As fate would have it, today is National Wine and Cheese Day—one of the best days of the year! We’ll take any excuse to indulge in one of our all-time favorite pairings, especially during a weekend in the summertime. Want to join the party? Check out our summertime suggestions of wine and cheese pairings that range from bright and refreshing to bold and delicious for your backyard patio indulgence.

In other cheese news:

• Today is Open Farm Day in Maine! If you’re based in The Pine Tree State, check out which farms and cheesemakers are hosting guests in your area today here.
• This ice cream is dividing the internet: Kraft recently collaborated with Van Leeuwen ice cream to release a limited edition Macaroni & Cheese flavored ice cream and people’s reactions were…mixed. (Hey, we’re not against it.)
• The American Cheese Society Judging and Competition is finally returning next year after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. It will take place May 19-20, 2022, at the TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus. Entries will open in October, following this year’s virtual conference. 
• Boxcarr Handmade Cheese teased a brand-new cheese on their Instagram—Cottonbloom—a goat’s milk bloomy rind cheese made from yogurt cultures with a layer of ash under the surface. It’s not available on their website yet, but stay tuned for availability at Durham Farmers Market, and hopefully their online store soon enough.
• Rogue Creamery has once again been recognized for its positive impact on the environment by the Best for the World™ B Corps of 2021, meaning the creamery scored in the top 5% of all B Corps worldwide. Here’s to more cheesy sustainable milestones!
• Have you downloaded our cheesy travel guide yet? We rounded up the Top 10 Off-The-Beaten-Path Places To Travel For Cheese Lovers for your summertime traveling convenience—with spots that range from stateside to the other side of the globe. Download it here.

Monica Petrucci

Monica is Culture's former Social Media Editor. Coming from a formaggio-obsessed Italian family, she was very excited to combine her passions for cheese and writing at Culture. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and pairing wine and cheese in her spare time.