Wine and cheese go together like bread and butter—for some, they’re effectively inseperable. And in our latest Spotlight Cheese, they go together so well that they’re actually quite literally inseperable! A treasured tradition of the Treviso region of Italy, Trader Joe’s Ubriaco al Cabernet is made by taking wheels of delicately sweet and creamy cheese, poking them all over with a series of holes, then aging them in a mixture of dry Cabernet wine and grape marc (the mashed grape skins that are left over during the winemaking process) for at least eight months. As the cheese ages and develops a robust flavor and firm texture, the holes in the cheese soak in the wine and mashed grape juices, turning the rind a rich, burgundy red.

This process, playfully referred to as “inebriating” the cheese (Ubriaco itself is Italian for “drunk” or “tipsy”) also infuses the entire wheel with persistently ripe, fruity, and lightly spicy Cabernet notes, giving every bite an expansive suite of flavors that’s a bit like enjoying a fine wine and fine cheese at the same time. That makes it an especially apt choice for inclusion in all kinds of charcuteries and cheese plates, especially when paired with a bottle of your favorite dry red wine.