This time of year with addicting TV shows and football coming back into season, I love planning get-togethers with my friends! After just moving into my first 1br apartment in Manhattan, I have been having a lot of girls nights with wine and great food. As a former chef, it’s not hard to whip up something delicious, but sometimes wine and cheese is really just a better alternative.

The girls and I got together one evening to watch Below Deck Mediterranean (yes, reality TV is totally my thing) and enjoy some wine and cheese. I decided to break out my Marin French Cheeses, which are cheeses from a privately owned and protected Hicks Valley Ranch.

” We receive milk daily from neighboring Marin and Sonoma county dairies in a 15-mile radius, ensuring the milk is never more than 24 hours from the milking parlor to reception. The milk we use is rich with balanced protein, fat, and flavor. The milk is rBST-free, it has a creaminess that comes from a blend of 3 dairy breeds: Jersey, Holstein, and Guernsey. One gallon of milk is equal to 1.2 pounds of cheese.” -MarinFrenchCheese.com

The company is committed to engaging in sustainable cheesemaking practices which is one of the many reasons I am passionate about sharing them with you. I really enjoy the Petite Collection of cheeses, which pair well with sauces, honey’s, and toasted bread. The Petite Breakfast skips the aging room and is considered a Fresh Brie. This one has a tangy flavor, and I really enjoy it with some smoked salmon and puff pastry! A great wine pairing with this one is the Kim Crawford Chardonnay, because of its elegant aromas of citrus and stonefruit. It’s medium in weight which is why it also pairs well with this fun fresh brie!

With the last of the sunny days winding down, as we head into fall, I like to make sure to drink up all my “summer rosés”. The Kim Crawford Rosé is the perfect wine to sip on a sunny day. It’s soft and luscious with hints of watermelon and strawberry. I love this wine in the fall, especially with creamy cheeses from Marin. I enjoy their Brie in general, but when I was sipping my Kim Crawford Hawkes Bay Rosê, I was really craving the Petite Truffle cheese from Marin! This cheese has nice earthy mushroom flavors from the black truffles inside it, and is balanced with sweet cream and an irresistible taste!

Some of my other top favorite cheeses, that will easily also pair with these wines are Laura Chenel’s Goat Cheeses! These cheeses from Sonoma County California, are made in the tradition of European style artisan cheesemaking using fresh American goat milk, from family-raised goats. Two of my favorites are the Truffle Goat Cheese and the Cranberry and Cinnamon Goat Cheese!

For those of you seeking sunny day, delicious fall pairings I absolutely recommend spending some time with friends and loved ones enjoying Marin Cheeses and Kim Crawford Wines! They make a great gift to bring to a dinner party, and your host/hostess will really be impressed by your wine and cheese pairings (plus who doesn’t love someone who comes bearing wine and cheese!?). All in all, the sunny days are not over, and these wines and cheeses should be embraced!

Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly!