Behind The Cheese Counter

By Kelsey Gruben

Meet Abby, our new face behind the cheese counter! Abby joined the Le Vigne Family in June after moving to Paso Robles from Dallas, Texas. She has a strong passion for books, the beach and cheese. Abby majored in English at University of Arkansas and previously worked at a Library before joining us in Paso. She is looking forward to learning about all things wine while continuing her journey behind the cheese counter.

Over the last three months, Abby has discovered her favorite cheeses that Le Vigne has to offer. Her all time favorite is Red Dragon, a firm tasty Cheddar made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite, but is not too hot. Not only do the mustard seeds give Red Dragon its marvelous flavor, but also its texture. The brown ale makes the cheese moist and tangy. Red Dragon is aged for three months and is made from cow’s milk. Abby always has it cut into wedges and ready to go for you to take home. Want us to set some aside? Call us ahead of time!

Her favorite wine and cheese pairing that made it on our July 2023 flight was our 2019 Estate Syrah and Prima Donna Red. Prima Donna Red is a Dutch cheese aged for 18 months. The aging process has concentrated the flavor and formed tiny salt crystals. The Italian style cheese culture gives the Prima Donna Red a sweeter taste than regular Gouda. It pairs well with our 2019 Syrah due to the complexity of the tannin structure in the wine. Saltier cheeses tend to compliment the bigger and bolder wines and result in a smooth finish once the tannins are broken down by the salt.

Pop into the winery to meet Abby and ask her questions about your favorite cheeses or find some new ones. She is always happy to help with all things cheese, and you may even catch her pouring wine on the weekends. We are happy to have her and can’t wait to see what Le Vigne has in store for her!