Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise
This is one cheesy do-gooder. Made from a recipe created by John Putnam at Thistle Hill Farm, who was inspired by the French cheese Abondance, this is Jeremy Stephenson's reinterpretation. Spring Brook Farm makes great cheese while hosting city kids for rural education programs. Raw, grass-fed cow milk makes for neon yellow cheese replete with spicy notes and a prickly pineapple finish. Look for little crunchy clusters if you're lucky. Looks good, tastes good, feels good--and drinks good with Gamay Beaujolais. 2014 American Cheese Society Winner!
Just the Facts
Bourbon
Think: Caramelly, crystalline cheeses have the strength to stand up to bolder booze. With sweet bourbon, these cheeses become almost like dessert.Chardonnay
This wine is all over the map – literally! Flavor varies widely depending on where and how it’s made.Old World Chardonnay: crisp and minerally, with flavors of apples and roasted pears.
Pair with: Fresh or bloomy rind cheese, like Delice de Bourgogne
New World Chardonnay (USA, warmer climates): richly buttery and oaky, heavy notes of vanilla, brown butter, and tropical fruits.
Pair with: Slightly stronger cheese like sweet Tickler cheddar, or a mild washed rind.
Oxidized Chardonnay: When Chardonnay is intentionally exposed to air it is “oxidized.” Common in the Jura mountain region, this wine is almost sherry-like with spicy, nutty flavors.
Pair with: Play up the bolder flavors with a more complex or funky cheese. Almost any Alpine cheese, like Comte, or earthy aged goat cheese like Chevrot make a great match.
Lagers and Kolsch
Lager, Dunkel, Schwarz, Pilsner, Kolsch AleLagers run the gamut from crisp, pale Pilsners to dark-malted Dunkels and Märzens. Flavors are typically approachable and mellow, a delicate balance of toasted bread, gentle sweetness, and mild hop bitterness for structure.
Pair with: Almost any firm, mild cheese like Tomme de Savoie or Landaff Creamery Landaff.Merlot
A smooth and medium-bodied wine with a more rounded flavor than other reds. Dark fruits are present but with minimal tannins and no noticeable spice.Pair with: Earthy tommes like Toma Walser, mellow Fontina, or a lightly aged goat cheese like Leonora.