Cheese has been enjoyed for thousands and thousands of years. It predates history. Anything that has that kind of staying power has got to be good.

Olympic Peninsula Wine and Cheese Tour.

The NW Wine and Cheese Tour, April 14 & 15, 2012.

It is widely believed that the first cheese came into being shortly after the earliest domestication of sheep and goats. It was most likely discovered by accident. Milk was frequently stored in animal skins, which contain rennet; the combination of rennet, movement, and time caused the milk to separate into curds and whey.

Once there were curds, cheese was on its way.

The years have been good to cheese. Ancient Romans were among the first to elevate cheese making to a fine art, but they were not the last. Over time, one civilization after another experimented with cheese, playing with flavors and textures.

Recent years have witnessed a resurgence in farmstead and artisanal cheese making. Those of us who live in Washington State are blessed to have many such fine cheese makers among us.

Join Olympic Peninsula Wineries and Cideries the weekend of April 14-15, 2012, for the Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour. Discover enchanting combinations of Washington State Wine and Cheese. And raise your glass in thanks to the first people who thought to store their goat milk in animal skins.