FAQs

How do you select your artisan wine and cheese pairings?

The wine and cheese pairings we select aren’t just picked out of thin air. We work diligently to find the perfect combinations before we share our wine and cheese pairings with the world.

First, we start with wine. But not just any wine. We select our wines based on quality and the desire to turn you on to United States and international wines you may not normally try. We then connect with our cheese supplier, one of the most respected artisan cheese vendors in the country. The knowledgeable and experienced people there select a broad assortment of cheeses they think will match the wines we’ve chosen. We then meet to taste the selections together.

Does Pairings Wine & Cheese take a traditional approach to wine and cheese pairing? No, that’s not how we do it. Because artisan cheeses offer different and more intense flavors, textures and aromas than their commercial counterparts, all traditional perceptions of pairing wine and cheese are tossed out and we let the wine and cheese do the talking.

As we taste the wine and cheese pairings, we evaluate how the wine tastes with the cheese, how the cheese tastes with the wine, and how they enhance and elevate each other. Some combinations decrease the flavors. Some cheese shut down the wine and some wines shut down the cheese. We taste and sip, sip and taste. The best cheese and wine pairing brings smiles to our faces.

By consensus, we agree on the perfect cheese and wine pairings and then share our selections with wine and cheese lovers like you.

Do you ever offer past wine and cheese pairings?

There are so many artisan wines and cheeses to choose from, we’d rather introduce our return clients to a wine they haven’t already experienced. What’s more, wines can change from vintage to vintage and the specific vintage we chose for a past pairing may not be available again.

Do you offer tips for enjoying my wine and cheese pairings at home?

We have one rule – there are no rules. If you’re having your own wine tasting party, just relax, exhale and enjoy your pairings any way you like. If you need some help, email us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com.

What are artisan wines?

Artisan wines offer more interest, depth and complexity. In tasting thousands of wines each year, we believe that these types of wines make the best pairings.

How do you select the artisan wines you offer in your pairings?

All wines are selected based on quality and the desire to turn people on to wines they may not normally try.

Which wine growing regions are included in your selection of wine?

We use wines from the right here at home as well as from wineries around the world. Being located in Northern California, we have built some solid relationships with many California winemakers and we frequently pick wines from our region.

Where can I learn more about the wines used in your pairings?

If you purchase an A la Wine & Cheese Carte selection, concise notes will be included with your shipment. If you join one of our Clubs, an extensive newsletter will be included with each shipment.

Do you offer wine accessories?

Absolutely. Check out our selection of wine accessories. You’ll find many of them perfect for your next cheese and wine tasting party.

What are artisan cheeses?

Artisan cheeses offer different and more intense flavors, textures, and aromas than their commercial counterparts. We believe that artisan cheeses make the best pairings.

How do you select the artisan cheeses you offer?

Our cheese supplier, one of the most respected artisan cheese vendors in the country, selects a broad assortment of cheeses they think will match the wines we’ve chosen. We then meet to taste the selections together.

Which cheese producing regions are included in your selection of cheeses?

We primarily use cheeses from the USA, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom in our selections.

Where can I learn more about the cheeses used in your pairings?

If you purchase an A la Wine & Cheese Carte selection, concise notes will be included with your shipment. If you join one of our Clubs, an extensive newsletter is included with each shipment.

Do you offer cheese accessories?

Definitely. And they’re perfect whether you’re spending a romantic evening with your loved one or having your own wine tasting party with a large group of friends. Check out our selection of cheese accessories, which can be conveniently found under Wine & Cheese Accessories.

How many Á la Wine & Cheese Carte pairings do you offer each month?

Each month we offer a new red wine and white wine paired with a new cheese. We offer a new sparkling wine pairing every three months.

How often do your Á la Wine & Cheese Carte selections change?

We change the red and white wine pairings every month and the sparkling wine pairing every 3 months.

How often can I order Á la Wine & Cheese Carte pairings?

Feel free to order as often as you like. We ship Mondays through Thursdays via 2-day Air or Overnight delivery.

Can I order pairings from past months?

Because there are so many new wines and cheeses to try, we prefer to surprise our clients with new experiences. Therefore, we don’t offer repeat pairings.

What is your One & One Club?

Our One & One Club is a great way to try a new wine and cheese pairing several times per year without ever having to think about placing an order each time. When you join, we’ll automatically take care of sending you a great pairing 6 times per year. Each shipment includes one bottle of wine paired with a half-pound of an exquisite cheese, in-depth notes about the producers and a surprise gift. One & One Club members receive wine and cheese packages 6 times yearly and may choose from red wine or white wine.

