Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue
Named for a Revolutionary War road in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, this raw milk, farmhouse blue is ready for conquest. Thanks to its determined creators, the Kehler brothers, this Stilton-esque cylinder fulfills its duties. Expect a dry yet dense paste, and full of balanced chocolate, hazelnut, and licorice flavors. Perfect with Moscato d'Asti or beer, as they do it up north. Prepare to surrender your tastebuds.
Just the Facts
Cabernet Sauvignon
Full-bodied with no shortage of flavor. This grape is grown in almost every climate, which means lots of diversity across bottles.Old World Cabernet: Earthy with aromas of leather, hay, and dark dried fruits. Sometimes a hint of eucalyptus or violet.
Pair with: Cheese with flavor that can stand up to this big wine. Alpine style cheeses like Comte or Challerhocker and some sweeter blues like Bleu d’Auvergne would make a good match.New World Cabernet: Characterized by bold oaky flavors and high levels of tannins. These wines are about as full-bodied as you can get, very jammy with flavors of reduced fruit.
Pair with: Sweet clothbound cheddar or a Grana style cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or Podda Classico.Porters and Stouts
Porter, Stout, Imperial StoutWelcome to the dark side of beer. Porters and Stouts are born of heavily roasted malted barley, which colors the beer and develops toasty flavors recalling chocolate, coffee, and chicory. Looks can be deceiving, though: dark doesn’t always mean strong. Porters and stouts can be incredibly light in body, or big boozy affairs that pour like syrup.
Pair with: A mild, creamy blue like Cambozola Black.Riesling
This food-friendly wine ranges from super sweet to quite dry. Acidity, minerality, and aromas of tropical fruit are almost always present.Dry: Characterized by bracing acidity and stark minerality. Tropical fruit on the nose, stunningly balanced flavor overall.
Pair with: This versatile wine works equally well with a fresh chevre (bringing out acidity) as it does a stinker like Willoughby (playing up the sweet/salty contrast).Sweet: The other end of the spectrum offers a cloyingly sweet, syrupy wine. Aromas of ripe peaches and tropical fruit dominate, along with floral, perfumed accents.
Pair with: With something this strong it’s best to contrast the sweetness with something funky or salty: A pungent washed rind like Grayson or a punchy blue like Bleu du Bocage.