Elyse Winery Tests Cheese Club for Wine Club Members

Last month, I received a shipment of cheese meant to be paired with the Elyse wines.  Nancy Coursen, the owner of Elyse and one of the nicest people on the planet, wanted to give the new cheese and wine pairing a try before making it a usual feature for club shipments.

Unsurprisingly, it was a success and Elyse will probably offer the pairing again with the October shipment.  I received three cheeses, wine pairing suggestions, olives, marcona almonds and basic instructions for taking care of the cheese.  Did you know that blue cheese should be wrapped in aluminum foil if the original packaging isn’t available?  I didn’t.

Sapore del Piave Vento (Italy)

This raw cow’s milk cheese is aged for a year and is made in Trevisio.  It has almost a Parmesan taste with nuttiness and a little butterscotch at the end.  It had some saltiness and was a perfect match with red wine.

Tourmalet (Pyrenees)

This cheese is the farmhouse version of Petit Basque and is named after a mountain where it is produced.  This had those wonderful crystals with a nutty and buttery taste.

St Andre Triple Cream (France)

Made in Normandy, France, this is a pasteurized cow’s milk cheese that is “sin on a stick.”  It is literally like eating butter – with a silky and rich cheese that flows like lava after cutting the rind.

For more information on the Elyse wine club, visit www.elysewinery.com.  I hope this experiment continues as it is a fun way to experience wine and cheese and how lovely these pairings can be.