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

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.