Love is in the air, and Valentine’s season is the best excuse to be cheesy. What better way to evoke romantic feelings than the perfect wine and cheese pairing? Forget the chocolate this year, get your hunny some wine and cheese!
At Market Wines, we source quality wines from small family producers making them accessible and affordable, because we care about what you drink and where it comes from! Though Calgary isn’t the most ideal wine growing region, we love to support the little guys with good values from around the world. As a local business, we love to support other local businesses in the city. We’ve teamed up with Luc’s European Meat and Cheese Shop in the Calgary Farmer’s Market to bring us some delightful cheeses to pair with some of our favourite wines, complete with some heartwarming love stories.
Luc’s is a family owned and operated business here in Calgary who specialize in smoked meats, cheese and accompaniments. They set themselves apart by offering charcuterie that is traditionally made, gluten-free without any fillers, soy or ingredient shortcuts. We are so excited that Luc’s has helped us out with paring some of our favourite wines with some of their favourite cheeses.
We tried out these pairings on Market Wines staff, so we’re happy to announce that all of these relationships, though vastly diverse, are ‘wine and cheese people’ approved!
Latido de Sara Garnacha Blanca and Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro
Love comes in many forms, and the Latido de Sara Garnacha Blanca has a story that will pull at your heart strings. Latido de Sara translates to ‘Sara’s Heartbeat’, in honour of the winemaker’s late father, who passed away due to heart problems. A father and daughter’s connection can be one of the strongest loves out there, and the connection between their Garnacha Blanca and Luc’s Piave is arguably just as strong. From Navarra, the neighbouring region to Rioja in Spain, this slightly textural white wine is filled with delightful aromas of juicy peach and desert flowers with a freshness that would satisfy the thirst of a long lost lover. We paired this wine with the Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro from Verona, Italy. This hard and slightly sweet hard cheese has distinct notes of green apple, citrus and caramel, and is aged for 18 months. Paired together, the wine’s fruit notes thrive and the acidity softens. A subtle minerality sneaks out of the wine as well, which was difficult to pick up on its own. The cheese tastes softer and more subtle, but the saltiness is amplified, filling the mouth with the most pleasurable flavour. Garnacha Blanca has so much to offer, and this underestimated wine is elevated with this pairing. “Just like any good relationship, this pairing brings out the best in each other.” – Market Wines Staff
“This heartbeat is the fruit of our dreams, illusions and emotions, and it is now part of our own life and experiences; It is also in honor of You; This is our heartbeat, always moving in harmony”. – Sara Martinez Lagos
Heartland Sposa E Sposa and Sao Miguel
What’s a better feeling than going against the grain and being a little rebellious when it comes to love? That is exactly what Australia’s Heartland was thinking when it came to their Langrein and Dolcetto blend, lovingly called Sposa E Sposa, or, Spouse and Spouse. In Italian D.O.C. rules, it’s illegal for grapes from different regions to be blended. In Langhorne Creek Australia, ‘Love is Love’ prevails, and these two lovebird grapes have been united in harmonious matrimony. This wine is dedicated to celerate the legalization of gay marriage in Australia and in support of Australian Marriage Equality. This dynamic duo of grapes boats ripe blackberry complimented with a peppery spice. As a punchy, bold and complex wine, its best friend must be a cheese that can stand up well to the wine’s strong personality. Luc’s Sao Miguel from Azores, Portugal is equally as intense and complicated, and compliments the complexity of the wine perfectly. Aged a minimum of 9 years, this semi-firm Gouda-style cheese is bright, slightly acidic with abundant tyrosine crystals. Pairing these two together was a bold choice, but just as many bold risks, this one paid off. After tasting the cheese, the wine went from ripe to jammy, with black cherry and cassis notes appearing on the scene, while the gritty cheese felt even bolder and more pungent. When tasting with staff, it was decided that adding a spicy protein to the mix would make this pairing a 10/10. This relationship consists of two extraverts, and we’re loving the energy. “Complicated, but exciting!” – Market Wines Staff
Experience Cabernet Sauvignon and Le Marechal
A love story for the ages, Catherine and Travis Vale are relationship goals. These two are truly two grapes on a vine, having met while they were both traveling in New Zealand on a bus called ‘The Kiwi Experience’. Three years later, they were married and started their winery in Napa Valley in 2010, appropriately named ‘Experience Wines’. They now have three young daughters who will one day continue their family legacy. This wine is everything that a Napa Cab should be. Intense ruby, fruit forward and tastefully oaky. If you aren’t pairing this wine with a steak, you would be best to pair it with the Marechal from Luc’s. Le Marechal from Granges-près-Marnand in Vaud, Switzerland is a raw cow milk swiss alpine cheese. It is aged 130 days in a crust of fine herbs with a very aromatic nose but clean on the palate. This cheese is deep, woody, earthy and complex, and makes this big powerful wine seem almost sweet in the best way. It softens the otherwise harsh tannins and acidity in the wine making it way too easy to drink. It brings out the dark cherry and blackberry fruit notes and shifts them almost into pie filling territory. The woodiness of the cheese compliments the soft oak on the wine, and both counterparts share a long and lingering finish. Both the wine and the cheese are rich and smooth, both redeeming qualities in a partner. This pairing is perfect enough to give anyone heart eyes. “This wine and cheese clearly feel comfortable together.” – Market Wines Staff.
“Romantic feelings are hard to come by these days” says an anonymous Market Wines staff member, but these pairings may melt some cold hearts and bring some mushy gushy feelings to the surface. The reason wine and cheese are such a famous duo is evident in these pairings, and we extend a huge thank you to Luc’s for this fun experiment.
Still looking for Valentine’s plans? Impress your sweetie or your situationship for Valentine’s this year with a three-pack of these romance novel level vinos at Market Wines. Afterwards, swing by Luc’s in the Calgary Farmer’s Market for their cheesy soulmates. Set up a wine tasting, a charcuterie board or a picnic and enjoy these treats with your lover, bestie, family, or just yourself (you’re strong and independent)! Treat your favourite people in your life to a special bottle and cheese pairing that is sure to give you butterflies. Swing by any three of our Market Wines locations and chat with staff about your plans, and we can help you put together a fun tasting lineup or an ideal bottle to pair with your plans.