National Cheese Day falls on June 4, and we consider it one of the more delicious reasons to open a bottle. Cheese and wine share a long history rooted in the same agricultural rhythms: both transform simple ingredients through time, craft, and a healthy respect for terroir. When the pairing is right, each element lifts the other.

At our Tasting Room in Healdsburg, we work with a selection of Northern California artisan cheese producers to serve alongside our single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The pairings below are drawn from that experience. We have matched each wine with a specific cheese and included an alternative so you can source something comparable at a local shop or farmers market.

Whether you are building a board at home or planning a visit this summer, these combinations give you a clear starting point.

Why Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Pair So Well with Cheese

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir tends toward bright acidity, red fruit, and earthy complexity without heavy tannins. That structure makes it unusually versatile at a cheese board: it does not overwhelm softer cheeses and it holds up respectably against aged varieties. Our Chardonnay from the same appellation leans into mineral tension and layered stone fruit rather than heavy oak, which keeps it from clashing with the fat and salt in most cheeses.

The common thread is balance. Both varieties have enough character to stand alongside a good cheese without either component disappearing into the background.

Chardonnay Pairings

Browse our current Chardonnay collection.

Chardonnay Pairing 1

Wine: Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay
Cheese: Marin French Petite Breakfast Cheese

Alternative: Any soft-ripened Brie

This wine shows lifted citrus and a creamy mid-palate that mirrors the gentle, bloomy richness of this soft-ripened cheese from Petaluma. The result is a pairing that feels polished without being heavy.

Chardonnay Pairing 2

Wine: Rochioli Vineyards Chardonnay
Cheese: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper

Alternative: Any aged sheep’s milk cheese

This Chardonnay carries stone fruit and mineral tension from two of Westside Road’s most respected sites. Lamb Chopper brings a firm, slightly sweet nuttiness that plays off the wine’s acidity and adds texture to each sip.

Pinot Noir Pairings

Browse our current Pinot Noir collection.

Pinot Noir Pairing 1

Wine: Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: Chevoo Smoked Salt and Rosemary

Alternative: Goat cheese cubes marinated in olive oil

Bacigalupi delivers dark cherry and earthy warmth. The herbal, savory notes in Chevoo’s rosemary-and-smoked-salt marinated goat cheese echo those qualities and add a brightness that keeps the pairing lively.

Pinot Noir Pairing 2

Wine: Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam

Alternative: Any cow’s milk triple-cream Brie

Fort Ross sits near the Sonoma Coast, producing a Pinot with cool-climate tension and forest floor notes. Mt. Tam, a triple-cream from Point Reyes, brings a lush buttery quality that softens against the wine’s natural acidity.

Pinot Noir Pairing 3

Wine: Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: Cowgirl Creamery Chimney Rock

Alternative: Any cow’s milk Brie with an herb-seasoned rind

This wine produces Pinot with red berry fruit and refined tannins. Chimney Rock, a washed-rind Brie style with subtle earthiness, bridges that delicacy and adds a savory finish to each bite and sip.

Pinot Noir Pairing 4

Wine: Lancel Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: Cypress Grove Midnight Moon

Alternative: Any aged goat’s milk cheese (6 months or more)

Midnight Moon is a firm, aged gouda-style cheese with caramel and roasted nut notes. Paired with the earthy depth of Lancel Creek Pinot, the contrast between the wine’s fruit and the cheese’s richness creates one of the more satisfying combinations on this list.

Pinot Noir Pairing 5

Wine: Rochioli Vineyards Pinot Noir
Cheese: Chevoo Dill Pollen and Garlic

Alternative: Goat cheese cubes marinated in olive oil with fresh herbs

Rochioli produces Pinot with aromatic lift and layers of spice. Dill pollen and garlic marinated goat cheese adds an herbal, slightly pungent quality that complements the wine’s complexity without flattening it.

Pinot Noir Pairing 6

Wine: 2021 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: WM Cofield McKinley Cheddar

Alternative: Any aged cheddar (12 months or more)

This Pinot tends toward structure and dark fruit. McKinley, an aged cheddar from this Humboldt County creamery, offers salt, sharpness, and a firm texture that holds its own against the wine’s depth and brings out its savory edge.

Pinot Noir Pairing 7

Wine: 2022 Thorn Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir
Cheese: Chevoo Fennel Pollen and Orange

Alternative: Goat cheese cubes marinated in olive oil with citrus zest and fennel

This wine brings aromatic complexity and bright acidity. Chevoo’s fennel pollen and orange marinated cheese adds a floral, citrus-forward contrast that amplifies the wine’s aromatic qualities and keeps the pairing feeling fresh.

Building the Board at Home

A few practical notes for recreating these pairings outside the Tasting Room:

Pull cheese from the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before serving. Cold temperature suppresses aroma and flavors in both the cheese and the wine.

If a specific cheese listed here is not available at your local market, the alternative listed under each pairing is a reliable substitute that follows the same logic: fat content, milk type, and texture.

Most of the creameries above ship directly. Links to each producer’s online shop are included with each pairing.

Keep the board simple. Three or four cheeses alongside two open bottles gives you enough variety to notice the contrast between pairings without overwhelming the palate.

Taste These Pairings at Our Tasting Room

If you would like to experience these combinations in person, our Tasting Room on Westside Road is open daily from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Seated tastings are available by reservation and include a guided exploration of our single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Reservations are handled through Tock.

Members of our wine club receive complimentary tastings as part of their benefits. If you are not yet a member and would like to learn about our membership tiers.

Originally Posted on 6/4/2021. Updated on 6/2/2026