To celebrate the deliciousness of cheese we are hosting our first ever Cheese Madness event! From March 5th-19th sixteen wonderful cheeses will battle it out to determine which one will become the 2022 Cheese Champ. We’ll have the two contestants for each day on sample so you can drop by and let your taste buds decide which of these delightful dairy defenders you prefer. The two featured cheeses will also be on sale for 20% off during their moment in the spotlight – that means the more often a cheese wins the more chances you’ll have to pick it up on sale! Let me give you a little introduction to our intrepid would-be champions:
Day 1:
Belgioioso Blue Cheese Wedge: Bump up your burger or elevate your entree with a touch of blue cheese. Expect a crumbly texture and a full, distinct flavor.
Pairs well with Art of the Earth Prosecco: This bubbly wine has an intense nose of pear and green apple, fine nuances of acacia flowers, and is incredibly fresh with good acidity. Described as a wine of excellent balance and persistence.
Belgioioso Crumbly Gorgonzola: This cheese boasts of a full earthy flavor, deep aroma, and crumbly texture. A very special type of blue, Gorgonzola is produced in Northern Italy.
Pairs well with Farmhouse Red: A versatile ‘table wine’, this is a medium-bodied, luscious red with nicely balanced acidity, plum, chocolate, and berry notes and a smooth, rich finish.
Day 2:
LaClare Chevre Goat Cheese: Spreadable and fresh, LaClare Chevre is milky, delicate, mild, and has a fresh buttery flavor complimented by hints of tangy sweetness that lend this cheese notes of lemon and citrus.
Pairs well with Paulaner Hefeweizen: Lemon, orange and just a touch of tropical pineapple open the flavor profile in conjunction with a pure, clean note of toasted wheat. Spicy and earthy Noble hop notes carry the beer’s fruitiness into a dynamic yeast character filled with notes of banana, clove, and bubblegum
Celebrity Cranberry Goat Cheese: An abundance of tart cranberries and sweetly spicy cinnamon blend seamlessly with rich and tangy goat cheese for a festive treat.
Pairs well with Natura Pinot Noir: Bouquet: This wine is bursting with berry aromas, spice, and cocoa. This Pinot Noir is full of flavor with soft tannins, well-balanced acidity and a fresh finish.
Day 3:
Belgioioso Sharp Provolone: Mild and full to strong and sharp, depending on age, this more assertive provolone pairs well with preserved meats.
Pairs well with Sequinot Bordet Chablis: A juicy, thirst-quenching Chardonnay with highlights of crisp green-apple and lemon flavors lifted by streaks of lime acidity and steely minerality. Medium bodied and zesty, this dry white is approachable but elegant.
Kerrygold Aged Cheddar: Treat yourself to a rich rounded flavor with a distinctive creamy taste and a slight nuttiness. Try serving this cheese with fresh or dried fruit.
Pairs well with Bowers Harbor Pinot Noir: Enjoy the bright cherry and raspberry flavors balanced with toasted caramel contributed by the high quality French Oak barrels.
Day 4:
Belgioioso Burrata Cheese Cup: You will be delighted to discover the rich-tasting soft filling created by fresh pieces of Mozzarella soaked in heavy cream. This cheese offers a sweet, milky flavor that gently fills the palate.
Pairs well with Chateau Chantel Pinot Blanc: Panelist Nova Cadamatre particularly noted this wine’s lemon and mineral aromas with guava and melon fruit on the palate in addition to touches of mineral and lemon citrus.
Belgioioso Mozzarella: Fresh Mozzarella begins with quality ingredients and care. The result is a delicate, clean-flavored fresh Mozzarella with a soft, porcelain white appearance.
Pairs well with Allegrini Valpolicella: Described by James Suckling as a bright and lively red with tile, dried berry with some chocolate. Medium body. Well-structured wine, with a soft, long and persistent fruity finish. Brilliant ruby red in color, with a pleasant scent of wild berries.
Day 5:
Belgioioso Fontina Snacking Cheese: Mild and buttery in flavor, it’s literally made for snacking!
Pairs well with Farmhouse White: When selecting grapes for this wine, they were particularly conscious of the intensity of the fruit, the acid balance, and the characteristics each varietal offered to the blend as a whole. The final wine delivers bright, crisp flavors of tropical fruit and lime with a fresh, clean finish.
Cabot Extra Sharp Cracker Cut Cheddar: They’ve added pre-sliced convenience to the creamy crumble of Cabot’s long-aged Extra Sharp White Cheddar. Now it’s even easier to enjoy the sophisticated citrusy tang and classic Northeast bite you’ll love.
Pairs well with Bread’s Deez Nuts: Smooth and chewy with nutty caramel flavors and a medium body. Deez Nutz brown ale is brewed with oats, chocolate and caramel malts, and English varietal hops.
Day 6:
President Wee Brie Cheese Wedge: Delightfully creamy, petitely portioned. The rich, authentic Brie flavor is packed into 8 spreadable wedges.
Pairs well with Left Foot Charlie Kerner: Dry, crisp, and citrusy with floral aromas, the general impression of the wine is somewhere between a dry Riesling and Pinot Blanc.
Vermont Creamery Chevre Herb: This mild fresh goat cheese is hand rolled in a bright blend of rosemary, basil, oregano, and thyme. It has a fresh milk taste, mild flavor, and smooth texture.
Pairs well with Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc: Elegant and assertive with glorious fruit flavors, its brilliant clarity, extraordinary aromatic flavors and refreshing zest will surprise you. You’ll also enjoy the citrus notes, tropical flavors, and youthful, elegant freshness.
Day 7:
Red Apple Smoked Bourbon Gouda: At first bit you’ll taste whiskey sharpness and hickory smoke. After chewing, a lovely creaminess blossoms on the palate. There is also a lingering smokiness.
Pairs well with Peirano Chardonnay: A well-oaked rich, fresh Chardonnay with prominent aromas of lemon meringue pie, toasty vanilla, and ripe tropical fruit.
Rumiano Wild Arabian Nights: A classic Monterey Jack cheese gains some extra umami and a tough of sharpness as it is elevated and infused with Za’atar and earthy spices.
Pairs well with VMV Viognier: The color is like yellow straw with light green reflections. It has an aromatic nose with a prevalence of citrus and passion fruits. The intense bouquet is where the fruit mixes with more moderate floral perfumes.
Day 8:
Farm Country Michigan Jack: Its creamy texture, high moisture and mild flavor make this cheese great for snacking and melting.
Pairs well with Saugatuck Oval Beach Blonde: The taste is a bit sweet with a slight honey flavor followed by a hoppy bitterness at the end. Overall, a smooth, crisp-tasting Blonde Ale.
Oliver Farms 1yr Extra Sharp: A cheddar that is more than a year old, as it ages it becomes dry and flaky and flavorful well beyond what it was at 60 days old.
Pairs well with Chateau Galochet Bordeaux: You’ll notice an attractive deep garnet-red color and a fruity nose with hints of redcurrant. The wine starts out firm and fruity on the palate, with soft, very round tannins. The aftertaste is smooth and long.