Summer Break

The sound of the rolling waves, scent of coconut oil, cold fruity drinks while lounging on the beach are only in my dreams this summer! The last few months have been action packed with Brack Mountain Wine Company happenings, in fact we will launch the new website within a week. 

SO - I'm off the blog for a good week so I can focus on getting Brack on the world wide web and train the newest member of the family...he's now 9 weeks old and is a total love!  "Lord Sandwich" our Goldendoodle, soon to be winery dog!  Cheers - Ali

Speaking of Cheese...

Next Thursday night, Doralice is joining us and The Cheese School of San Francisco for a night at Enos Vineyards!  The class will be held at the Enos Estate - about 5 minutes West of downtown Healdsburg on W. Dry Creek Rd. Here's the scoop...

$75 per person - please sign up for a spot on The Cheese School website: 

The Cheese School is hitting the road and heading to Healdsburg to visit the good people at Brack Mountain Wine Company. A small, nimble winery started by Jason Enos, Brack is known for wines that pair exceptionally well with food. In fact, they are one of the favorite pairing choices of Doralice Handal, your instructor for this evening and proprietor of The Cheese Shop Healdsburg, and their wines are on tap (and in bottle) at some of the most fun and interesting restaurants throughout the Bay Area. 

You’ll start off with a tour of their Enos Estate Vineyards with Alison Smith and winemaker Dan Fitzgerald. You’ll then head to their wine cave for a tasting of four of their wines and a selection of cheeses, and their estate olive oil. We’re going start to the source for this class!

Time: 6:30 – 8:30pm
Day: Thursday, July 26

A very special chance to taste the following extremely limited, small-lot wines...the cheese and chocolate pairings are fantastic...we can't wait!

2011 Fable Rose of Charbono, Napa Valley,  47 cases produced.

2010 DANIEL "Soberanes Vineyard" Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands, 62 cases produced. 

2010 L'Oliveto Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, 193 cases produced. 

2008 Enos "Girasole",  Cabernet Sauvignon-Sangiovese, Dry Creek Valley, 840 cases produced.

The Story Behind the Big Cheese of Healdsburg

Living in the Presidio 2004

Much to my pleasant surprise, a few days ago I clicked on some local news to find this lengthy and incredibly interesting story about my dear friend Doralice Handal.  You've been reading about The Cheese Shop on here for years now...we started our entrepreneurial adventures right about the same time in 2005.  Outrageous to think that a "roommate wanted" Ad on Craigslist in 2003 brought us to gals together.  She's an inspiration to many and good friend to even more.  

Enjoy the read below and don't you ever visit Healdsburg, California without stopping into her store and picking us a few of her many delicious offerings. Her store is like no-other, a treasure of candies, antiques, ice creams, imported goodies and of course all that great Cheese. Cheers to another 7 years of livin' the dream Doralice!   - Ali

Telling the story of cheese

Friday, June 29th, 2012 | Posted by Elizabeth Cosin 

A painful congenital bone disease has sometimes left Doralice Handal on crutches or worse, but it has not prevented her from taking on life at a dead run.

The owner of the well-regarded Healdsburg Cheese Shop has, at only thirty-nine, carved out a niche for her knowledge of food and wine in a place full of culinary experts.

“She is one of the best things we have in Healdsburg,” says Chef Mateo Granados owner of Mateo’s Cocina Latina, who adds he often taps Handal’s cheese wisdom. “I will tell her what kind of salad I’m thinking about and she recommends cheese for me. She knows everything about a cheese. No, she knows everything about everything — and she loves what she does.” Read full article

The Cheese Shop Ships anywhere you need your fix!

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