What is your Two & Two Club?

If you want to experience more incredible pairings, our Two & Two Club offers you even more. Each shipment includes one bottle of white wine and one bottle of red wine, each paired with a half-pound of exquisite cheese (total one pound of cheese), in-depth notes about the producers and a surprise gift. Two & Two Club members receive wine and cheese packages 6 times yearly.

Why should I become a member of your Pairings Wine & Cheese Clubs?

Membership in our Parings Wine & Cheese clubs comes with an assortment of benefits including admission to the “Members Only” section of our website, a surprise gift with each shipment, access to the “Ask the Experts” section, discounts on wine and cheese reorders, in-depth stories about the wine and cheese makers and so much more.

How do I join your Pairings Wine & Cheese Club?

Joining is easy. Just click ‘Add to Cart’ and complete the details in the shopping cart. You will receive a confirmation email with details about delivery and shipment date within 48 hours.

When will my Club Membership ship?

While each pairing is a surprise, your shipment schedule won’t be. In your first gourmet food shipment, you will receive a calendar of shipping dates for the entire year. Please keep in mind that if you are receiving a Club shipment as a gift, your welcome letter will outline exactly how many shipments you will receive. Wine and cheese pairings ship in mid-February, mid-April, early June, mid-September, early November and mid-December.

I'm going to be out of town that week. Can I select a later ship date?

We can delay your cheese and wine shipment by one week as long as you send us an email no later than 7 days before the ship date. We’ll send you a confirmation email once your new scheduled date has been processed in our system.

Can I suspend my Membership for a few months?

You can suspend your Pairings Wine & Cheese Membership as long as you send us an email at least two weeks before your next scheduled shipment. We’ll send you a confirmation email once your new scheduled date has been processed in our system.

Can I select the wines or cheeses I receive?

The exciting part about Pairings Wine & Cheese is that we do all the legwork to provide you with perfectly matched selections delivered to your door each time.

Will a Pairings Wine & Cheese Club gift note/enrollment letter be sent to me?

Yes, within 48 hours of your order placement, we will send a gift note or enrollment letter to your gift recipient or directly to you. Please remember to include your personalized gift note and the email address when you complete the shopping cart.

Can I stagger My Pairings Wine & Cheese Club shipments?

We can suspend or delay your wine and cheese pairings shipments. Unfortunately, staggering your shipment is not possible at this time.

May I cancel my Club Membership?

If you no longer wish to receive wine and cheese pairings, you may cancel your Membership at any time. We require at least two weeks notice in writing before your next scheduled shipment. When you’re ready to start enjoying your wine and cheese pairings Club Membership again, we’d love to have you back.

May I buy wine separately? Are the current selections going to be on the site for sale?

After you receive a shipment of a Pairings Wine & Cheese Club, you may purchase wine through the Club Member section on the website. We also offer Club members a discount for a re-order of 6 or more bottles from the most recent shipment.

May I buy cheese separately?

After you receive a shipment of a Pairings Wine & Cheese Club, you may purchase cheese through the Club Member section on the website.

How does PWC assure the quality and safety of my shipment?

We’re dedicated to making sure that your gourmet food cheese and wine order reaches you as fresh as when it left us. That’s why we use packaging and delivery times that preserve freshness and quality. Our Á la Wine & Cheese Carte pairings and Club shipments are packed with frozen gel ice in an insulated bag. We follow HAACP food quality and safety guidelines to preserve the freshness of the food and wine pairing and assure that your order of wine and cheese arrives in perfect condition.

When do you ship my Á la Wine & Cheese Carte order?

All Á la Wine & Cheese Carte orders are shipped Mondays through Thursdays via 2-day air or overnight delivery.

When do you ship my Pairings Wine & Cheese Club package?

All Pairings Wine & Cheese Club packages are shipped 6 times yearly. Customers will receive their wine and cheese packages in mid-February, mid-April, early-June, mid-September, early-November and mid-December. We will notify you by email 2 weeks prior to the date that your wine and cheese will ship. If you have any changes to your delivery address or will be unavailable to receive your wine and cheese delivery, please let us know at least five days prior to your shipment date so that we can make alternate arrangements to deliver your gourmet food order.

How long does it take to receive my pairings?

All Á la Wine & Cheese Carte and Club pairings will be received within two days of being shipped. We will notify you by email when your wine & cheese pairing ships and keep you up to date on its expected delivery date.

Do you ship internationally, to PO boxes or APO addresses?

Unfortunately, no. We only ship to residential or commercial addresses in the United States. We do not ship gourmet food orders internationally, to PO Boxes or to APO/FPO addresses.

