The Pairing: Montgomery’s Cheddar + Restoration Cider Co ‘Driftless’ Semi-Dry Cider

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

You’ll smell grass, earth, and rich cream right away. Montgomery’s Cheddar, a 60-pound, clothbound cheddar made by hand by Jamie Montgomery, is the gold standard for traditional English cheddar making. The Montgomery’s cows graze on 1,200 acres of gorgeous countryside in Sommerset, England. Their milk is only used to make this standout cheddar, which is made seven days a week. Neal’s Yard Dairy hand selects each wheel they sell, picking wheels that are particularly beefy, savory, and bold.  

Why we love the cider 

Restoration Cider Co makes elegant, complex ciders inspired by the dry cider traditions in Northwest Spain. Hailing from the Driftless, Restoration champions local by using local apples and dedicating 5% of their profits to restoring streams in Southwest Wisconsin. This semi-dry cider, ‘Driftless’, is light and crystalline with a refreshing, crisp finish. It’s not too sweet and easy to drink.  

Why we love the pairing 

This is autumn in a pairing. Montgomery’s Cheddar needs a little sweetness to round out all the savory, earthy notes in the cheese. This semi-dry cider does the trick. The Driftless tastes just how you want: like fresh, crisp apples with lingering sweetness. The light fizz in the cider balances against the richness of the cheddar, making it easier to keep going back and forth between the two. 

What else you should do with it  

This is an ideal pairing to take on a fall picnic. Montgomery’s Cheddar makes an amazing sandwich cheese. Make two sandwiches: one with fresh sliced apples, Montgomery’s Cheddar, and honey. The other with mustard, caramelized onions, Montgomery’s Cheddar and roast beef on some beautiful rye bread. Bring the cider along and enjoy it all with that basket of apples you picked when you visited the apple orchard.  

Hidden Falls + Union Sacre Pinot Noir

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

We maintain that the cheeses coming out of Shepard’s Way Farms are some of the best sheep milk cheeses made in the United States. Hidden Falls is similar to brie, with a lovely bloomy rind and soft, creamy interior. So luscious, so buttery, with just enough earthy-tartness to balance out the richness. If you’re looking to branch out from your triple creams and classic brie, Hidden Falls is the way go.  

Why we love the wine 

The wines from Union Sacre are stars on our shelves. They make some of the most exciting and delicious wines in Santa Barbra and the country. Union Sacre winery is a project by lifelong friends, Xavier and Philip. Together, they champion accessible and dynamic wines that are usually too expensive or out of reach for most consumers. Their 2022 Pinot Noir is bright and fruity, with lively notes of summer strawberries, just-ripe cherries, and light licorice. It’s best served with a slight chill.  

Why we love the pairing 

What a treat that these phenomenal producers make products that go so well together. The cheese and wine together are a textural delight. Flavor wise, creamier, decadent cheeses like Hidden Falls scream for fruit forward wine, and the Union Sacre Pinot provides it. A little bit of sweetness is drawn out of the wine by the soft mushroom notes in the Hidden Falls. The Pinot Noir has a bright acidity that matches the delicate tartness in the cheese.  

What else you should do with it  

Ring in Minnesota fall with an end-of-season happy hour! Spread a layer of Hidden Falls on our France 44 crostini, top with a local Minnesota apple slice, and drizzle with some honey from Ames Farms. Enjoy with a glass of the Union Sacre Pinot Noir for a crisp and satisfying autumn patio party.  

The Pairing: Redhead Creamery Cheese Curds + Modist "The Time is Nigh" Oak Aged Festbier

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

There’s a reason these cheese curds are called “ridiculously good”. These flavorful curds are made from fresh milk and carefully crafted by Alise Sjostrom, owner and cheesemaker of Redhead Creamery in Broten, Minnesota. Each curd is hand milled which gives the curds their distinct, pillowy shape and ideally toothsome texture. 

Why we love the beer 

The Time is Nigh by Modist Brewing Co is one of our beer staff’s favorite festbiers! With notes of toasted malts, dried herbs, and baking spices, this crisp beer can handle the dog days of summer and will remind you that Minnesota fall is surely on its way. This brew is made with German Barke Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts, kettle hopped with Bravo and Hallertau Mittelfruh, then finally lagered and aged in Modist’s Oak Foeder for 4 weeks.   

