No. 109 Cheese & Wine

05/22/2026

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Memorial Day weekend brings the unofficial start of summer
but at its heart, it’s a time to remember.
To pause for those who gave everything, and for the families who carry that sacrifice every day.
As we gather around the table this weekend, let’s take a quiet moment of gratitude for the freedoms that make these moments possible. Let’s also remember those who continue to serve and those around the world who fight every day in the hope of peace, freedom, and democracy.
And let’s not take any of it for granted — choosing instead to live with kindness, respect, compassion, and a little more care for one another.

Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Memorial Day weekend brings the unofficial start of summer but at its heart, it’s a time to remember. To pause for those

05/16/2026

This week, we’re taking a little trip to the Basque region — a place where Spain meets France, the mountains meet the sea, and food is very much a way of life… which sounds a lot like ours.
The Basque people have a fiercely proud culinary culture built around simple ingredients, deep tradition, and gathering around the table. Fresh seafood, cured meats, sheep and goat cheeses, and bright coastal wines all play a starring role.
Honestly… sounds a little like our kind of place. Maybe even a perfect retirement spot for 109 someday… you never know. But don’t worry — we’re hanging around for quite a while.
Our featured cheeses this week fit right into that lifestyle and happen to be two of our favorites.
Tomme Chebris is a beautiful blend of goat and sheep’s milk — rich and buttery with a gentle tang that keeps it bright and lively. Approachable, balanced, and one of those cheeses that quietly disappears faster than expected.
Tomme Espelette brings a little true Basque personality. Made from creamy sheep’s milk and coated with the region’s famous Piment d’Espelette — a protected pepper grown in the French Basque region for generations — it adds savory warmth and subtle spice rather than real heat. Creamy, flavorful, and incredibly snackable. We especially love this melted over a burger or a great steak when you feel like mixing things up a little.
And because no trip to the Basque coast is complete without wine…
We’re also pouring Gaintza Txakolina 2024 and Ameztoi Rubentis Rosé 2025 — two wines that absolutely belong here. Bright, lively, and full of coastal energy, made for seafood, cheese, sunshine, and maybe a slightly dramatic tall pour.
A little Basque escape is always welcome… and since this one happens in Ridgefield and Kent, no passport required.
(Wine tasting in Ridgefield only… for now.)
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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Basque in the Glow Order your Graduation and Memorial Day weekend platters now This week, we’re taking a little trip to

05/07/2026

Hi friends,
Bandit Monkey Brown here.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day.
My first one.
Now… I know Monica isn’t my biological Mom… but she is absolutely my forever Mom.
One of my favorite moments of the day happens right at the start. Dad takes me out to, well… you know… and then it’s back inside for breakfast.
But then comes the best part…

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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Happy Mother's Day to all Mom's As many of you know, I lost my mom on December 29, 2025. For me, she was Rhoda — we all

04/30/2026

If you want to stay in the loop on cheese, wine and everything 109, we do send out a weekly email. Click the link and sign up and join our family. Thanks!!!

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04/25/2026

Today with Gary | Ridgefield 12–5
We’ve got two familiar favorites back in new vintages — and they’re drinking beautifully.
Poggio al Sole 2025 (Tuscany, Italy)
Bright, fresh, and full of life. Think citrus, white peach, and a little floral lift, with a clean, balanced finish that makes it incredibly easy to enjoy. It’s the kind of white that works with just about anything — light, refreshing, and perfect for this time of year.
Roseblood Rosé 2025 (Provence, France)
Everything we love about Provence in a glass. Pale, crisp, and refreshing with delicate red berry notes, citrus, and a clean mineral finish. It’s elegant but effortless — the kind of rosé you open in the afternoon and suddenly it’s gone. Perfect for the porch, the patio, or wherever the day takes you.
Both are new vintages of wines we loved last year — and the 2025s absolutely deliver.
Come by, have a taste, and see for yourself.

04/25/2026

Take some advice from Bandit
Take Time to Appreciate Time
We don’t say that enough.
This time of year reminds us.
Longer days, softer light, the colors coming back… everything feels like it’s asking us to slow down, even just a little.
To notice what’s right in front of us.
A glass of wine.
A piece of cheese.
A simple meal.
The people sitting around the table.
None of it complicated.
All of it meaningful.

