The 2006 Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc from The Ojai Vineyard is a rather exclusive vintage – it is a low-crop wine. Wine from a crop with a lower yield tends to be more powerful and of superior quality, thus this sauvignon blanc vintage has stronger aromas, is more tannic and is at its best when aged.

Pair this noteworthy wine with semi-soft Wisconsin Cheeses for a pleasant balance. Couple it with Grass Point Farms Monterey Jack, Edelweiss Creamery Dill Havarti or a young Blaser’s Valley View Cheddar.

Grass Point Farms, located in Thorp, Wisconsin, is operated by a team of organic farmers whose mission is to provide consumers with hormone-free, antibiotic-free and pesticide-free cheeses that are comparatively higher in nutrients than other cheeses. They achieve this through their grass-fed, certified organic pasture cows, and all of their cheeses are sold under the Wisconsin Organics label. One of their most versatile cheeses, Monterey Jack is part of their growing line of cheese styles. Monterey Jack is a semi-soft, creamy, slightly tart cheese. It is often flavored, though Grass Point Farms keeps their ingredients at a minimum. They also produce a Pepper Jack Cheese.

Havarti, a milder version of German Tilsit, is a buttery, slightly acidic cheese. Because of its smooth texture and subtle taste, this cheese is also often flavored with herbs and spices. Located in Monticello, Wisconsin, Edelweiss Creamery is well recognized for their Swiss and Havarti cheeses. Edelweiss Creamery Dill Havarti and the Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a distinctive pairing.

Blaser’s Valley View Cheddar is one of a newly established line of hormone-free cheeses by Blaser’s Premium Cheese Company. This Cheddar is produced with milk from the Hastings Cooperative Creamery Company – a 90-year-old, 140-farmer cooperative. A younger and softer Cheddar, Blaser’s Valley View Cheddar is a perfect complement to the complex Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

A fantastic Dill Havarti Popover recipe would be perfect for any of these semi-soft cheeses and a glass of sauvignon blanc, or simply relish the cheese, crackers and a glass of wine while relaxing on your porch, watching a cool spring sunset. Enjoy!

Produced by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a prominent classic-style beer. Made with top-fermenting ale yeast and brewed with Magnum, Perle and Cascade hops, this beer is known for its high notes of maltiness and superior hoppiness. It has a deep amber hue, a full-bodied taste and spicy after-notes, which have lead to several national brewing awards. Pair this brew with BelGioioso Small Style Provolone, Castle Rock Organic Farms Raw Milk Cheddar and Roth Käse Van Gogh Smoked Natural Gouda at your “cookout season opener.”

Located in Denmark, Wisconsin, BelGioioso Cheese has specialized in all-natural, award-winning Italian-style cheeses for more than 20 years. BelGioioso Small Style Provolone is made from whole cow’s milk and aged at least 60 days. Closely related to Mozzarella, Provolone is distinguishable by its fuller flavors that intensify with age. It goes well with cured meats and the sweetness of tomatoes and late-harvest fruits. These smaller cuts of Provolone are great for gift-giving or snacking on with a cold brew in hand.

Settled in the lush green valleys in Osseo, Wisconsin, Castle Rock Organic Farms concentrates on sustainable artisan cheeses, including Blue Cheese, Colby, Cheese Curds, Cheddar and Raw Milk Cheddar. Castle Rock Organic Farms Raw Milk Cheddar supports key consumers who have a passion for environmentally conscious products and it comes in an array of flavors. Try the Spinach Leek Garlic, Lemon Thyme Ginger, or Black Bean Salsa varieties. If you’re looking for something more traditional, these cheeses also come in Mild, Medium and Sharp. Pair any of these flavors with a pint of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale this week. Don’t forget the crackers!

Originally from Switzerland, the Roth family moved to America in 1911 to start crafting Eurpean-style cheeses in Green County, Wisconsin, now often known as “Little Switzerland.” Roth Käse Van Gogh Smoked Natural Gouda is made by aging the Gouda for six months and then smoking it, which adds the quintessential savory flavor to the cheese.

Make Tavern Beer Cheese with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and one of these delicious semi-hard Wisconsin Cheeses for your first outdoor affair this summer.

