Northern California farmstead cheese lovers are in for a treat this spring with the release of Bellwether Farms' absolutely delicious new "Blackstone" — the cheesemaker's first mixed milk cheese. And it's all about the terroir.
Bellwether Farms, located in Sonoma County's bucolic Valley Ford, has been making award-winning sheep milk and cow milk cheeses on their land for nearly 30 years.
Proprietor and cheesemaker, Liam Callahan developed Blackstone for an increasingly sophisticated American market clamoring for mixed-milk cheeses.
Handsome 3 1/4 pound wheels are a blend of Jersey cow and sheep milk, dotted with black peppercorns and sporting a gorgeous black rind. The rind results from a compelling mixture of crushed black pepper, oil, rosemary and vegetable ash that is hand-rubbed on each wheel during its six to eight weeks of aging at the creamery in Valley Ford.
"We like that Blackstone combines the best of both worlds," says Liam. "Our premium Jersey cow milk gives the cheese a creamy mouthfeel while our sheep milk deepens the complex flavor".
Liam named the cheese for its resemblance to the volcanic rock outcroppings that we are so familiar with in the Sonoma and Marin landscape.
I'm a big fan of Bellwether cheeses and couldn't wait to get my hands on a portion of one of the first released blocks of Blackstone. Once I had some in the house, I took its pairing seriously and scoured my secret wine stash for micro-regional picks that I felt would match up in quality and terroir.
I was looking for local Sonoma Coast/Petaluma Gap wines that share qualities of earth, climate and properties for best pairing. Though red wines are considered best paired with hard cheeses, I decided to go with a lighter Pinot Noir — low in tannin, packing berry flavors, floral aromas and known to pair well with both cow and sheep milk cheeses.
While I was at it, I came across an older (also 2010), unoaked Chardonnay from the area — crisp and refreshing with aromas of citrus and apple blossoms, suitable for a pairing with a tangy mountain cheese.
If you're not familiar with Kastania wines, you ought to be. Proprietors and winemakers Hoot and Linda Smith and family make exclusive, handcrafted wines in small lots from their estate-grown Burgundy and Bordeaux varietals influenced by the distinctive Sonoma Coast/Petaluma Gap terroir and maritime impact that flavor Bellwether cheeses.
The Smith's five acre vineyards, positioned adjacent to Highway 101 at the south approach to Petaluma, were planted on oak-studded land that has been in Hoot's family since 1860. Hoot and Linda have been making their premium wines since 1997. I find their Pinot Noir to be versatile, pairing well with the best of Sonoma coastal regional offerings.
And indeed a glass of 2010 Estate Grown Kastania Pinot Noir did pair beautifully when served with a slither of Blackstone and sliced apple. Kastania's Pinot Noir evolves over time, so I reached for an older vintage, in this case, to fully appreciate an intense nose and palate of raspberries, dried cranberry and black tea. Each bite of this bold new cheese revealed a distinctively fresh emergence of flavor — nutty, mushroomy, magnificently moody and smoky.
Chilled, Keller Estate's 2010 Oro de Plata Chardonnay, crafted at one of the few, truly exclusive family-owned estates in southern Sonoma County (off Lakeville Highway, south-east of Petaluma), is the very essence of spring. Lean and vibrant, this particular wine is made and aged almost entirely in cutting-edge stainless steel.
Wine Enthusiast described Keller's 2013 vintage of its Oro de Plata as: "A complex mélange of briny, preserved lemon, apple crisp and caramel brittle, this wine is deceptively elegant and refined, with a dark, brooding finish".
Aromas of apple and citrus blossom combined with a palate of pear, honey and Meyer lemon zest proved to me a joyous pairing with the firm, smooth, peppery tartness of the cheese.
Photo: Dominic Rivetti
Blackstone joins the roster of Bellwether's popular aged cheeses, Carmody, San Andreas and Pepato. The creamery's fresh and cultured products include top-selling sheep milk yogurts, Whole Milk Basket Ricotta (which recently received an unprecedented fifth consecutive award from the esteemed Good Food Awards competition), Creme Fraiche, Fromage Blanc and Crescenza.
Bellwether Farms is a family business founded by Liam's mom, Cindy Callahan in 1986 with a flock of sheep needed to control grass on their land. Today the Cindy and her family milks 350 sheep and every cheese and yogurt is handmade on the farm by Liam and his crew. Liam's wife, Diana, handles the business side of the farm and cheesemaking operation.
Sonoma County stores with the best stocked cheese counters started carrying Blackstone mid-February 2016. Click here for a list of additional retailers. Look for this and other Bellwether cheeses at:
- Marin Civic Center Farmers’ Market, Sundays, 8am -– 1pm
- Wells Fargo Farmers Market in Santa Rosa Saturdays, 8:30am - 1pm



























