How to Enter:

Answer the question – What is your favorite Wisconsin Cheese pairing? Perhaps Cheddar and a pale ale? A crisp pinot gris and Feta? Or maybe even Muenster, apples and whole-grain crackers? (Need some help? Cheese Cupid can be your matchmaker online or on your iPhone.)

Leave a comment on this blog post about your favorite Wisconsin Cheese pairing.

• Three entries will be chosen at random.
• Contest ends Friday, June 18 at 5 p.m. EST.
• Winners will be notified by email.
• One entry per household. US only.

With summer a mere month away, you can almost see yourself laying out at the pool, soaking up the warm noon sun while enjoying this week’s pairing – a glass of sauvignon blanc and semi-soft Wisconsin Cheeses.

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!

Our pairing this week is a 2007 Newton Chardonnay from Newton Vineyards in Oakville, California.

This 2007 chardonnay vintage is delicate, with aromas of crisp apple, pear and toasted bread. Upon tasting, flavors of peach, clove and fresh tangerine balance out this bright and richly textured wine. Very versatile, this wine is a great choice for many foods and goes well with a variety of cheeses, from the fresh and mild, to the aged and complex.

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

This week we’re pairing a 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Shea Wine Cellars, with semi-soft, and hard cheeses.

This pinot is vibrant and explosive, with aromas of cherries, strawberries and raspberries. The vintage flavor is well balanced and fruity with spicy characteristics and a long, complex finish that lends itself well to creamier, and intensely flavored Wisconsin Cheeses.

Pair a glass of this pinot noir with semi-soft cheeses, Dofino Creamy Havarti, Meister Cheese Company Great Midwest Basil Jack and BelGioioso Fontina. Or complement the smooth pinot with high-texture, the low-moisture, hard-style cheese of Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods Aged Asiago.

Havarti, a milder version of German Tilsit, originated in Denmark. In Wisconsin, the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a special Wisconsin-style Havarti that is firmer in texture and more buttery than other types. Dofino Creamy Havarti is a perfect example of this gentle and buttery cheese, produced in the Danish tradition. Need an easy and delicious Havarti recipe? To prepare baked Havarti, wrap an 8-ounce piece in puff pastry, brush on egg wash and bake at 425º F until golden brown. Serve hot with fresh fruit, such as apples or pears, for a party appetizer.

Meister Cheese Company produces cheese that is known for its many unique flavors and intense creaminess. Great Midwest Basil Jack, a variety of the Meister Cheese Monterey Jack line, is delicate, buttery and has a slightly tart flavor that balances nicely with the basil herb. Monterey Jack goes well with fruit and poultry.

Fontina originated in Italy in 1477 in the mountainous Val d’Aosta region near the Swiss border. It was named Fontina d’Aosta for Mont Fontin and the nearby village of Fontinaz. Fontina is considered to be one of the most versatile cheeses in the world because it is excellent both on the table and in cooking. BelGioioso Fontina is a semi-soft, mild cheese with a silky texture and sweet, yet earthy flavor – a divine melting cheese.

Asiago derives its name from a small town in northern Italy. In Italy, Asiago usually means Asiago Fresco, or fresh and has a mild flavor and semi-hard texture. In Wisconsin, cheesemakers age Asiago to develop sharper flavors. Thus, Asiago Cheese is often firm and grated. Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods Aged Asiago is creamier, with sharp and tangy flavors. Pair it with a glass of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and some crusty Italian bread.

Enjoy any of these cheeses and a glass of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in the “Wisconsin Cheese Recipe of the Month”: Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese.

Looking for a delicious cheese and wine pairing to help say farewell to winter? This week our Wisconsin Cheese Cupid pairing is a 2005 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruity and bold, this cab is the perfect libation to end winter blues.

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.

This week’s Cheese Cupid Pairing of the Week is a Tawny Port from Noval Fine Ports.

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?

Love is in the air. But of course, for Wisconsin Cheese Cupid love is always in the air. This week is especially romantic, that is, because it is the week of Valentine’s Day.

To celebrate this weekend, whether you are with a special someone snuggling up on your couch at home, laughing at a girls’ night out, or enjoying time well spent with a family you’ve built, enjoy a bold glass of cabernet coupled with Wisconsin Cheeses with your loved ones.

This week’s Cheese Cupid Pairing of the Week is Chateau Les Ormes de Pez, a French Bordeaux. This wine takes its name from the village of Pez near St Estèphe and is a Cru Bourgeois wine. This Bordeaux is made from the cabernet varietal and is historically known for its high quality. The 2003 vintage of this wine starts with a fresh, forward character on the nose. There is a dense palate, with supple, powerful fruit flavors. It has firm tannins and good acids. This wine is a must pairing with rich meat and cream-based dishes. Valentine’s Day dinner?

Pair this classic Bordeaux with North Hendren Cheese Cooperative Black River Blue, Stella Romano, Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Aged Cheddar, or Hook’s Cheese Garlic Cheddar.

The Black River Blue Cheese from North Hendren Cheese Cooperative is deliciously simple and this simplicity is a perfect match to a complex Bordeaux. The cooperative is a small, local non-profit cooperative with surrounding dairy farmers as owners. It has been in the cheese business since 1923 and has been specializing in pre premium blue-veined cheeses since 2001.

