From all over the world to your McMinnville table
Only the most delectable, finest, and craveable cheeses we can find locally and worldwide.
You have to be a romantic to invest yourself, your money, and your time in cheese.
- Anthony Bourdain
This Month in Cheese:
April 2026
Comté Excellence
France
With 13 - 18 months of ripening, the Comté AOP Affinage d’ Excellence is made exclusively from the raw milk of Montbéliarde cows fed only with grass and hay. It has been selected exclusively by their master cheesemaker throughout France. The wheels are made the traditional way in alpine dairies and sent to Fort Lucotte, Marcel Petite’s ripening center, to complete their ripening lasting 13-18 months. It entices with subtle notes of dried fruits, fresh hazelnut and curry and the enticing smell of gratin.
Cinco Lanzas
Spain
Cinco Lanzas Gran Reserva's delicate blend of sheep, goat & cow's milk creates this complex cheese and, at first taste, will reward your palate with a multitude of flavors - roaster nuts, caramel, and a surprise finish of cinnamon. Cinco Lanzas is aged over 16 months
Fromage de Raclette
French & Swiss Alps
Raclette is a semi-hard cheese produced in the French and Swiss Alps. It is traditionally known as Valais Raclette and made from the unpasteurized milk of cows grazing on alpine meadows. The name Raclette comes from the French word 'racler,' which means 'to scrape' because herders would place the cheese next to a fire in the evening and then scrape the cheese across some bread, potatoes, pickles, or cured meats. Pair with Pinot noir, Sauvignon Blanc.
Godminster Devil’s Dance
Sussex, England
English cheese. Fiery red chiles. These unlikely bedfellows are unbelievably delicious in Godminster’s Devil’s Dance Cheddar. The impeccably made cheddar—savory, fruity, and creamy—is only elevated by a generous helping of chile paste throughout. Bird’s eye and cayenne peppers, plus garlic and brown sugar, bring a balanced but undeniable kick to every bite. Just peel off the wax and awaken your taste buds.
Gorgonzola Picante
Italy
Gorgonzola Piccante is an aged (300+ days), firm, and crumbly Italian blue cheese with a pungent, sharp, and intensely savory flavor profile. Ideal for melting into risotto, polenta, pasta sauces, or topping steaks and burgers.
Ambrosi’s Gorgonzola Piccante is aged for 80 days to develop its distinctive bite, but traditional Gorgonzola can be aged for much longer—sometimes for as long as six months! As with many cheeses, the origins of Gorgonzola lie somewhere between probability and myth. Italians tell of a young cheesemaker who, distracted from his task of drying curds, mixed his crumbly curds with a new batch, resulting in a strange “bluing” phenomenon a few weeks later
La Tur
Piedmont, Italy
La Tur is a soft-ripened, Italian mixed-milk cheese from Piedmont, produced by Caseificio dell'Alta Langa. It is a blend of cow, sheep, and goat's milk, known for its, gooey texture, pale, wrinkled rind, and a delicate, creamy, tangy, and slightly earthy flavor. A Triple Threat!
Quiejo do Sao Miguel
Azores, Portugal
A traditional, premium, firm-to-semi-hard Portuguese cow's milk cheese from the Azores, matured for a minimum of 9 months. Renowned as a "black rind cheese," it offers a strong, slightly spicy, and clean flavor, characterized by a honey-yellow paste. The 9-month-aged variety often wins top accolades, including gold medals at the World Cheese Awards and the National Competition of Traditional Portuguese Cheeses.
Red Dragon
Wales
By World War II, cheese production in Wales had nearly ceased; run out of business by large cheesemaking factories in England. Fortunately for us, there has been a revival of old ways by a new generation of cheesemakers. Now, they are creating other fine cheeses such as Red Dragon, also known as Y-Fenni. This smooth, firm, tasty cheddar is made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite.
Suggested adult beverage pairing: Brown ale or full bodied red wine
Sheeps Cheese w/Black Garlic Edge
La Mancha, Spain
Sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha with Black Garlic, a traditional Spanish cheese crafted from sheep’s milk with a modern twist. This firm, aged cheese is infused with rich, sweet black garlic, offering a harmonious balance of nutty, tangy flavors and a subtle hint of umami. Red wines (Rioja, Syrah), dry white wines, fruits (grapes, pears), and nuts.
