There are not many pairings we love more than wine and cheese. After all, "#wineandcheese is its own hashtag worthy of about 400,000 posts! We take great care in preparing curated cheese and charcuterie boards in our tasting room, but you can create a wine and cheese tasting in your own home with just a few tips. Our wine pairing expert, Ben Hernandez, provides easy pairing options for your own perfect wine and cheese party.

Vermont Cheddar                                     2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Tempranillo

Cheddar is a “hard” cheese that has a significant amount of bitterness, earthiness, & body. The 2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Tempranillo directly contrasts this with its light oak character & bold, fruit forward nature. Although technically a dry wine, our Tempranillo has a slight sweetness on the palate due to the strong berry & juicy dark fruit aromas. The smoothness of the wine compliments the smooth texture of the cheese as it melts in the mouth while the bitterness of the cheddar is subdued by the full body & fruit flavors.

Blue Monterey Jack                                  2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Courtney

Blue cheeses are a class of cheese inoculated with a mold giving the distinctive blue color. The 2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Courtney pairs well with the smooth & mild blue Monterey Jack. The slight fruitiness of the cheese & the medium soft texture make this a more approachable (& less pungent) blue cheese. Our Courtney has a beautifully smooth mouthfeel, reminiscent of Chardonnay & balanced oak character. The stone fruit aromas of the wine & the creaminess of the cheese round out the flavor profile.

 Dill Havarti                                                 2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Pinot Grigio

Dill Havarti is a mellow, semisoft white cheese with dill, giving it a distinct & slightly acidic taste. The 2017 Burklee Hill Vineyards Pinot Grigio offers sweet citrus notes of Meyer lemon & green apples. The soft creamy & buttery texture of the Dill Havarti is cleansed off the tongue by the bright acidity of our Pinot Grigio, allowing the herbal characteristic of the dill to really shine through.

Pepper Jack                                              2017 Trilogy Cellars Tryst Blush

Pepper Jack is a smooth, slightly sweet cheese with chili peppers & herbs added for extra kick. The 2017 Trilogy Cellars Tryst Blush is a sweet wine with aromas of strawberries & citrus. Our Tryst Blush is a combination of the 2017 Burklee Hill Pinot Grigio & the 2017 Trilogy Cellars Gewürztraminer with a touch of Malbec for that beautiful pink tint. The sweetness & strong aromatic character of our Tryst Blush help to temper the heat from the chili peppers & herbs in the cheese, while the citrus aroma contributes to a clean palate.