic cheese of Greece. It is a hard, aged cheese made up of pasteurized sheep and goat’s milk. The Kourellas family keep things traditional by salting the cheese by hand as it matures. Dating back to the Byzantine era, Kefalotyri is believed to be the ancestor of most hard Greek cheeses. FOOD PAIRING: This cheese is an essential ingredient in classic Greek dishes, such as moussaka, pastitsio, or spanakopita. Grate over pasta, serve shavings with pears and grapes, or fry a couple slices with your eggs. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Similar to the Halloumi pairings, search for something crisp and fruity, such as a Rosé. Even better, look for a Greek wine to accompany your cheese! For craft beer, stick with a crisp and clean brew. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean ABOUT KOURELLAS DAIRY: Greece’s first organic dairy, the Kourellas family has been making traditional Greek dairy since 1960. Their family farm sits in Grevena, a region known for its exceptional dairy products. Although over the years they have outgrown their original dairy, they continue to maintain the same standards of quality and recipes passed down from generation to generation. Learn more about their story here.

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 >

January Cheese Club: Iowa

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Cheese ClubBlumenkäse Switzerland

An alpine cheese covered with wildflowers from the meadows of Switzerland. This floral beauty isn’t just pretty on the outside, it’s packed with flavors of French onion soup and sweet carrots on the inside. The rind is decorated in a long list of herbs and flowers, including: winter savory, dill, garlic, caraway, lovage, marjoram, mint, leek, chive, parsley, juniper berries, onion, marigolds, cornflower, roses, and strawberry leaves.  WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: When pairing wine with this cheese, reach for a Chardonnay, Viognier, Bubbles or Fruity Red Wines; for beer, look for something Hoppy and Bitter, such as an IPA. WINESTYLES: Crisp, Fruity, and Bubbly BEERSTYLES: Hoppy and Bitter Blumenkases

Marcel Petite Sagesse 24-Month Comté France

Selected by Essex St. Cheese Co., Sagesse Comté (formerly “Symphony”) represents the highest level a wheel of Comté can achieve at Marcel Petite; only 2% of all production reaches this point. Sagesse Comté is selected in line with the Essex flavor profile, but is bigger and broader in taste with a darker paste and immense tyrosine crystallization. This is an unpasteurized cows’ milk cheese with a powerful depth of flavor, similar to a great piece of dark chocolate. Sagesse Comté is available only once a year. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: When pairing wine with this cheese, reach for a Champagne, aged Chardonnay, or Pinot Noir; for beer, look for something Malty & Sweet such as a Milk Stout. WINESTYLES: Rich, Mellow, or Bubbly BEERSTYLES: Malty & Sweet
MarcelPetiteSagesse

© Photo by Comté Marcel Petite

Monthly Cheese ClubDon’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

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cheese_club_logo-1240x1240Iberico BonvallisBonvallis – Iberico Cheese Valladolid, Spain

Bonvallis Iberico Cheese is a Manchego-style cheese, one of the most eaten in Spain. An authentic Iberico Cheese must have, by law, a maximum of 50% cow’s milk, a minimum of 15% goat’s milk, and a minimum of 15% sheep’s milk. If these amounts are not specified on the label, the cheese cannot be labeled ‘Iberico’. Bonvallis Iberico Cheese is compact and firm in texture. It features herby, grassy flavors from the goat and ewe milk, and a smooth, creamy texture from the cow’s milk. It is slightly lactic, yet mild and buttery on the palate; making this cheese tasty and aromatic. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Bonvallis Iberico Cheese pairs wonderfully with wines from our Bubbly wine style category, such as a Cava. Additionally, Iberico cheese pairs well with our Fruity & Spicy beers, such as a cider. WINESTYLES: Bubbly BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy PRODUCTION: Located in Valladolid, the capital of Castilla y León, the family-run dairy, Bonvallis, has produced their cheeses since 1984. The region of Castilla y León is well known for its vast production of sheep and blend cheeses, and cured meat products. Long cold winters and dry hot summers are the perfect conditions for manufacturing their products. Bonvallis Iberico can be semi-cured (around 2 months), cured (4-6 months) and aged (over 7 months).

Idizabal DOPAraz Smoked Idiazabal Cheese Basque County, Spain

Smoked Idiazabal by Araz is a traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from raw milk of Latxa or Carranza sheep in the Basque and Navarra regions of northern Spain. Named after the village of Idiazabal, the cheese received Spanish D.O. (Denomination of Origin) in 1987, which defines the basic regulations for the product’s manufacturer. Idiazabal is produced in the shape of a cylinder, with a smooth and hard natural rind that is pale yellow to amber in color. The cheese has a compact texture that is dry, but not crumbly, and feels pleasantly oily in the mouth. The rind carries the marks of the wooden moulds in which it was drained and the cheese itself has a characteristic smoky flavor, coming from the fireplaces it is stored near during the summer. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Idiazabal Cheese pairs beautifully with a medium-bodied tempranillo from our Fruity wine style category. It also pairs well with Fruity & Spicy beers, such as a cider or a sour. WINESTYLES: Fruity BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy PRODUCTION: In the summer, the sheep migrate to higher pastures to graze on the blossoming, new grass. During this time, the artisanal cheese makers milk the sheep, make the Idiazabal cheese and leave it in the rafter to mature for a minimum ripening of 2 months. At the end of summer, when the cheese makers return back to the lowlands with their sheep, the cheese has ripened and is ready for sale.

Monthly Cheese ClubDon’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 >