“This is real cheese, hand-crafted, that you won’t find at any supermarket. I buy it all myself and I know exactly what I am purchasing. I know how old it is,” Deli co-owner Robbie Warinner said.

What makes wine and cheese a great combination? According to Robbie, cheese is very similar to wine in its production. It requires conditioning, perfect temperature, the weather, the style of the worker ... and cheese also is impacted on the how the cows are cared for.

Some of the cheeses are carried year-round, but the season does dictate the selection to a degree.

“I stand behind everything I sell here. And I can recommend a good wine (or visa versa) with your purchase,” Robbie said.

Here are a few of the exotic cheeses Robbie has for sale in the Dilly Deli, described in her own words:

Jindi Triple Creme (Australia)
Jindi is one of Australia's leading producers of white mold cheeses. Since 1985 the "Jindivick" cheesemakers have been creating Farmhouse cheeses by hand, using the milk of cows that have grazed lush Jindivick pastures. This triple creme is enveloped in a velvety bloom of white mould. The smooth interior paste has a butter-like flavor and a creamy rich flavor. Match the rich flavor with sparkling wines and fresh berries. Robbie's Note: if you like St. Andre this is similar with much more depth and incredible texture.

Yarra Valley Persian Fetta (Australia)
Persian Fetta is a high moisture cheese that is lower in salt than most Mediterranean cheeses of this style. Marinating in virgin olive oil with herbs, garlic and spices, it becomes a silky-smooth savory treat. It has a fullness of flavor that blends well with the oil and herbs for use in salads and antipasto. It spreads nicely on crusty bread for an instant snack, or try it with fresh greens, drizzling some of the oil on top as a dressing. Serve with dry white wines.

Tarago River Cheese Company (Australia) Shades of Blue
This is a double creme, blue veined cheese with a creamy texture and mild but distinct flavor. Each wheel comes in wax coated after being cured for 8-10 weeks. The smoothness of the paste is subtle, buttery, blue-brie flavor pairs nicely with merlot wines, fresh seasonal fruits and crisp breads. Microbial rennets are used. Robbie's note: If you are a fan of Cambozola, this is a farmstead example that exhibits multiple layers of flavors not found in the good but mass produced Cambozola cheese.

Mahon D.O. Raw milk
This is a very distinct cheese, as it is both a seasonal farmhouse and artisanal production, it is somewhat younger and made from raw grass-fed cow's milk. From the Balearic island of Menorca, the dairy Hort de Sant Patrici hand produces this cheese with the highest standards for quality from centuries old methods. It has a fairly intense, slightly salty piquant flavor that intensifies as it ages, with a distance barnyard aroma. Robbie's note: D.O. cheeses are similar to wines with DO status as they must meet strict place production and cheesemaking methods.

Bingham Hill Harvest Moon
This beautiful cheese has extraordinary flavor and great craftsmanship. The wheel is made from raw cow's milk and casts an earthy reminiscence in every bite. The rusty rind and "harvest aroma" is a true indication that a full flavored cheese lies beneath. The cheese is tart, fruity and grassy, not unlike a farmhouse cheddar. Harvest moon can develop veins of blue from the rind, through its baron white paste. A prized possession! Robbie's note: We sold through two whole wheels of this cheese in less than two weeks. Two more have arrived!

Bingham Hill Poudre Puff
We have about three pieces left of this little gem. A jewel of the Rockies! Each bloomy puff gets its name from the scenic Cache la Poudre river that runs through Ft. Collins. Ripened for three weeks, each delicate mound develops a sweet, mushroomy, soft ripening elegance. Each is robed in a bloomy white mold rind and has the richness and smoothness of some of the worlds greatest cremes.

Carr Valley Cheese
These are some of my favorite domestically produced farmstead cheeses. Unfortunately the company has yet to hear the plea from smaller retailers who can't get in a 12 pound wheel of cheese, no matter how extraordinary. You may have had some of the Mobay we had in from Carr Valley a few months ago. Fortunately there is one cheese that comes in smaller wheels, and though one of our most expensive selections, also one of the most exquisite:
Carr Valley Casa Bolo Melange could bowl you over. Created by cheese maker Sid Cook in LaValley Wisconsin, brings with it a "melange" of flavors. It is made with cow, goat and sheep's milk, hand molded into a sphere and coated with yellow wax. It is dense, very firm and expresses similarities to an aged Dutch cheese. By shaving thin slices from a cut surface and allowing the morsel to melt slowly in the mouth, a myriad of pleasing smooth, nutty and scotch flavors begin to burst forth. Casa Bolo melange would fit easily into many cheese or antipasto platters, adding both texture and compatible character.

For more information about the Dilly Deli, its cheeses, wines, beers, or menu specials, call 561-5233.