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Hawaii, Hawaiian wines, and a variety of interesting cheeses are the focus of our latest quest for Wow! pairings of specific wineries’ wines with specific cheeses. In this venture our idea was to pair two flavorful Hawaiian wines and one imported Spanish wine with a variety of cheeses. As a special bonus, daughter Cynthia and daughter-in-law Lori joined in this exotic tasting adventure.

Diamond Head

Here are the highlights of this chapter in our ongoing experiment of looking for amazing pairings that give us the exhilarating experience of “Wow!, this wine and cheese combination is fantastic!”

Buying wine

We bought two wines at Tamura’s Market in Hau’ula, Hawaii (ask for Brian for insight on their large wine selection): (1) Maui Splash! Passion Fruit & Pineapple Wine from Tedeschi Vineyards, Ulupalakua, Maui, and (2) 2009 Opera Prima Tempranillo from Spain. The third wine, which we purchased at CVS in Lihue, Kauai, was Volcano Red, Pele’s Delight produced by Volcano Winery “in the heart of the volcano between Mauna Loa and Kileauea” on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Brian at Tamura's Market

Cheese

The cheese selection we paired were the following: Havarti (Ostenborg), Gruyere (Grand Cru), Fontina (Kronenost Swedish style), Aged Asiago (Stella), Gouda (Holland), Extra Sharp Cheddar (Lucerne), and Sharp Cheddar (Lucerne).

Our Wow! combinations discovered in our current Hawaii venture

We swirled, sniffed and sipped these special wines and paired them with these delicious cheeses and recorded our various responses to these combinations as we discovered several Wow! experiences.

(As we usually mention at this point in our venture reports, there are no “wrong answers” in Wow! pairings. One person’s individual taste buds, olfactory nerve cells, and mind-state can produce a Wow! response to the interaction of specific wines with specific cheeses while another person may not get a Wow! experience from that combination, but does find a Wow! effect from a completely different wine and cheese pairing. In other words, all of your Wow! pairings are valid.)

Surfing at Waikiki

Barbara experienced a “Wow!” interaction of the Tempranillo with the Gruyere, describing enhanced flavors of both the wine and the cheese as they combined on her palate.

Norm reported two Wow!’s (1) The combination of the Maui Splash! and the Gruyere, which produced a unique and quite interesting flavor and (2) The Volcano Red’s fruity combination of 85% grape wine + 15% jaboticaba wine with the Aged Asiago, producing a long-lasting aftertaste with alternating new intriguing flavors.

Cynthia’s favorite Wow! sensation was produced by the Tempranillo enhancing the Havarti’s creaminess and buttery taste.

Here’s how Lori analyzed her Wow! pairing of the Tempranillo and the Havarti: “The cheese softens the tannins in the wine.” That combination was Lori’s favorite.

Bonuses

In Hau’ula we discovered a wonderful little family cafe named Papa Ole’s Kitchen (or Da Original Papa Ole’s Kitchen) at 54-316 Kamehameha Hwy.

Papa Ole's Kitchen in Hau'ula

The food (from old family recipes) is superb and the enthusiastic friendly service and generous servings are unique and great fun. Check them out next time you are on the North Shore of Oahu (near the Polynesian Cultural Center). You’ll be glad you did.

Another of our favorite cafes is Cafe Haleiwa, which is a surfer’s hangout that serves wonderful breakfasts (read as “mouth-watering banana pancakes and home fries”) at 66-460 Kamehameha Hwy.

Quiet "personal" beach at Gigi's Paradise

A great condo on the beach in Hau’ula is Gigi’s Paradise, 53-567 Kamehameha Hwy.  Peaceful ocean waves and refreshing sea breezes. Quiet “personal” beach.

Snorkeling on Kauai? Gear rental at Snorkel Bob’s, 3236 Poipu Road in Koloa, is a bargain and Chris Holmes makes the selection and rental process very entertaining.

On to future Wow! pairing discoveries

So that’s our report on this venture. We are thoroughly enjoying our visits to wineries and cheesemakers/cheese vendors and picturesque locations for our tasting experiences, and we hope that you are also venturing to find your special Wow! wine and cheese pairings. When you do, let us know what you have discovered.

Here’s to your exhilarating quest!

We will keep you posted on our next venture in which we plan to find more Wow! wine and cheese pairings.