It’s official: The holiday season is upon us.

If you’re having out-of-town guests this month, treat them to a little local bounty, a Virginia wine and cheese pairing party. A few suggestions from Whole Foods in Short Pump include:  
 
Meadow Creek Grayson (raw cow milk cheese made in the Italian Taleggio style), Galax, VA
This cheese has a soft, silky interior with pronounced aromas of meat, mushroom and earth and a slightly buttery salinity once tasted. Try it with a glass of Gabrielle Rausse Cabernet Sauvignon, a medium-bodied red with nice grip. The wine’s tannins cut through the creaminess of the cheese and the earthy flavors found in the cheese will accentuate the ripe fruit of the wine.
 
Meadow Creek Appalachian (raw cow milk cheese made in the French Tomme style), Galax, VA
This is a semi-firm cheese with pleasant aromas of roasted meat and moist earth – but, the flavor of the cheese is milder than its aroma suggests. Pair this cheese with a glass of Barboursville Pinot Grigio, a medium-dry Virginia white wine with high levels of aromatics reminiscent of apples and pears.
 
Meadow Creek Mountaineer (raw cow’s milk cheese made in the Swiss Gruyere Style), Galax, VA
This cheese has pronounced brown-butter and nut aromas, with a lovely balance of salty and sweet flavors on the tongue. The texture is dense, firm and smooth, and the flavors of the cheese are long and concentrated. Pair with Linden Hardscrabble Chardonnay because of its tropical fruit nose and nutty finish. The sweetness level of this cheese will intensify the fruity nose of this wine while the toasty and creamy finish of the wine will complement the nuttiness of the cheese.
 
Caromont Goat Cheese (pasteurized goat’s milk cheese made in the French Chevre Style), Estmont, VA
The Caromont goat cheese is a great alternative to cream cheese; creamy and soft, it is pleasingly smooth and very tangy. Pair this cheese with Pollak Cabernet Franc because of the medium- body and tannins found in the wine. The tannins of the wine are refreshing after the creaminess of the cheese, but its medium body won’t overpower the delicate flavor of the cheese. This wine finishes a little peppery and that also is a complement to the fresh goat cheese.
 
Goats ‘R Us Chevre with Dill and Garlic (pasteurized goat’s milk cheese) Blackstone, VA
This cheese is both creamy and smooth and the addition of garlic and dill enhances the cheese’s flavor. Serve this savory cheese with a just-barely-sweet wine, such as Rappahannock Seyval Blanc. The seyval blanc is an American hybrid grape that has a floral and spicy nose and enough residual sugar to balance the garlic in the cheese without overpowering it.
 
Wines and cheeses available at Whole Foods. Other sources for local cheese and vino: River City Cellars and Ellwood Thompson's