Angie Lopez-Yepes
Staff Writer
The ninth annual Wine and Cheese Pairing weekend, from Friday through Sunday, at the Third Street Wine Shop offered the most classic and popular pairing of cheeses and wines to La Verne residents.
The Wine and Cheese Pairing includes four different wines and four different cheeses that compliment each other, said Kristina Tomlin, marketing manager at Third Street Wine Shop.
Because of the pandemic, pairings were also offered to go.
Tomlin and tasting room manager Matt Forgey were both in charge of tasting and choosing the wines specifically for the event and the shop as well.
Their sommeliers also help accommodate their clients in case they have a preferred range of whites or reds.
They offer multiple mini extras such as wine wipes and chocolates for extra charge.
“We taste them all and then we decide if they are high enough quality to bring in and if they’re worthy of being sold at the shop,” said Tomlin.
Most, if not all, of their products of wines, cheeses, and more, come from small local businesses. As a family-owned business, they aim to keep that familiarity of supporting other small businesses.
Tomlin said the wines and cheeses are specially selected for their guests to create a unique experience that they probably will never forget, while teaching guests about the variety of wine.
“When you open a bottle, you’re having a singular experience,” said Tomlin.
Sommeliers and the staff at the Third Street Wine Shop will guide guests through the process to find the best match.
“It was fun considering that I have never done something like this before and it was just fun to do with my boyfriend,” said Janet Perez, Covina resident.
The shop also offers wine memberships to get the best wines special to the members and they even receive discounts when they have events.
Located on Third Street in downtown La Verne, the Third Street Wine Shop is welcomed to everyone as long as they are 21 and over.
For future events and tastings, visit thirdstreetwine.com.
Angie Lopez-Yepes can be reached at angie.lopezyepes@laverne.edu.
