This Friday, Dec. 7, we will be holding our educational wine and cheese tasting from 3pm-6pm in the center of our store.

Our wines this Friday will be a selection of Cotes-Du-Rhone. Known as a friendly, approachable wine, this variety is a blend, made with a wide range of grapes, including Syrah or Grenache for the reds and Marsanne or Roussanne for whites. All of these wines, the red, white and also rosé, come from the Rhone Valley, a region in France that has been growing wine grapes for more than a few centuries. The second largest wine-making region in France, it’s also one of the oldest in the world. These wines are food-friendly and easy-drinking, including the varieties we are sampling on Friday: Domaine du Joncier Cotes du Rhone, Vidal-Fleury Cotes du Rhone, Domaine de la Guicharde Cotes du Rhone, and Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone.

Paired with this selection of wines will be Emmi Le Gruyere Mild cheese, made with raw cow’s milk. While gruyere-like cheeses are made in other parts of the world, this well-known and loved cheese originated in a small town in Switzerland, a country that has worked to protect the name so that only true gruyere can be called gruyere. The large wheels of this cheese, with a hard, dry brown rind, are cut down to pieces that show off the ivory to medium yellow color. Flavors can be complex and may be nutty, creamy, fruity, earthy or reminiscent of mushrooms. Perfect for melting, this gruyere makes a great element to a fondue, grilled cheese or macaroni and cheese recipe.

We hope to see you on Friday, from 3pm-6pm for this wonderful pairing.