July Cheese Club: Iowa

Cheese ClubPoint-Reyes-Toma-cheese-wheelPoint Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. Toma Point Reyes Station, California

In Italian, Toma means “wheel of cheese made by the farmer herself.” What better way to describe this, Point Reyes’s most versatile, any time, any table cheese. It’s an all natural, pasteurized, semi-hard cheese that is creamy in texture with a waxed rind. It is creamy and buttery in flavor and has a grassy, tang finish.  USE & PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: The perfect any time snacking cheese, Toma is excellent for melting into pasta or risotto or in grilled cheese sandwiches. Grate on top of grilled vegetables, burgers or soups. Pair with sweet (peaches, fruit compotes), savory (toasted nuts, sautéed greens) and serve with hop-heavy beers, Pinot Noir or barrel-aged scotch. Toma loves an Old Fashioned cocktail or a Mai Tai! WINESTYLES: Bold or Mellow BEERSTYLES: Hoppy FACTS:
  • Made from pasteurized, rBST-free cows’ milk
  • Made with microbial (vegetarian) rennet
  • Aged for 90 days
  • Gluten Free
AWARDS:
  • 2024 CA State Fair, Best of California
  • 2023 CA State Fair, Gold Medal
  • 2023 US Championship Cheese, 3rd Place
  • 2022 World Cheese Awards – Silver
  • 2022 CA State Fair, Best of California
  • 2020 Good Food Awards – Best Cheese
  • See all other awards here

Point-Reyes-Truffle-cheese-wheelPoint Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. TomaTruffle Point Reyes Station, California

TomaTruffle is the perfect combination of classic Toma paired with the aromatic flavors of Italian Black Truffles from Umbria. Reminiscent of undergrowth, fresh strawberries, dried fruit and a hint of cocoa, the earthy flavor marries beautifully with the buttery richness of Toma. This semi-hard cheese is creamy in texture with a waxed rind. The distinct, aromatic flavor or truffles combines with Toma’s signature flavor for an earthy, buttery delight. TomaTruffle is the perfect decadent cheese for any celebration! USE & PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Great as a snacking cheese or perfect for melting on eggs, sprinkled on warm potato chips or just enjoyed on its own with a glass of dry sparkling wine.! WINESTYLES: Rich or Bold BEERSTYLES: Fruity & Spicy or Crisp & Clean FACTS:
  • Made from pasteurized, rBST-free cows’ milk
  • Made with microbial (vegetarian) rennet
  • Aged for 90 days
  • Gluten Free
AWARDS:
  • 2024 Good Food Awards
  • 2024 CA State Fair, Gold
  • 2023 International Cheese and Dairy Awards, Silver
  • 2022 CA State Fair, Best of California
  • 2022 World Cheese Awards – Silver
  • 2022 World Champion Cheese Contest, Best of Class/Top 20 Cheeses

ABOUT POINT REYES CHEESE: 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. Learn more here.
Information and photo © Point Reyes Cheese – 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 >

June Cheese Club: Iowa

Cheese ClubPoint Reyes Toma CheesePoint Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. TomaProvence Point Reyes Station, California

The rich texture and buttery flavor that make Toma a true American original provides a perfect base for a line of cheeses that are as unique as they are delicious. This pasteurized, cow’s milk cheese has a full, savory, Mediterranean flavor. Herbs de Provence – a blend that includes rosemary, basil, marjoram, savory and wild thyme – have been added to complement the creamy butter notes of Toma (thus the name, Toma Provence). Great as a snacking cheese, or pair with olives, a fresh baguette and an abundant charcuterie board and a buttery Chardonnay. Learn more about the history of the Giacomini family dairy farm and the new generation of sister cheesemakers at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese.  Be sure to check out Jane Pauly’s feature segment below, that aired on NBC’s Today show in July 2013. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Pair this cheese with a crisp Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, or a buttery Chardonnay. For beer, look for a hoppy IPA. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity BEERSTYLES: Hoppy & Bitter Information © Points Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. – All Rights Reserved. © Video by NBC Today’s Show
PRFC Today Show from Great Matter on Vimeo.

