If you want to get your taste buds tickled at one of the most spot-on pairings to come down the pike, then you’d better move fast, as there are just two weekends left to sample the magic Penns Woods Winery has put together by matching their wines with local cheeses and honeys.
I’ve done my share of tastings, so I can say with confidence that Penns Woods Winery’s taste-meisters hit it out park. Marketing Manager Carley Razzi Mack and Tasting Room Manager Andrea Gillespie Creato married like tastes together with just enough contrast to make me want to beg for more.
Truth be told, I expected to enjoy my love, goat cheese, the best. But, alas, I’d cheat on the goat cheese every day and twice on Sunday for the chance to have more Ameritage paired with Hillacres Pride Smoked Cheddar drizzled with Dutch Gold Buckwheat Blossom Honey. I was wowed by how the Bordeaux-style blend pulled the smoke out of the cheese, and how the entire bite was tied together with the rich, earthy molasses-brown sugar-ish honey. Ameritage is a blend of five grape varietals accented by a full body and soft tannic finish. The notes of tobacco and cassis were particularly prominent in this pairing.
Oh dear goat cheese, I have not forsaken thee! ShellBark Hollow Sharp Goat Cheese drizzled with Busy Bee Farm Lavender Honey took their sweet tastes to the Bancroft Riesling. The Bancroft line is a newer addition to the Penns Woods portfolio, a collection of table wines for everyday drinking that are approachable and affordable. I’m not normally a Riesling drinker, but this off-dry (not too sweet), offering hints of pear and floral flavors, delivered with the sweet honey and buttery, rich and earthy cheese. A sweeter goat cheese would have been a miss; this pairing allowed the honey and wine to shine.
Like a hint of citrus? I enjoyed a surprising splash of it with Goot Essa Der Alpen Kase drizzled with Dutch Gold Orange Blossom Honey, which was kissed by a sip of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine surprised again, as it was drier than other Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had, allowing me to fully taste the complex citrus and fruit notes and appreciate the distinct acidity at the finish. Orange blossom honey was a smart pick, as it enhanced those citrusy flavors. The hard cheese offered nutty tastes reminiscent of Parmesan, that mingled nicely and cut through the lighter flavors to give a full mouth feel.
I’m a Chard girl from way back, and wondered how it would party with a blue cheese. Just fine, thank you, when it’s the slightly oaked Chardonnay Reserve paired with Goot Essa Der Edel Blue Kase drizzled with Dutch Gold Alfalfa Blossom Honey. This blue was not too funky, and was tamed further by the slight acidity in the bright, refreshing wine. The honey brought forward the wine’s apple, nutmeg and vanilla, and emphasized how creamy it all could be when sipped and nibbled together.
Another fun Bancroft is, sadly, my final pairing: Field Blend Red with Goot Essa Der Weissa Kase drizzled with Dutch Gold Blueberry Blossom Honey. It was a most enchanting honey that enhanced the notes of black cherry, blueberry and vanilla in the wine. The very smooth and incredibly mild cheese was a great match for the tiny bit of acidity at first sip, and rendered a sublime creaminess at the finish. Another honey would no doubt have been good, but blueberry tied it all together and made this pairing great.
Wait, you’re still reading? Of course you are, but quickly get to the phone and call 610-459-0808 to snag reservations over the next two weekends: Jan. 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. Thursday and Friday pairings are available upon request. Wine, cheese and honey deliciousness is just $25 per person when made in advance, $30 if you wait until the day-of to call. Go ahead, dial the phone. Your palate will be terribly disappointed if you miss out.
Click here for information in booking your spot at an upcoming Penns Wood Winery pairing. Penns Woods Winery & Tasting Room is located at 124 Beaver Valley Road in Chadds Ford.