Why we love the pairing 

Cheese curds and beer go together like butter sculptures and cookies in a bucket. Redhead Creamery’s curds have a great, cheddary flavor that goes excellently with the malty, caramelly notes in the festbiers. This is the perfect pairing for snacking at the end of a long day or sharing with friends in the backyard. 

What else you should do with it  

Go to the state fair! If you really want to have fun with it, The Time is Nigh is an excellent beer for beer battering. Throw Redhead Creamery’s curds into the freezer for an hour. Make a mixture of flour, milk, baking soda, salt, 2 eggs and a cup of the festbier. Coat each frozen curd in flour first, then the beer mixture, then fry a few curds at a time in 400-degree oil. Once golden, drain on a paper towel and enjoy with the rest of your festbiers.  

The Pairing: Bergamino di Bufala + Cap Corse Blanc with Tonic

by Sophia Stern

 Why we love the cheese 

Bergamino di Bufala is a soft, pillowy cheese from Lombardy made with milk from water buffalos. Though water buffalo milk and cheese is less common in the US, water buffalo dairying is extremely common in many parts of the world, including much of South Asia, China, the Middle East, and Italy. Bergamino di Bufala is rich and creamy, similar in texture to the inside of a roasted marshmallow (gooey and dense). There’s also an undercurrent of oceanic saltiness that keeps the rich cheese fresh and bright. With echos of sweet cream and a little creamy tang like you find in cream cheese, this cheese is a great gateway to the world of water buffalo.  

Why we love the beverage  

You can think of Cap Corse and Tonic as a lighter version of a gin and tonic: gin is replaced by Cap Corse Blanc, a 17% aperitif similar to vermouth. Whereas traditional vermouths must utilize wormwood as the base, Cap Corse Blanc uses quinine as its bittering agent. Marry that with a slew of other aromatic herbs, spices, and roots, and you have one of the most refreshing aperitifs around. Cap Corse has been a family-run operation in Corsica, France since 1872, sticking to their traditional recipe and style all along the way. Cap Corse is floral, herbal, and citrusy, with a little bitterness like you’d find on an orange rind. The tonic water adds some sweetness, although we recommend the Fever Tree ‘Refreshingly Light’ tonic water to keep the drink balanced and dry.  

Why we love the pairing 

Water buffalo milk is not easy to pair, nor are aperitif mixed drinks, but the Cap Corse and Tonic has met its match with the Bergamino.  The herbal, sweet and savory notes in the beverage balance the richness of the Bergamino di Bufula. The bitter edge in the Cap Corse tames the saltiness of the cheese. Having the light carbonation from the tonic water offers a textural break from the creamy, decadence of the water buffalo dairy, making this pairing the perfect choice for a unique patio happy hour.  

What else you should do with it  

This pairing is designed for the hot summer nights when you don’t want to even look at your stove and need something satisfying and cooling for dinner. If you want to jazz it up you can spread the Bergamino on some sourdough toast and top with olive oil, salt and pepper. If you like things spicy, drizzle your favorite chili-crisp on the Begamino for a perfect bite.  

Marcel Petite Comté + Mokoroa Txakolina

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

One of France’s more popular cheeses, Comté is the perfect table cheese to keep in your pantry (or fridge). Comté has a firm, flexible texture, some crystallization, and a lovely melt-in-your-mouth fudgy quality, rare in harder cheeses. This large-format mountain milk cheese can only be made in the historic and cultural Comté region in eastern France, nestled up against the border of Switzerland. Though similar to Switzerland’s Gruyere, Comté has gentler notes of butter and grass. We carry the Essex Street selection of Marcel Petiet Comté, which champions notes of hazelnuts, fried onion, fresh-cut grass, and spring berries.  

Why we love the wine 

Txakoli (Cha-ko-lee) has been gaining popularity in recent years for good reason. This Basque white wine is super acidic, crisp, and mineral in style and is perfect to cool you down on a humid, hot summer’s day. The Mokoroa winery was founded in 2008 by Jose Antonio Mokoroa and his family. They have 6 hectares of vineyards, all trellised and on slopes, facing the Cantabrian Sea. Between sea breezes and the ancient sea floor making up the vineyard soils, Mokoroa has a distinct saline quality of ocean salt and slate. The wine’s minerality is balanced with tart flavors of pity orange, green stone fruit, and white flowers.  

