Cheese & Wine Tasting in Ponta Delgada - Azores

Our hosts, Michael and Patricia, provided a variety of Azorean cheeses and then poured swine to pair with them. We were provided an explanation of the origin of each item. Additionally, we learned about Michael's move from California to Sao Miguel Island.

Though we adored our host Dolago and he gave us some very interesting information- The description of the event (food to go with the cheese, enough for a meal) was not what we got.. Portuguese bread cut in cubes and crackers. A tablespoon of tomato jam and a tablespoon of honey- The three basic wines he chose and the cheeses were excellent and should have been accompanied by an array of appetizers. We thoroughly enjoyed the company for the two hours. It was the lack of food accompaniments that gave this a three star review.

The cheese and wine tasting tour led by Diogo was fantastic! As this is a small group tour, it is held in a private residence in a residential area. I was a bit nervous about the location as a solo but I needn't be. The location was a residence owned by the owners of Hungry Whale and is also used as a "airbnb". Once inside, the table was set and the discussion began. Platters of cheese and baskets of bread and crackers were brought to the table and the first white wine was introduced. Over the course of the evening, there were two white wines, a red and a fortified liqueur. Six cheeses were presented with suggestions of which ones to pair with which wines. When not discussing the wines, the host excused himself and allowed us to sample the varieties and savour the gastronomy ourselves. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys wine and would like to sample some of the local cheeses.