Alison runs a wine consulting business called Bon Vivant DC out of her Capitol Hill home. In addition to teaching wine classes and conducting private wine events for her clients, Alison publishes a weekly wine blog, and creates custom Virginia wine country outings. Her writing has been published in lifestyle publications such as Domicile.
On Twitter @districtwino, Facebook at Bon Vivant DC, Instagram at @BonVivantDC and Vivino at Bon Vivant.
Cheese, beautiful cheese. Photo courtesy of Sona Creamery, via Instagram.
Cheese and wine: there are few things I savor more, and few things that go better together!
Luckily, here on the Hill, we have Sona Creamery to fill both our cheese and wine cravings. I recently attended one of their pairing classes to learn more. The small format was intimate, interactive and fun. Co-owner Gen, kept things light and lively as she walked guests through six wine and cheese pairings. This is one tasting where Gen emphasized that bread is merely a palate cleanser!
A feast for the senses. Photo courtesy of Alison Marriott.
I’ve attended cheese courses in the past, but was pleased to pick up a lot of new knowledge about different aging processes and rinds. While not all of the pairings were the most obvious choices, the session spoke to the notion of wine and cheese pairing being more art than science. There are a few hard and fast rules that many adhere to, but Gen likes to play with more unorthodox pairings, which offered surprising–and delicious– results. When paired, both cheese and wine were improved on the palate. This is always the goal with a pairing, but it is an elusive mark that many miss.
Photo via Alison Marriott/@BonVivantDC on Instagram
My favorite of the bunch was a semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese paired with a Mallorcan rosé. While they were delicious apart, they were magic together: the true test of a successful pairing.
As Gen said, “When a wine or cheese can take you somewhere, that’s special.”
The neighborhood favorite has some exciting things on the horizon: they are now producing their own cheese! Hill residents can also look forward to upcoming cheesemaking classes in the near future.
Furthermore, we’ve planned to team up on an exciting new class where the drinkers decide the winner! Gen’s cheese acumen and love for hops will be pitted against my wine knowledge and love of wine for an interactive pairing class called Vino Vs. Beer. To get your tickets click on this link.