Why we love the pairing 

Though Comté is milder than its Swiss cousin Gruyère, it's just as rich and delicious. The Mokoroa Txakoli's high acidity handles the cheese's decadence, while not clouding this cream-of-the-crop Comté's nuanced flavor. The wine's tangy notes of stone fruit and white flowers break through the flavors of caramelized onions and hazelnuts in the cheese while being light and bright enough to not drown all the beautiful notes of cultured butter. 

What else you should do with it  

Comté is a wonderful cheese for summer pizza topping! Think summer squash, basil pesto, and Comté. Or go for caramelized onions, arugula, and prosciutto with Comté of course. These non-red sauce pies will pair amazingly with the Mokoroa, which will also keep you cool while monitoring your pizza in the hot oven.  

The Pairing: Wrangebäck + Lini Lambrusco

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

Wrångebäck is a true fan favorite and the only cheese in our case to come from Sweden. This alpine-esque cheese features an addictively creamy texture and a surprisingly zippy flavor bursting with umami. Not only is Wrångebäck the perfect cheese for snacking or melting (burger season, anyone?), but it’s also Sweden’s most historic cheese and the folks at Almnäs Bruk are keeping its history alive.  

Why we love the cheesemakers  

Almnäs Bruk is a thriving farm and historic estate with extraordinary respect for the land. Their land is maintained with care for the species that call the farm home. Grasses are allowed to grow tall so birds can nest and thrive. Cows eat feed made from the pasture they graze on and enjoy changing landscapes, from open fields to ancient forests. The cattle breeds are varied and unique, some rare and saved from extinction by the Almnäs Bruk team. When it comes to Wrångebäck, the cheesemakers preserve their hard-won terroir by thermalizing the milk, instead of pasteurizing, saving the microorganisms that make Wrångebäck so unique and delicious. To hear the makers themselves talk about the magic of cheesemaking in West Sweden, join our class next week!

Why we love the wine 

I could (and do) drink Lambrusco all year long, but it is especially excellent in the summer. Lini Lambrusco is delightfully cheerful, with notes of blueberries, cherries, and balsamic. This sparkling red, chilled and crisp in flavor, gives you enough complexity while keeping you refreshed in the Minnesota summer sun.  

Why we love the pairing 

Wrångebäck is a flavorful, rich cheese so any pairing needs depth and body to stand up to this Swedish gem. Lini Lambrusco has both, with the lightly frothy bubbles balancing Wrångebäck’s melt-in-your-mouth texture, without wiping the flavors away. In fact, the wine’s notes of blueberry jam and balsamic vinegar highlight and balance the savory, salty flavor of the cheese.  

What else you should do with it  

Melt it! Mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandos, or better yet use Wrångebäck on your cheeseburgers. The beef-broth flavor in the cheese complements the flavors of a classic burger, and Lambrusco is the perfect wine to enjoy both while you grill and while you eat.  

Pasamontes 3-Month Manchego + Limited Addition Red Blend

by Sophia Stern

Why we love the cheese 

Pasamontes Manchego is a shining example of how exciting and delicious manchego can be. By keeping their sheep’s milk raw, Pasamontes Creamery ensures their cheese reflects the unique pastures of the Spanish La Mancha region their herds graze upon. Tangy, rich, and super craveable, Pasamontes 3-month Manchego is a versatile cheese that will please the cheese novices and the cheese experts alike.  

Why we love the wine 

This is a gorgeous red blend perfect for sunny, warmer days. Made by Master Winemaker Bree Stock, the Limited Addition Red Blend is made up of almost equal parts Trousseau, Gamay Noir, and Pinot Noir, all grown in the Willamette Valley. Fresh, funky, and super fun, this blend can be enjoyed chilled and should become a go to wine for warmer weather.  

Why we love the pairing 

Sheep’s milk is tricky to pair, but the Limited Addition Red Blend handles it beautifully. The tannins and body of the wine are gentle enough to enhance the subtle flavors of herbs in the cheese, while there’s enough acid to balance the buttery decadence of the Manchego. These two together are bright, festive, and super enjoyable.  

