Brilliant local produce, a coastal trail and your favourite friends are a perfect combination, just like cheese and wine. To mark National Cheese and Wine Day today, 24 July, we have mapped out an easy regional tasting trail to experience the very best cheese and wine pairings our backyard has to offer.
This week’s journey winds from a French-style bakery in Milton to a hilltop winery near Berry before finishing among the bush surrounds of Paperbark Camp, where great local cheese takes centre stage. Along the way, you will find bubbling café favourites, locally sourced cheese platters, thoughtfully paired wines and a recipe from Executive Chef Elliot Platz that is perfect for entertaining at home.
Milton’s Classic French Bistro Fare
Start your journey into the world of cheese at Beurre Noisette Patisserie, tucked just off the main strip in the village of Milton on Wason Street, which offers a taste of a traditional Frech café with its pair of Croques—Madame et Monseiur.
The Croque Monsieur is a hot sandwich layered with ham, Gruyère and parmesan, finished with a rich béchamel sauce and baked until golden, crisp and bubbling.
If cheese stretches make you smile, this one is for you. The Croque Monsieur has been a French café favourite since the early 1900s. Its name translates to “Mister Crunch” —croquer means “to crunch”—a fitting name for a sandwich that proves more cheese really is the answer.
For something even more indulgent, the Croque Madame is a monsieur topped with an egg perfectly cooked to your liking. As one of the staff shares, “The Madame is a bit prettier.” Freshly prepared to order from Thursday through Monday, both have become favourites for breakfast, brunch or a leisurely lunch.
Perfect Pairings with a View
Continue north towards Berry and you will find Two Figs Winery perched high above Back Forest, where wine tastings come with panoramic views across the Shoalhaven River, an ideal spot to enjoy a wine tasting with a cheese platter from one of the tables on the lawn, overlooking Comerong Island below.
While the cellar door does not operate a full restaurant, it celebrates the region’s best artisanal producers with a signature gourmet cheese platter $32, designed for two to four people to share. The selection changes regularly with the seasons, often featuring local favourites including Nowra farmhouse brie, Tilba vintage cheddar, award-winning Far Meadow marinated baby figs and mustard pickles from The Treat Factory, served with crisp crackers.
The estate’s current wine list offers plenty of opportunities to experiment with flavour pairings like their lightly oaked 2025 Chardonnay $36 which cuts beautifully through the richness of the brie, acting as a palate cleanser. The 2025 Chambourcin $36, a coastal-adapted red variety, complements the cheddar and sweet figs with juicy wild berry notes, while the sweet, lightly sparkling 2025 Frizzante Dulce $30 provides a classic Moscato-style finish that softens the salty intensity of blue cheese.
The cellar door operates Friday to Sunday, 11am–5pm.
Sundowners Cheese and Wine
Round out the trail here in Jervis Bay at The Gunyah Restaurant, nestled in the treetops of Woollamia at Paperbark Camp. Executive Chef Elliot Platz has created a Sundowner menu designed for relaxed late afternoons. Between 3pm and 6pm this weekend, settle in with the restaurant’s cheese board $36 or the more substantial grazing board $55, perfectly paired with a glass of wine or a cocktail while enjoying the peaceful bush setting and some of July’s most spectacular sunsets.
The cheese board celebrates some of regional NSW’s finest producers, such as Hunter Belle Blue Moon blue cheese from the Hunter Valley, double brie from Nowra and apple box wood smoked cheddar from Tilba Dairy, served with house-made lavash, seasonal fruit and muscatel grapes.
Elevate the experience with thoughtful pairings from the wine list. The Centennial Vineyards NV Blanc de Blancs $26 is a crisp, refreshing sparkling wine with bright citrus and apple notes that beautifully balance the rich, buttery Nowra double brie. The Canobolas Wines Cabernet Sauvignon $27 brings juicy blackberry and savoury herb characters that complement the smoky depth of the Tilba cheddar while standing up to the bold flavours of the Hunter Belle Blue Moon.
The Grazing Board features a selection of cured meats, fresh seasonal fruit, family-owned Adley’s Honey from Moruya further down the coast, and the trio of regional cheeses found on the cheese board.
The Sundowner Deck extends from Gunyah’s elevated open-air veranda, creating a treetop setting among paperbarks, towering eucalyptus and sheoaks. Open to both in-house guests and day visitors, it is an inviting place to unwind, with bookings highly recommended.
Make a Little Gunyah Magic at Home
For those inspired to continue the trail at home, Chef Elliot has shared one of his favourite recipes exclusively with Jervis Bay Weekend Magazine readers. This dish looks impressive on the table but is made from just a handful of quality ingredients.
Elliot says the Parmigiano crisps with whipped feta are one of his favourite snacks to prepare when friends gather, combining crisp baked parmesan with a light, creamy filling scented with fresh lemon and parsley.
Parmigiano Crisps with Whipped Feta
Makes: 16 serves
Ingredients For the Parmigiano Crisps
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano
For the Whipped Feta
175g soft feta
5 tablespoons thickened cream
1½ tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
You Will Need
6cm ring cutter
Clean egg carton
Mixing bowl
Electric mixer
Baking tray
Method
Preheat the oven to 165°C.
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Starting in one corner, place the ring cutter onto the tray and add one tablespoon of grated Parmigiano. Using your finger, spread the cheese evenly inside the ring. Repeat, leaving about an inch between each round until you have eight.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the crisps are golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for around 30 seconds until they have just started to firm.
Working one at a time, carefully lift each crisp from the tray and gently press it into the cups of a clean egg carton to create a flower shape. Leave to cool completely before removing. Repeat with the remaining eight crisps.
To make the whipped feta, combine the feta and thickened cream in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth while still holding its shape. Add a little extra cream if needed. Fold through the lemon zest and parsley, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
The whipped feta can be prepared two to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Remove it around 30 minutes before serving, then carefully spoon approximately two tablespoons into each Parmigiano crisp and enjoy.
Remember, “Cheese and Wine Day” can be celebrated any time, just follow the trail for the South Coast’s best food experiences just waiting to be discovered on our doorstep all year round.
