June 4 is National Cheese Day and I’ve got some fun and delicious ideas for celebrating! Plus: I’ll be on WGN-TV’s “Daytime Chicago” on June 4 to showcase my trifecta of cheese and wine pairings! You can see the clip here.

While researching National Cheese Day, guess what I learned? It traces its roots back to 1914, in Monroe, Wisconsin! Just last summer, I visited Monroe for its Cheese Days festival, which I have to say was great, cheesy fun. They only go big for Cheese Days every other year, so you’ll have to wait until Sept. 18-20, 2026 for the next one. With its Swiss heritage, the town really puts on a fun show, with the best fried cheese curds I ever tasted, parades, dancing and a massive tent FULL of cheese samples (and you can buy them all right there!)

With wine and cheese – like any food – the beauty is when the cheese makes the wine taste even better and vice versa. Consider these pairings and get ready to celebrate on June 4 – or really every day! I got all the cheese at Trader Joe’s, but you can find these varieties at most any supermarket.

Giesen 2022 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand ($15) Giesen was started in 1980 by two German brothers who moved to New Zealand to make delicious wine. This beauty hails from the Wairau River region of Marlborough, on the South Island. James Suckling gave it 90 points and I give it a “zing-a-ling-a-ding-dong!”

This is one of the zestiest, juiciest wines I’ve tasted in a long time! You get a rush of fresh, green herbaceous flavors on the nose, and on the palate, the wine is positively dripping with tangy grapefruit. It’s got super zippy acidity, making it a perfect summer wine – so bright and refreshing. The herbaceous notes of the wine and the sweet/tart grapefruit notes led me to two great cheese pairings.

1. Havarti with Dill This is a somewhat mild, semi-soft cheese with a delightful herbal note from the dill that pairs perfectly with this wine, complementing the green, fruity flavors. Yum yum yum!
2. Cotswold This is a creamy British cheddar studded with chives. The richness of the cheese and the oniony flavor work great with the acidity and garden-like flavors of the wine.

Mayacamas 2023 Chardonnay from Napa Valley ($57) Mayacamas is one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries, going back 136 years. Winemaker Braiden Albrecht specializes in classically made Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and – my fave – Chardonnay.

This sexy Chard does not fall into the California butter-oak bomb category. This is an elegant Chardonnay, more akin to Chablis, with lime zest and green apple wafting out of the glass, Orchard fruit lands on the palate – think peaches and nectarines – and the whole thing sizzles with minerality and acidity. And I’ve got two delicious cheeses to pair with it.

1. Classic French Brie It’s rich, it’s creamy and it’s a crowd-pleaser (just like Chardonnay is!) The acidity of the Mayacamas Chardonnay cuts through the rich cheese like a bolt of lightening, preparing your palate for another sip and another bite.
2. Honey Goat Cheese I saw this at the store and went, “Hmmm … the honey probably offsets the tart funk that defines goat cheese and I bet it could work and I was right! Goat cheese works especially well with higher-acid Chards like the Mayacamas. (Choose Cheddar for your richer, oakier Chards.) Slather some of this on a cracker and let m know what you think with the Mayacamas Chardonnay.

Cesari 2022 Valpolicella from the Valpolicella DOC region of Italy ($18) Ah, Valpolicella – one of my favorite Italian reds! This affordalicious wonder is made from the classic grapes of the region – 50% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella and 10% Molinara. Valpolicella sits within the Veneto region, near Lake Garda and the famous town of Verona (hello, Romeo and Juliet). It’s hilly and can be cool, so grapes ripen nicely while retaining their acidity.

This version is young and fresh – a perfect chillable red for summer – with red cherries and cranberries and medium tannins. It’s certified sustainable and this wine – which is somewhat new to the Illinois market – drinks like a dream with classic Parmesan, or the more affordable Grana Padano cheese. I also found a surprise cheese – Port Salut – that goes really well with Valpolicella. (I wanted to try Fontina, but to my surprise, could not find it.)

1. Grana Padano – This hard cheese is savory, salty and crumbly and the Valpolicella just slices right through the rich milky flavor and texture of the cheese. The little salt crystals in the cheese pop in the mouth and – like salt does – brings out even more fruity flavors from the wine. Grana Padano is very similar to Parmesan but there are fewer restrictions and rules around its production, so it’s generally quite affordable.
2. Port Salut – This soft cheese comes from the Loire region of France, and it’s got the chops to stand up to a bold red like a Valpolicella. It’s creamy textured and a little strong in flavor, which I love with all the red fruit on this wine. This cheese also is proof that a French cheese will indeed make friends with an Italian wine!

If you’re like me, every day is National Cheese Day – and sometimes it’s even a meal in itself (just add a few slices of Prosciutto, some cornichon pickles and you’ve got a protein-packed meal – and pickles count as a vegetable!) Cheers!