Pair this chardonnay with Crave Brothers Cheese Fresh Mozzarella, Bleu Mont Dairy 10-month Aged Gouda and Gingerbread Jersey Monterey Jack.

Noted as Mozzarella Fresca in Italy, its origin, Fresh Mozzarella was first made with milk from the water buffalo. In Wisconsin, it is most often made with cow’s milk. This cheese is known as a Pasta Filata cheese, which means that the curds are kneaded, then stretched and formed into balls or logs. Moreover, this cheese is not cured in brine or aged like the low-moisture Mozzarella that many are familiar with in the Midwest. Instead, Fresh Mozzarella is eaten when only a few days old, and to keep it fresh, the cheese is submerged in water. Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella is a delicate, young, milky cheese that comes as ciliegine (cherry size), bocconcini (ball size) and ovoline (egg size), or in eight-ounce balls and one-pound logs. Fresh Mozzarella is great when served in the traditional Italian manner, caprèse style – with sliced tomatoes and chopped fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with ground pepper – a great dish with a glass of this week’s chardonnay.

Bleu Mont Dairy, in Blue Mounds, produces uniquely aged Cheddar and Gouda cheese from organic milk of pasture-grazed cows. Bleu Mont Dairy 10-month Aged Gouda is a sweet and nutty cheese, which holds up well in a robust fondue dish, as an appetizer or even as a savory dessert aside a glass of Newton Chardonnay. Notably, Gouda is traditionally pronounced “khow da.”

Monterey Jack is the perfect versatile cheese. It can be flavored with almost any herbs, spices or food profiles. Gingerbread Jersey Monterey Jack comes in several unique flavors, including “Taste of Athens,” “Taste of Bangkok” and “Taste of Sicily.” These different cheese flavors are delicious on inventive pizza and sandwich recipes.

Try making one of these pizza recipes with this week’s Wisconsin Cheese pairings – don’t forget the glass of chardonnay:

Flatbread Pizzas with Wisconsin Mozzarella and Gouda

Mediterranean Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

Spicy Pepper Jack and Chicken Pizza

Grilled Pizza with Wisconsin Three-Cheese Blend

Cabernet sauvignon is a classic Napa Valley wine. This deep, ruby-red vintage is a wine with supple tannins, vibrant flavors and an excellent balance. It has dark notes of black cherry, currant and tobacco. This cab is often described as “a mix of New World and Old World styles.”

Pair this cab with more forceful Wisconsin Cheeses such as Carr Valley Cheese 10-year Aged Cheddar, Edelweiss Emmentaler and Roth Käse Buttermilk Blue.

Carr Valley Cheese 10-year Aged Cheddar is handcrafted in the company’s La Valle plant in small vats by cheesemakers with more than 100 years of experience. Nestled in the rolling hills of central Wisconsin, Carr Valley Cheese remains one of Wisconsin’s most traditional cheese producers. Fourth-generation cheesemaker Sid Cook received his cheesemaking license when he was only 16 and now owns and operates the plant.

Edelweiss Creamery is a small artisan cheese factory established in 1873 in Monroe, Wisconsin. Edelweiss Emmentaler, a type of Swiss cheese, is made using raw milk and a traditional Swiss copper vat. It pairs well with fruits such as apples, pears and grapes.

Roth Käse Buttermilk Blue is a classic Blue Cheese for dips and dressings. It is a tangy Blue, yet restrained and is shelf-cured for at least 60 days. For a great Buttermilk Blue recipe try Fig and Port Wontons.

Port wine is a fortified wine, originating from Portugal. The 2003 Tawny Port is an elegant, amber hued wine, aged for three years in oak barrels. On the palate, it is well balanced, with raspberry characteristics and a fresh finish.

Pair this Port with strong Wisconsin Cheeses such as Monforte Blue, Sartori Reserve Dolcina Gorgonzola or Hook’s Cheese 7-year Aged Cheddar.

Monforte Blue was started almost seven years ago by the Wisconsin Farmers Union. They hired a cheesemaker and started a tiny plant in Montfort, Wisconsin. Monforte Blue is a strong and unique Blue Cheese. It has won first place at the American Cheese Society competition.

Sartori Reserve Dolcina Gorgonzola is a velvety, buttery, sweet, blue-veined cheese. Extra cream softens the tangy tones of traditional Blue Cheese.

