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My Favorite Cheeses Paired with Cultivar Wine

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Wine and Cheese Party-6

Have I mentioned how much I love wine and cheese? Last Sunday I set out on a mission to assemble a platter of my favorite cheeses, along with the ultimate food and wine pairings.

I went to one of my favorite cheese shops and purchased a few of my favorites, along with a couple suggestions from the cheese monger. I try to follow certain rules when assembling a cheese board. Traditionally, a cheese board should have hard and soft cheeses, cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, and goat’s milk cheeses, and a blue cheese. This time I skipped the blue cheese because I didn’t want anything that would over power the wine.

Wine and Cheese Party-3

Everyone loves a classic cheddar and Jasper Hill Farm Cabot Cloth Bound Cheddar is one of the best. It’s creamy and sharp, and it is savory flavors at their absolute best. I always include a goat cheese on a cheese plate, and my favorite is Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog. It’s tangy goat cheese with a layer of vegetable ash. The cheese monger recommended UnieKass Robusto from Holland, a gouda that tastes ten times better than every other gouda I have tried. It’s slightly nutty and salty, and it paired beautifully with the rosemary crackers.

Wine and Cheese Party

Charles loved the Forager d’Affinois Guilloteau double creme brie. For some reason I thought that triple creme brie was the way to go, and that I what we have always bought, but the double creme brie tasted like cheesy buttery goodness. We spread this on pieces of fresh baguette.

Wine and Cheese Party-4

My favorite cheese was one that the cheese monger recommended: Petit Basque Sheeps Milk Istara. It is sometimes compared to Manchego, a more well known cheese from the same region, but Istara is a bit softer than Manchego, and it is creamier and has a nuttier flavor profile. This was great paired with fig jam.

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I served my cheese board with two of Cultivar’s wines. Cultivar is a Napa Valley winery and I am part of their blogger program. I love that while they produce top quality Napa Valley wine, it’s still affordable – their wines range from $12 – $72 a bottle retail. And as a reader of The Kittchen, you can use this code “CultivarWineTheKittchen for a 10% savings when you order Cultivar wine.

I absolutely loved the 2013 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc. It’s a medium bodied wine with some jammy fruit flavors that are balanced out with hints of pepper and tobacco. I thought it paired beautifully with the earthier Petit Basque Sheeps Milk Istara. The 2013 Leaky Lake Cabernet Sauvignon is a bit bolder and more tannic and I enjoyed it paired with the cheddar and the robusto.

Wine and Cheese Party-2

With enough wine and cheese to feed a small army we proceeded to feast while watching Tangled (we love a good Disney movie). It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening.

I received wine from Cultivar Wine as part of this collaboration.

Mica | Let’s Taco Bout It Blog

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

I love love love this article. That Forager d’Affinois Guilloteau double creme brie looks quite amazing.

Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

This is such a nice idea! I appreciate your tips on including cheese with a variety of textures. My hubby makes wine, so this is perfect for my next gathering.

Kit Graham

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

Your husband makes wine! You are a lucky lady!

Gingey Bites

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

This looks divine - after all, is there anything better than wine and cheese? I think not :-)

Kit Graham

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

I agree. Wine and cheese is THE BEST!

Natalia Richer

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

Tangled with wine and cheeses sounds just perfect!! I love the lighting in your photos - very natural but also evening-like

Kit Graham

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

Thanks! That's magic hour light :)

Dini @ The Flavor Bender

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

This definitely sounds like my perfect Sunday evening too! I love the details you went into about the cheese. I love a good wine and cheese platter and have to keep an eye out for these wonderful cheese! I've never had a sheep's milk cheese either - it sounds really interesting!

Kit Graham

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

You if you like cheese - you need to try sheep's milk cheese. You might have had it without realizing what it is - pecorino is a popular sheep's milk cheese.

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