VALLEY CHEESE AND WINE

It was the gourmet food store I had been waiting for, for twenty years. It remains, two years after opening, the only purveyor of quality fromage in the entire valley.

The first time I walked into this modest storefront, I started to weep silently to myself with joy. Because laid before me, in its medium sized refrigerated case, were wheels (not pre-cut packages) of Colston Bassett Stilton, cave-aged Taleggio, true Camembert, cloth-bound Vermont cheddar, and dozens of others of the world’s finest (and hard to find) cheeses.

Behind the counter that fateful day were Kristin Sande and Bob Howald – a couple who met at a cheese convention…I mean how cheesy is that! They were and are there every day to discuss levels of ripeness, serving suggestions and wine pairings from their selection of esoteric (and extremely well-priced) wines of the world.

Since then, I generally have a conversation in my head every Saturday that goes something like this: “Gosh it’d be great to go to Valley Cheese and Wine today….I’m down on my cheeses, plum outta that super-Tuscan Ham that I devour within hours of it hitting my ‘fridge, and by gosh it’s time to stock up on more of their Italian sodas and fresh shelled pistachios.” But then another little voice in my head intercedes: “But do you really need another case of snappy Muscadet (perfect for summer drinking), more of those artisanal South American chocolates, or a case of Underberg bitters? And besides….you’re FAT!”

Since ELV can resist anything except temptation, usually you’ll find me there whenever I’m feelin’ flush and thin.*

If you’re the type who only drinks cult cabs, Grand Cru Burgundy or classified growth Bordeaux, this is not the wine shop for you. But if you’re the sort whose mouth waters at the prospect of pairing a lush Vila Viniteca Paisajes V (Rioja) with a wedge of briny, nutty Manchego, then you will think you’ve died and gone to heaven when you stroll in the door.

Other items that create serious, salivary suppression issues include all manner of salumi and charcuterie from Fra’Mani (Paul Bertolli’s sausage shop in Oakland, CA), Rick’s Picks Pickles, and assortments of salts, chocolates, vinegars, oils, and rice that Whole Foods can’t touch. Cheese is one of the few “gourmet” foods of the world where the difference in price between the very best and the mediocre is still minimal and thus, affordable. So unless you’re destitute, there’s really no reason not to eat the good stuff

About the only thing ELV doesn’t like about VC&W is that it’s not closer to my house!

Life is too short to eat cheap cheese or drink bad wine, so I’ll see you at Valley Cheese and Wine. And if you’d like to hear two of my commentaries on the little slice of gourmet heaven, click here for my first mention of VC&W on KNPR, and here to hear Kristin Sande and I trade cheesy puns. Be advised however, you may find that you camembert the humor…or perhaps, you havarti heard that one.

Valley Cheese and Wine

1770 Horizon Ridge Parkway Ste. 110

Henderson, NV 89012

702.341.8191

www.valleycheeseandwine.com

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* admittedly, only about once a month.

4 thoughts on “VALLEY CHEESE AND WINE

  1. Indeed a great place that offers some of the best – at least in this fair town of ours. Being a Summerlin guy though – I do wish they’d open a store on this side of the Strip as that hike, even for good cheese, can be a bit much. whole foods, after all, still has a pretty great selection for us mid-level “experts” and it’s only minutes away!

  2. FYI: Kristin Sande used to be the cheese buyer at Whole Paycheck….er…uh I mean Foods! And as decent as WF’s selection is, they precut the cheeses (a big no-no), and only occasionally do they have someone there who can discuss them in detail.

    And if you’ve noticed, the selection at WFs has steadily declined since the opening, both in variety and quality. But I agree, like one cow said to the next: it’s butter than nothin1!

    thanks for the post and continuing comments.

  3. John, I don’t know what the complaint is about? VC&W is a few miles from my apartment (actually, a few hundred miles in Los Angeles). I’m sure you’ll agree that going to VC&W is “Constant Bliss,” ehh? Mind you, John, you just have to show some more self-control on the cheese samples, or else you’ll “Edam” all up. I’d better stop with the cheesy comments or else this will turn into a “Roaring Forties” party.

    Seriously, the Las Vegas area is very fortunate to have a place like VC&W. Bob & Kristin are very knowledgeable and very friendly. Their location is in Henderson, which makes for a nice stopover between the Strip and Hoover Dam.

  4. Ahhh–if only I could find them! According to KNPR, they’re located on Horizon Ridge near “Valvirdy”. And while I have driven on and past Valle Verde for years now, I have yet to encounter this “Valvirdy” of which they speak.

    Seriously, this grating-on-the-ear mispronunciation is akin to pronouncing vin rose as if it were a large square container of domestic flowers.

    Make them stop, John!

Comments are closed.