What else you should do with it  

It’s grilling season, baby! This pairing would be excellent with some well-spiced turkey burgers. Make your own patties with some F44 ground turkey, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Grill them up with shaved Manchego melted on top and enjoy with a bottle of the Limited Addition Red Blend. You’ll have an easy and delicious late-spring dinner.  

Cravero Parmigiano-Reggiano & Matic Mea Rosé Pet Nat

 Why we love the cheese 

This is real-deal, cream of the crop Parmigiano-Reggiano. Giorgio Cravero’s masterfully aged Parmigiano wheels are full of crunchy crystals and perfectly balanced between sweet notes and nuttiness. If a Parmigiano-Reggiano ever proved it deserves a place on your cheeseboard, it’s this one.  

Why we love the wine 

Lightly bubbly, this unfiltered, new-wave Slovenian rosé hits all the high notes. Refreshing, delicious and intriguing, Matic Mea Rosé Pet Nat is an excellent pairing partner. This Pét-Nat has all the fizziness and fun to make it a perfect wine to ring in the warmer weather.  

Why we love the pairing 

Parm and bubbles are truly besties. The lightly fizzy nature of the Mea balances the cheese's richness and allows the crystals in the cheese to shine. Both the wine and cheese bring out each other's fruity notes, making this pairing fresh, bright, and perfect for spring and summer.  

What else you should do with it  

Go for a spring pesto, using pistachios, parm, and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can include garlic and herbs if you like or keep it simple. Enjoy the pesto on pasta, toast, or chicken and (finally) enjoy dinner outside with a bottle of the Mea rosé.  

Taleggio + Capitaine Vouvray

Why we love the cheese 

Taleggio is an iconic washed rind cheese made from creamy, sweet cow's milk in northern Italy. It is rich, decadent, and has an undeniable funk that is so savory and enticing. While delicious on its own, Taleggio is wonderful to cook with and can be melted on pizza, over vegetables and bread, or into pasta sauces.  

Why we love the wine 

Domaine le Capitaine Vouvray is one of the most food-friendly wines we sell. The balance of acidity and body are perfect for enjoying with just about anything. Ripe peach, melon, apricot, and a hint of refreshing pink grapefruit come through with a kiss of fruity sweetness.  

Why we love the pairing 

The savory, earthy notes of the cheese mellow with the touch of sweetness in the Capitaine Vouvray. The acidity in the wine balances the decadent texture of the cheese and the notes of stone fruits and melons play perfectly with Taleggio's funk.  

What else you should do with it  

Taleggio makes an incredible sweet treat. Think sundae vibes: add Taleggio and a little bit of cream to a blender until smooth and airy. Add to a bowl, drizzle with lots of candied sour cherries and their syrup, top with some flakey salt, and enjoy on bread, Effie’s Oatcakes, or even potato chips!  

The Pairing: Apricity

Why we love the cheese

Small and mighty Apricity is the newest specialty from Alemar Cheese Co, a creamery making incredible artisan cheese right here in Minneapolis. Fluffy, tangy, and rich, Apricity is the perfect bite to satisfy your decadent cheese cravings, while still offering enough freshness to ease into spring.  

Why we love the wine

Okay, it’s a little early to say it’s truly rosé season. But honestly, it’s always rosé season and we’d rather look ahead than look back. This wine is a classic example of crisp, clean, Mediterranean rosé from Provence, with subtle notes of just ripe white peaches, honey, and stone.  

Why we love the pairing

The Peyrassol rosé is acidic enough to handle the Apricity, balancing the tang and brightness of the cheese. The body of the wine holds up to the rich texture of the cheese, without wiping it away. Aromas of honey in the wine highlight the sweeter, creamier qualities of the cheese, creating an easy, comforting, and delicious experience.

What else you should do with it

Apricity is a lovely cheese for baking! Bake the Apricity and a drizzle of honey in some puff pastry. If you want to go savory, try mushrooms, leeks, and onions. Both styles are super easy to make with a high-quality store-bought puff pastry and go perfectly with the Peyrassol rosé