2020 Vietti Moscato d’Asti & Meadow Creek Dairy Grayson
A number of cheeses we sell in our case are seasonal in production, meaning they are only produced during specific months of the year. One good example is Meadow Creek Dairy’s Grayson, a soft-ripened, washed rind cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. With the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia in their backyard, Meadow Creek makes this farmstead cheese the old-fashioned, hard way. From raising a herd of hybrid Jersey cows that live and birth exclusively outdoors, to rotationally grazing, and only making cheese while the animals feed on fresh pasture, this farm follows the rhythm and pace of their land. Each March, soon after calving begins, milk starts to flow, and with it cheesemaking commences. Wheels are generally aged for between 2 and 4 months, the former tasting more mild, while age brings about a more meaty, smoky flavor and a creamier paste. This cheese screams for a beverage pairing that provides a balance of acidity and residual sugars, one like this Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont, Italy. With notes reminiscent of apricot and ginger, and a kind bit of fizz, we found this wine not only capable of standing up to this cheese, but complementary in both taste and mouthfeel. Like all cheeses, enjoy them at room temperature, and serve this wine chilled.