Sainte Mere Abbaye_Cheese Image copyIsigny Ste-Mère Abbaye Ste-Mère St- Paulin Normandy, France

This pasteurized cow’s milk cheese is a member of the Port-du-Salut family. Originally made by the Trappist monks of Saint-Paulin, it can be recognized by its fine, moist rind, its yielding texture and its slightly salty taste. With its semi-soft texture, this French cheese has a smooth, fruity taste with a slightly stronger finish. Its natural mildness gives way to both taste and character.   WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRINGS: Enjoy this cheese with a Chenin Blanc or a Beaujolais. For beer, this cheese will pair beautifully with a Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, Belgium Ale (any Trappist Ale), or a Normandy Cider. WINESTYLES: Crisp or Fruity BEERSTYLES: Crisp & Clean or 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 >

November Cheese Club: Iowa

Toma_cheesePoint Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.Cheese Club Toma Point Reyes Station, California

In Italian, ‘Toma’ means “wheel of cheese made by the farmer herself”; the perfect way to describe Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.’s most versatile, any time, any table cheese. Creamy and buttery in flavor with a grassy, tang finish, the Toma cheese is an all natural, semi-hard table cheese made from pasteurized, rBST-free cows’ milk coated in a waxed rind. It is made with microbial (vegetarian) rennet, aged for 90 days and is gluten free. FOOD PAIRING: Toma makes for the perfect anytime snacking cheese. It is great for melting into or onto pastas, risottos, grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled vegetables, burgers or soups. Pair with savory or sweet foods such as peaches, fruit compotes, toasted nuts, or sautéed greens. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: Serve with hop-heavy beers such as an IPA, and for wine, pair with our November Wine Club Wines: Estate Cellars Proprietary Red Blend or the Estate Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. WINESTYLES: Mellow or Bold BEERSTYLES: Hoppy & Bitter AWARDS:
  • 2017 World Cheese Awards in London – Bronze Medal
  • 2017 American Cheese Society, Farmstead – 1st Place
  • 2017 California State Fair – Gold Medal
  • 2014 Good Food Awards – Best Cheese
  • 2012 American Cheese Society, American Originals, Cows’ Milk Category – 2nd Place
  • 2011 California State Fair – Gold Medal
  • 2011 American Cheese Society, American Originals, Cows’ Milk Category – 1st Place
  • 2010 World Cheese Awards in London – Silver Medal
ABOUT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY: Stretching along the California coast, just about 40 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. is a family owned and operated business passed down from generation to generation for over 100 years. Today, the creamery is operated by the four Giacomini family daughters, whom all left their various business careers and returned to the creamery to transition the business into an artisan farmstead cheesemaking facility. Together they work to produce the freshest, highest quality milk. Learn more about their story here.

Petite-BreakfastMarin French Cheese Co. Petite Breakfast Brie Petaluma, California

Since 1865, Marin has been making their iconic Petite Breakfast Brie. Skipping the aging room, this cheese is fresh and young, and has a tangy flavor with a spongy texture – reminiscent of creamy cheese curds.  FOOD PAIRING: Versatile for hot and cold usages, such as pastries or salads. WINE & CRAFT BEER PAIRING: For wine, pair with a Sauvignon Blanc or this month’s Primary White Wine Club Wine: the Estate Cellars Chardonnay. For beer, grab something hazy or citrus wheat beer. WINESTYLES: Rich BEERSTYLES: Crisp and Clean ABOUT MARIN FRENCH CHEESE CO.: Since 1865, Marin French Cheese Co. has been producing artisan cheese that respects nature and their local environments. The cheeses are handcrafted and made with the highest quality milks sourced from local dairies. Being the oldest continually operating cheese company in California, Marin French Cheese Co. cheeses have distinctive, authentic taste that is true to their roots in Marin County.

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 >