Valbreso 100% Sheep Milk Feta
Southern France
Valbreso cheese is artfully crafted in the rugged plateaus surrounding the Mediterranean Sea in southern France. A remarkably versatile fresh sheep milk cheese matured in brine. Its unique taste and superior richness is created by using 100% pure sheep milk coming from a very unique breed, the Lacaune sheep, renowned for its rich and creamy milk.
We have Butter!
Beurre da Baratte (France) -
our March Madness Butter Bracket winner!
Beurre d’Isigny AOP (France)
Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter (Ireland)
Plugria European Style (Kansas)
Mack & Cheese is located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 upstairs above La Bella Casa
Spring Hours: Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Check our Calendar for any closed days
Private tastings available on other days as well by appointment.
Questions: email Erin
Upcoming Events
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Culture Club Pick Up Party
Friday, April 24
4:00 - 7:00 pm
More info to come about our Pick up party weekend! -
Mack & Cheese Store Hours
Spring Hours
Thursdays: 4:00 - 7:00pm
Fridays: 4:00 - 7:00 pm
Saturdays: 3:00 - 7:00 pm
If the sign is out, we are in!We are located at 410 NE Third Street, Suite 7 in McMinnville, upstairs above La Bella Casa.
Want to schedule a private cheese tasting or a party? Go to our tastings & events page to schedule.
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April Events
Yamhill Valley Vineyards
Saturday, April 11
11:00 am - 12:00 pmWe will be showcasing some of our cheeses at YVV’s Founders Club Wine Party.
McMinnville Deserves Some Damn Good Cheese.
Nestled in the heart of Oregon’s wine country, on the native Kalapuya lands, you’ll find McMinnville, Oregon: a warm, inviting, and genuinely friendly community. Whether it’s the nostalgic feeling of walking below the twinkle-light filled trees lining the historic downtown or enjoying some of the world’s best Pinot noir, you’re sure to experience the warmth of the people you’ll meet in McMinnville.
Mack & Cheese is a nod to the culture of McMinnville and Yamhill County. Our cheese tasting room is in Suite Seven, above La Bella Casa in Historic Downtown McMinnville. One can come for a visit, the view, a taste-or all of the above.
Open Friday & Saturday 4 - 7pm, Mack & Cheese sells bricks, blocks and wedges of world class cheese and offers complimentary tastings for Culture Club members. Private parties and tastings are also available.
Who’s Picking These Cheeses Anyway?
Meet Erin, the Mind and Mongress behind Mack & Cheese.
Erin Morgan Bowman has lived in McMinnville for nearly 30 years. She was recruited by the McMinnville Downtown Association during the revitalization of the 500 block of Third Street, led by Marilyn and Matt Worrix’s Tempo Building and McMenamins Hotel Oregon. Erin and her husband Marc founded Mes Amies Ladies Fineries in 1998 and Hopscotch Toys in 2001. The Bowmans sold both businesses in 2003, which allowed Erin to focus on raising their three daughters and supporting Marc’s growing career in technology. In 2011 Erin became a partner in 4 elements yoga studio, and Marc started a sensor technology firm in McMinnville in 2017. Today, the Bowmans’ commitment to small business and community has never been stronger.
Erin grew up in Lincoln City, Oregon, where her grandparents owned two grocery stores. “I’ve always loved grocery shopping. I take time to write a list and menu plan. I mindfully choose my ingredients, imagining their origins. I sometimes get lost in the fresh smells of the produce department but most of all, I love cheese.” Further inspired by international travels to France and the growing wine industry, Erin and Marc are throwing their hats in the local food scene with Mack & Cheese, a downtown fromagerie and gathering space.
In addition to tasting, selling and hosting cheese events, the suite of offices will also be the home of Erin Bowman Yoga. “Yoga in the morning, cheese all afternoon.” And really, when you think about it, yoga and cheese have a lot in common.
For more than 5,000 years, humans have been making cheese in nearly every corner of the world. Similarly, the true age of yoga is unclear, but artifacts and ancient texts suggest that the practice has been part of the human experience for more than 4,000 years. It’s impossible for Bowman to imagine a world without cheese or yoga.
“Our family loves McMinnville and we are so grateful for the chance to learn new skills, meet folks and host old friends. With so many wine tasting opportunities downtown, we’re thrilled to jump in and share our love for all kinds of culture—pun intended.” Mack & Cheese is located above La Bella Casa in Suite Seven, the previous home of the International Pinot Noir Celebration.
Mack & Cheese will be serving the community with subscription cheeses, just like a wine membership with monthly allotments and tastings.