Hook’s Cheese 7-year Aged Cheddar is a favorite among chefs. The seven years of aging gives this Cheddar distinct calcium lactate crystals and tons of flavor. From a small factory on the corner of Jail Alley and Commerce St. in historic Mineral Point, Tony and Julie Hook produce some of Wisconsin’s finest traditional and artisan cheeses. All of the milk for Hook’s Cheese comes from a carefully selected group of 25 small family farms in the rural area surrounding Mineral Point. Demand for more aged cheeses has soared in recent years as consumers seek more flavorful products. Hook’s recently released a 15-year Aged Cheddar that has sold out. It will be released again in March, and will, indubitably, fly off the shelves.

What is your favorite Wisconsin Cheese to pair with a Port? Or do you prefer to pair your aged cheeses with another libation?

At the first Isthmus Beer & Cheese Festival, this past Saturday, I was again reminded of why it’s so great to live in Wisconsin – even if the winter feels endless by late January. The beer! The cheese! All of it, wonderful.

And inspiring. There were lots of great cheeses and cheesemakers – I wish I hadn’t lost my cheat sheet. For me there were definitely some standouts that got me thinking about tasty chocolate and cheese pairings.

My all-time favorite is the award-winning Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville.

It’s a French Gruyère-style cheese. So good. Since this cheese has big rounded flavor, I would pair it with a deep dark-chocolate ganache, like the one in my Rica Organica truffle.

The cheese hits all the zones in your mouth, filling it with flavor. When backed by the chocolate’s rich creaminess – delicious.

Dunbarton Blue, from Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg, would make a great companion to a simple dark chocolate.

It’s an earthy Cheddar with a suggestion of Blue Cheese – but not overpowering. I think it would make an interesting truffle too. I’d like to try introducing just a bit of this cheese into a creamy chocolate center.

The Apple Jack, by Gingerbread Jersey in Augusta, had a slight apple flavor with a bit of cinnamon. This Cheddar would be a great partner for either my Cinnamon/Cayenne or Machu Picchu truffles. The Apple Jack’s creaminess would nicely tame the heat on the end of the Cinnamon/Cayenne. I tried about eight varieties of Carolyn and Virgil Schunk’s cheese. I also loved their Cranberry Horseradish Cheddar. I just thought Thanksgiving when I ate it.

The Feta from Klondike Cheese Co. of Monroe is divine. It’s soft, creamy and not overly salted. This one is just right. I’d suggest pairing it with the big flavors of an Ecuadorian chocolate. The boldness of the chocolate will stand up nicely to the Feta cheese.

And if you’re lucky enough to get a bit of Hook’s 15-year-old Cheddar – Mmm, the possibilities. It’s so delicious with those tiny grains of saltiness that I love. I can just imagine a warm, crusty baguette sprinkled with chocolate shavings. The warm bread begins melting the chocolate, and then you top it with some crumbles of that incredible cheese. Oh joy. Oh comfort.

The best advice for pairing: If you think it might be good, give it a try. Have fun and be good to yourself!

Find more Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier pairings on her Facebook Page and Twitter account.

Gail Ambrosius truffle Twitter giveaway!

Love is in the air. So is the sweet smell of Wisconsin Crave Brothers Mascarpone and Columbian Dark Chocolate from Gail Ambrosius. Cheese Cupid is helping spread the love on Valentine’s Day by giving away 15 boxes of limited-edition heart-shaped truffles with Crave Brothers Cheese Wisconsin Mascarpone created by Gail Ambrosius.

You can enter the contest on Twitter. Tweet 3 words that come to mind when you think of Wisconsin Cheese and chocolate using the hashtag #cheeseandchocolate – example: Creamy, dreamy, delicious #cheeseandchocolate. Wisconsin Cheese Cupid will randomly pick 15 winners on Wednesday, February 10. The chocolate will be delivered on Friday, February 12.

Help spread the Wisconsin Cheese love.

Enjoy a glass of The Velvet Devil with BelGioioso Creamy Gorgonzola, Lorraine Swiss, Stella Parmesan, Sartori Reserve SarVecchio, or Fayette Creamery Avondale Truckle.

BelGioioso Creamy Gorgonzola is a soft, blue-green veined cheese, aged for 90 days. It has a full, earthy flavor and creamy texture. BelGioioso Creamy Gorgonzola won Bronze at the 2009 World Cheese Awards.