Will my entire order ship together?

Absolutely. The sensational taste experience that awaits you wouldn’t be the same if you consumed the red or white wine and cheese separately. Your wine and cheese pairings will always ship together. However wine and cheese accessories may be shipped separately from your wine and cheese pairings shipment. We will send you an email with all the details.

Will the delivery company leave my package, or do I have to be home to sign for it?

All wine and cheese pairings packages are shipped with a “Perishable” label on the box. The delivery carrier will be notified that the gourmet food contents are perishable. We require an adult signature to release your package.

I gave you an incorrect address! Can I change the delivery address?

Please contact us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 800-503-6493 x11 immediately and we’ll take care of correcting your error to ensure that your gourmet food order makes it to your door safely and on time.

My cheese arrived warm and/or my gel pack melted – should I be concerned?

Generally speaking, no. We include frozen gel ice and insulated packaging to preserve the freshness of your gourmet cheese for 48 to 72 hours, depending on the season and air temperatures en route. It’s normal for the gel ice to melt during delivery and this is usually not cause for concern. However, if your gourmet food package takes longer than 48 hours to arrive or if you have any other concerns about the quality of your wine and cheese pairings, please contact Customer Service immediately at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 1 800 503 6493.

My order was delivered while I and/or my gift recipient was out of town.

Please contact us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 1 800 503 6493.

My package was damaged in shipment.

Please contact us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 800.503.6493

Can you ship my Á la Wine & Cheese Carte order today?

In an effort to provide impeccable service to each and every one of our customers, we require at least 24 hours notice to ship your wine and cheese order. In some instances, we may be able to ship the same day, however we can’t guarantee it. For more information please contact us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or 800.503.6493 x11.

Can I place my Á la Wine & Cheese Carte order today and have it ship at a later date?

Yes. During checkout, you will have the opportunity to select a future shipment date for your gourmet food order.

Can I receive my Club shipment or my Á la Wine & Cheese Carte order over the weekend?

Unfortunately, our delivery company does not deliver on weekends. We ship on Monday through Thursday for delivery on Tuesday through Friday.

My order was completed before I could finish my gift message. What can I do?

Please contact us at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 800.503.6493 and we’ll take care of adding a gift message to your wine and cheese pairing delivery.

What forms of payment does Pairings Wine & Cheese accept?

We’ve got all the major credit cards covered – and more. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal so that you can enjoy your gourmet food wine and cheese pairings using pretty much any payment method.

What can I do if I'm not satisfied with my order?

At Pairings Wine & Cheese, your satisfaction is paramount. We are confident that you will enjoy your wine and cheese pairings and accessories as much as we do. And we are committed to ensuring that you receive your gourmet food wine and cheese order in excellent condition. Please inspect your package as soon as you receive it. If you have any concerns about your order, please contact us within 24 hours of receiving your wine and cheese package. We will work closely with you to ensure that you’re more than satisfied.

How do I contact you?

We’re available at info@PairingsWineandCheese.com or at 800.503.6493.

How do I refer a friend?

There’s nothing better than sharing great wine, cheese and gourmet food with great company. If you’d like to let a friend know about our wine and cheese pairing service, please visit our Refer a Friend page and enter the requested information.

How do you assure my privacy and security?

Your privacy is our priority and the Pairings Wine & Cheese website securely protects and respects your privacy. Our Privacy & Security Policy describes our commitment and practices regarding collection, use, and disclosure of information that you may provide to us through this website. What’s more, we employ industry-leading security measures and encrypt all transactions during payment processing to ensure your security. Please visit our Privacy & Security page for more information.

Why do you reference CarbonFund.org on your website?

Without a healthy planet, we might not be able to enjoy great artisan cheeses and delicious international and California wines from fantastic vineyards. That’s why we’re committed to maximizing our environmentally friendly ‘green’ impact and minimizing any negative impacts on the environment. We offset 100% of our carbon emissions with our membership in CarbonFund.org, the country’s leading carbon offset and carbon reduction organization.

How green is the packaging you use?

All of our wine and cheese shipments are packed with care using materials and containers made from 100% recyclable materials that can be recycled again to help protect the environment. By choosing these environmentally friendly products we are diverting waste fiber from landfill or incineration; displacing alternative products that are not biodegradable; using renewable and sustainable resources; and providing you with recycling options. Our Á la Wine & Cheese Carte pairings and Club shipments are packed with frozen gel ice in an insulated bag, both of which can be used for picnics and other activities that require safe transport of gourmet food.