The June 2019 theme for the French #Winophiles is French Wine and Cheese!

But of course, the history of  wine and cheese in France is a very long one.  Wine and cheese are an integral part of French culture, and have been for centuries.

Just as French wine is regional, so is French cheese.   Many cheese producing regions have the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) or AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) designation, which identifies the region or village of origin and traditional methods of cheese production.

Thematically speaking,  this one if pretty wide-open.  All we ask is that your post be about at least one French wine and one French cheese.  Other than that, get your French wine and cheese on as you wish!

Note:  Some writers will be sponsored by VinConnexion this month, and will receive sample wines from Chateau de Sales in Pomerol and Cave du Vendômois in the Loire Valley.

Are you interested in joining us? Here is how to join:

• Send an email to me at martindredmond@gmail to tell me you’d like to participate as a writer.  Make sure to include your blog url, Twitter handle and any other social media details. If you know  the title of your blog post already then please send that along, but it isn’t due until the week leading up to the event.
• Share your favorite French wine and cheese pair, or explore some new ones. 
• Send your blog title to me by Tuesday, June 11th to be included in the preview post.  I’d also appreciate your blog url as well to include.  Your title should include “#Winophiles”
• Publish your post between Friday, June 14th until Saturday morning June 15th by 9am EST. Feel free to schedule your post and tweets in advance to save time.
• Include links to the other #Winophiles participants in your post, and a description of what the event is about. I’ll be providing the updated HTML code that you can easily plug into your blog post that will link everyone’s articles together.  Once the event has been completed final updated HTML code will be sent out for everyone to update their site .
• Get social! After the posts go live, please visit your fellow bloggers posts’ to comment and share. We have a Facebook group for participating bloggers to connect and share, too.
• Sponsored posts are ok if clearly disclosed. Please be sure to disclose if your post is sponsored or if you are describing wine or other products for which you have received a free sample.

Our Twitter chat about French Wine and Cheese is scheduled for June 15th, 2019 from 11a to 12p EST.  Just follow the #winophiles hastag. 

Even if you don’t have a blog, feel free to join the conversation about French wine and cheese! Have favorite French wine and cheese pairing?  Have you visited a region in France known for their wine and cheese?   We’d love to hear about your experience in the region and something special you found there.  We love visitors!

Not sure where to start your French Wine and Cheese pairing exploration?  I found these French wine and cheese pairing tips from Jane of Always Ravenous helpful.

WINE AND CHEESE PAIRING TIPS

• Take the cheese out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before tasting.  This brings out more flavors in the cheese.
• Think regional, where a cheese is made probably will make a good pairing with the wine that is produced in that region.
• Match characteristics/weight of the wine to a cheese that mirrors those characteristics found in the wine.  (Think, delicate to delicate and bold to bold.)
• Try pairing contrasts in the wine and cheese.  Rich creamy cheeses with crisp acidic wines. Strong funky cheeses with sweeter wines.
• Taste, taste, taste it’s your palate and everyone is different.