Lorraine Swiss, from Saputo Cheese USA, is a Wisconsin Swiss created to be the perfect deli cheese. It is creamier than traditional Swiss and has a lacy, light texture that lets the cheese pile easily on sandwiches and platters.

Stella Parmesan, from Saputo Cheese USA, is aged over 10 months. Parmesan, one of the most well-known Italian cheeses, tastes sweet and buttery compared with the sharper flavor of Romano.

Award-winning Sartori Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan is consistently judged the best U.S. Parmesan; in fact, it won the U.S. Cheese Championship in 2009. SarVecchio is aged at least 20 months and has a distinctive fruity flavor with lightly roasted caramel notes.

Avondale Truckle, a cloth-wrapped Cheddar, is sold under Brunkow Cheese’s Fayette Creamery label. Made from raw cow’s milk, this Cheddar is aged for 6 to 18 months and develops a full flavor with wild, earthy aromas.

Looking for a recipe for these Wisconsin Cheeses? Something to pair with your glass of Velvet Devil? Snuggle up on a cold February night with a bowl of Tuscan Onion Soup with Shaved Wisconsin Parmesan.

Anchor Porter is a dark brew made with specially roasted dark malts and top-fermenting yeast. This porter is medium-bodied, highly hopped, and has a thick, creamy head. It has notes of chocolate and coffee. Pair this beer with strong, bold-flavored cheeses. Try Burnett Dairy Cooperative Alpha’s Northwoods Aged Cheddar, Chalet Cheese Cooperative Limburger, or Holland’s Family Farm Marieke Italian Herb Gouda.

Cheddar is a rich cheese that becomes sharp and assertive with age. Burnett Dairy Cooperative Alpha’s Northwoods Aged Cheddar is a full-bodied yellow Cheddar that is naturally aged. It is a delicious snacking and serving Cheddar.

Limburger is often known as “stinky” cheese for its pungent aroma and strong taste. It was originally produced in Belgium, but is now associated with German origins. Chalet Cheese Cooperative in Monroe, Wisconsin is the last producer in the United States of Limburger. Chalet’s Limburger is buttery, and varies with age. When young, it is crumbly and Feta-like. At two months the cheese is smooth, creamy, and sweet. Aged, Limburger is intense and musky.

Holland’s Family Farm Marieke Italian Herb Gouda is a flavored, specialty Gouda from Holland’s Family Cheese in Thorp, Wisconsin. Made with whole milk, rich, smooth and creamy, Gouda is known as a “sweet curd cheese.” Gouda develops more complex caramel flavors and a firmer texture when aged.

This scotch, known as “The Single Malt that Started It All,” this whisky is bright and gold with a pineapple and apricot nose. Aged in French Oak casks, the whisky’s bouquet opens up with vanilla and nutty notes. Honey, peach and pear are present on the palate. Pair this elegant whisky with Hook’s 10-year Cheddar, Carr Valley Cheese Virgin-Pine Native Blue, Bleu Mont Dairy Gouda or the fall edition of Otter Creek Organic Farm Raw Milk Seasonal Cheddar.

Hook’s 10-year Cheddar has a full, rich Cheddar flavor and a smooth finish. It has won first place at the American Cheese Society Competition and is the only 10-year cheddar to have received this honor. This Cheddar is a great appetizer and will impress the masses.

Carr Valley Cheese Virgin-Pine Native Blue is not a traditional blue cheese. First this cheese is matured and then it is pierced to become a blue. This allows native molds from the aging to naturally penetrate the cheese. This cheese is very earthy tastes best accompanying dishes.

Bleu Mont Dairy Gouda is a 10-month aged Gouda. This creamy cheese is sweet and nutty. It holds up well with meats, vegetables and in a fondue.

Otter Creek Organic Farm Raw Milk Seasonal Cheddar is produced from a herd of 180 farmstead Holsteins grazing on organic fields. It is made by the Master Cheesemaker at Cedar Grove Cheese. The fall edition of the Raw Milk Seasonal Cheddar is made from the cows’ feeding on silage made from fermented alfalfa and grasses cut from the pastures. The fast content of the milk is a lot higher in colder months, thus the fall cheese is much creamier.