Celebrity chefs. Wild parties. Fabulous bites around every corner and vino that flows like the nearby Roaring Fork River. Sure, all of that can be found at Aspen’s annual Food & Wine Classic, from June 16 to 18, but it’s the expert-led seminars that really get us excited. (We’re nerds, we know.) Neatly penciled into our day planner: a session with master sommelier Bobby Stuckey of Boulder’s Frasca Food and Wine that will explore Northern Italian varietals, as well as one of the two opportunities to learn about French wines and fromage from Stuckey and cheese expert (and part-time Aspen resident) Laura Werlin. Not making it to the star-studded event this month? No problem. We asked Stuckey and Werlin to pack the ultimate summer picnic basket of Colorado cheeses and paired sips so you can enjoy the fruits (and dairy!) of their knowledge wherever you throw down a blanket.

You can find most of these Colorado cheeses at these five excellent Front Range cheese shops.

5280 June 2017
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With its salty-sweet flavor and rich texture, Fruition Farms Shepherd’s Halo, a sheep’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind, meets its match with the crisp acid of Blackberry Farms’ Summer Saison. Photograph by Sarah Boyum
The tang of James Ranch’s Belford, an aged cow’s milk cheese, pairs perfectly with the soft, slight sweetness of La Caravelle Listrac-Medoc 2012, an affordable gem from Bordeaux. Photograph by Sarah Boyum
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Avalanche Cheese Company Midnight Blue, an earthy, salty aged raw goat’s milk cheese, welcomes the sweetness and bright acidity of Royal Tokaji Red Label. Photograph by Sarah Boyum
Chees and Wine 4
With its salty-sweet flavor and rich texture, Fruition Farms Shepherd’s Halo, a sheep’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind, meets its match with the crisp acid of Blackberry Farms’ Summer Saison. Photograph by Sarah Boyum
The tang of James Ranch’s Belford, an aged cow’s milk cheese, pairs perfectly with the soft, slight sweetness of La Caravelle Listrac-Medoc 2012, an affordable gem from Bordeaux. Photograph by Sarah Boyum
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This article was originally published in 5280 June 2017.
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.