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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Take Time to Appreciate Time We don’t say that enough. This time of year reminds us. Longer days, softer light, the colo

04/24/2026

Finish the lap… then head to 109 Cheese and WKNDDRVR in Kent, CT
for Cars & Cheese 4-6pm
Saturday May 2
Saturday May 23
Saturday June 13
Saturday July 18
Saturday August 22

Stop by for an apéritif
After the perfect day of driving relax on our patio with a little cheese and more.
We are the perfect way to cool down and unwind

A little play on cars & coffee—but a little more our speed.
Bring whatever you love to drive. Old, new, two wheels, four… it doesn’t matter. If you love the road, you’re in the right place.
We’ll have the cheese flowing, great food coming out of the kitchen, and a space to slow down for a bit after a good drive. Walk the lot, check out the cars, wander through WKNDDRVR, and spend some time with like-minded people.
Plenty of parking.
A beautiful patio.
No rush.
Come for the cars… stay for the cheese.
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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne The Drive, good eats and maybe some wine Starts with a sunrise… and ends with a great drive. This week we’re sharing a little of both—WKNDDRVR, Alfa Romeo, upcoming even

04/17/2026

As we head into the weekend, the earth is starting to show off a bit…
Brighter colors, longer days, and those early sunrises that make you pause for a second. The drives are back. The boat is calling (when the weather cooperates). And there’s that feeling again — that we should probably be outside a little more.
Watching the Artemis mission, seeing Earth from a distance like that… it does something.
It reminds you how beautiful this place really is. How small the noise can feel. How much there is right here that’s worth slowing down for.
Bandit seems to have it figured out.
He reminds us to take the moment when it shows up… not rush past it.
We try to do the same.
When we can, we gather around food, wine, and good friends — simple things that turn into great moments.
That’s really what this season is about for us.
We hope you’ll join us this spring and summer. We’re looking forward to bringing back some of our cheese and wine classes, along with a few fun things we’ve been working on for Kent.
More reasons to take a drive, spend some time in WKNDDRVR, and enjoy the day a little differently.
Because when the world feels a little chaotic, we hope 109 can be a place where things slow down… and feel good again.
Maybe it’s just a glass of wine on the porch… a simple meal at the table… or a quiet moment by the water.
Whatever it is — don’t miss it

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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order always thankful for a spectacular sunrise and cheese and wine at sunset As we head into the weekend, the earth is start

04/15/2026

It’s a beautiful day.
The kind of day where the light hits just right, the air feels a little softer, and everything slows down… even if just for a minute.
Don’t forget to breathe.
Don’t forget to look up.
Don’t forget to appreciate the day.
Let’s start with a tail wag, carry a little kindness with us, and end it the right way…
with a little cheese and wine.
— Bandit

04/10/2026

Our First Spring Second Saturday!
Vintage Cars, Great Co-Pilots, Picnics and Boat Time!
We’re starting to feel it…
Windows down, longer drives, and that pull to just get out and go. The kind of days where the road matters as much as the destination — and maybe even a little more.
This weekend feels like the first real step into it.
Make a day of it… either way.
Start in Ridgefield with Second Saturday — Gary will be pouring wines from 12–5, and our neighbors Sarah and Bernard from à table will be right next door, joining in as always. It’s the perfect place to begin — something to taste, something to eat, and a little inspiration for what comes next.
Then head north to Kent. Spend some time in WKNDDRVR, our gallery space inside 109 Cheese & Wine, and settle in for a bit. The patio is open, the pace is slower, and it’s the kind of place you end up staying longer than you planned.
Or do it the other way around.
Start with a drive to Kent — take the long way, walk through the gallery, grab something to eat, sit outside for a while — then make your way down to Ridgefield to catch the tasting and see what Gary has open.
Either way… it works.
Cheese, wine, a good drive, and a little time to enjoy it all.
Bandit’s already leaning into it… ears up, taking it all in, ready for wherever the road goes next.
Stop by, grab something good, and make a day of it.

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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Our First Spring Second Saturday! Vintage Cars, Great Co-Pilots, Picnics and Boat Time! Our First Spring Second Saturday

04/02/2026

Passover began Wednesday night, Easter is right behind it, and the table is starting to take shape.
If you haven’t placed your order yet, now’s the time — we’re are here for you and the shop is full and ready.
For Passover
Our smoked salmon is perfect! — hand-sliced in-house, just the way Todd likes it.
Rhoda’s chicken soup is in stock and made with love and everything it’s supposed to be to continue Moms legacy soup. Simple, traditional, and ready for your table. We even have a limited stock of Mom's recipe of matzoh balls!
For Easter
Platters, baskets, and Spring cheeses are coming together beautifully — fresh, colorful, and meant to be shared.
Whether you’re hosting or bringing something along, we’ll help you show up with exactly what you need.
We make all platters fresh and to order, so we highly recommend reaching out sooner than later to make sure we can take care of you the way we’d like.
Stop in, call, email or order online — we’ll get you set.
In the end, it’s about sitting down, slowing down, and sharing something good with the people around you, and we hope we can help you always accomplish that goal at 109.
Todd & Monica
(and Bandit, very focused on quality control

We will be closed Easter Sunday at both locations
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Email from 109 Cheese and WIne Cheese, Wine and the Drive but not in that order Bandit, our personal Easter Bunny and Matzoh Ball Passover begins Wednesday night, Easter is right behind it, and the ta