Stella Romano, from Saputo Cheese USA, is a favorite Italian cheese. Romano is often confused with Parmesan though it is a much sharper, tangier cheese. It has a saltier bite and is often aged longer. The Stella Cheese label specializes in Romano, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses.

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Aged Cheddar, is a smooth, firm and rich Cheddar. It becomes increasingly sharp and more granular with age.

Hook’s Garlic Cheddar is white Cheddar infused with fresh garlic. It’s the perfect snacking cheese and is amazing in pasta sauces. However, this is, no doubt, a cheese to enjoy with someone you’ve been cozy with for a good deal of time.

Delicious red wine. Amazing Wisconsin Cheeses. A recipe for an out-of-this-world dinner for two. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Cheese Cupid.

Welcome in February, a well-known month of passion and desire, by bringing out the reds. This week’s Wisconsin Cheese Cupid Pairing of the Week is a classic Washington State merlot, The Velvet Devil.

This 2007 vintage, from Charles Smith Wines in Columbia Valley, is a smooth wine for a moderate buy. The ruby-red merlot begins with a soft, plum scent. It has a light and balanced fruity nose. Overall smooth on the palate, this fruity merlot finishes with flavors of black cherry and cedar. Pair it with poultry, game, pork, red meat, and pasta.

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.

A deep red wine and a complex aged Wisconsin Cheese is the perfect pairing for a fond farewell to another wintery January. This week’s Wisconsin Cheese Cupid Pairing of the Week is a Cristom Vineyards 2005 Estate Syrah, Eola-Amity Hills.

Located in the Willamette Valley in Salem, Oregon, Cristom Vineyards is 65 acres and eight distinct vineyards with specific grape varietals. The 2005 Estate Syrah is the third release of the vineyard’s Estate Syrah and the coolest vintage of the three. This wine is ruby red, with rich aromas of raspberries, hints of blueberries, and moderate tannins on the finish.

Pair a glass of this wine with Henning’s Cheese Aged Peppercorn Cheddar, BelGioioso Cheese Italian Extra Sharp Provolone, Salemville Amish Blue, or Bleu Mont Dairy Cave-Aged Bandaged Cheddar.

Henning’s Cheese is known for its Cheddar Cheese, as makers of the “Mammoth Cheddar” wheels, ranging in size from 75 to 1,200 lbs. Otto Henning began the family tradition of cheesemaking in 1914, and Kerry Henning currently carries on this tradition. Henning’s Cheese Aged Peppercorn Cheddar won Best of Class at the 2009 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. This aged cheese is a perfect dinner party companion to a deep, red syrah.

BelGioioso Cheese Italian Extra Sharp Provolone is made with whole cow’s milk and is produced using the same techniques as they use in Italy. The cheese is roped and dipped into a plastic coating, which helps the cheese breath, creating a drier cheese. It is then aged inside a temperature-controlled room for up to a year. This cheese pairs well with pears, figs, cashews, and olives for an easy party appetizer.

Salemville Amish Blue is known for being produced using rBGH-free milk from cows hand-milked twice daily. The famous blue streaks are a result of mold from bacteria added during manufacturing. The distinct types of milks make the Blue Cheese individually characteristic.

Bleu Mont Dairy Cave-Aged Bandaged Cheddar is an English-style cheese made with raw, organic milk from pasture-grazing cows. The Cheddar has a clean feel, with grassier, nuttier notes than many other types of Cheddar. Bleu Mont Dairy is owned by Willi Lehner, a Swiss-American cheesemaker, and is located in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.

by Cheese Cupid

It’s late November. Thanksgiving festivities have come to an end, but many winter holidays are right around the corner. Yes, the entertaining season is in full swing. What better time to try all your favorite wine, beer and Wisconsin Cheese pairings?

This week’s wine to pair with your holiday meals is a 2006 Liberty School cabernet sauvignon, with grapes from multiple vineyards in Paso Robles. Grapes from multiple vineyards give the winemakers the best pick of grapes from different soils and microclimates. Liberty School cabernet sauvignon matures in ten percent new oak, for one year, before blending and bottling. The 2006 cab vintage is full-bodied with notes of cherry and vanilla. It has soft tannins and a smooth finish. Pair it with red meats and semi-aged, semi-hard cheeses. Try a glass with Upland Cheese’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Hook’s Sweet Constantine, or Stella Aged Asiago.

Upland Cheese’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve is a Gruyère-style cheese made from raw milk. The nutty, grassy flavor of Pleasant Ridge Reserve comes from the combination of fresh, carefully selected, pasture-produced milk and traditional cultures and enzymes. The cheese is stored in a caved environment for four months and washed and turned daily.

Hook’s Sweet Constantine is a firm, whole-milk cheese, with flavor characteristics of both Parmesan and Asiago. This cheese is excellent for cooking and topping off dishes.

Asiago resembles a cross between Cheddar and Parmesan. Stella Aged Asiago is slightly sweeter, smoother, and nuttier than Parmesan. It can be grated over bread, salads, soups, vegetables, seafood, pasta and pizza.