The winners have been chosen in this year’s State Fair competitions for California’s best beers, wines and cheeses, and Nugget Markets is happy to stock many of the top finishers! We’ve put together this handy guide to pairing these award-winning cheeses, beers and wines to create true gold-medal taste.

Marin French Petite Supreme (Best of Division & Gold Medal Winner in Semi-Soft Division) and Gloria Ferrer Brut (Gold Medal Winner): We love this local, decadent triple-créme cheese paired with a stunning sparkling wine. Petite Supreme melts in your mouth with a lush, buttery flavor, and it’s made by Marin French Cheese Company, the oldest continuously operating cheese company in America. Try it with Gloria Ferrer Brut, a Pinot Noir dominated blend featuring wonderful pear and floral aromas, with citrus and apple flavors on the palate and a creamy, toasty finish.

Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk (Best of Division & Gold Medal Winner in California Originals Division) and Sudwerk Marzen (Award to be announced on 7/18): With a beautiful orange exterior and savory aroma, Red Hawk triple crème washed rind is the only cheese still made in Cowgirl Creamery’s original Point Reyes Station location. We like it paired with local brewer Sudwerk’s Marzen, a classic German-style amber lager featuring sweet notes of caramel and roasted nuts, balanced by just enough hops to provide a smooth and balanced finish.

Point Reyes Toma (Gold Medal Winner in Semi-Hard Division) and Track 7 Left Eye, Right Eye Double IPA (Award to be announced on 7/18): An everyday table cheese made with farmstead cow’s milk, Point Reyes Toma is crafted locally, in Marin County. We like it with local Sacramento brewer Track 7’s Left Eye, Right Eye Double IPA, which boasts big flavors of grapefruit and tangerine, intense hop character, and a smooth finish.

Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam (Gold Medal Winner in Semi-Soft Division) and Korbel Blanc de Noir (Best of Show in Sparkling Wine Division): The original aged cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, Mt. Tam triple crème has its roots in a gouda recipe, which lends itself to a sweeter, mild and buttery cheese that highlights the high-quality, local, organic milk. Pair it with Korbel Blanc de Noir, a sparkling wine made with Pinot Noir and three other red grapes, all contributing to a fresh, full-flavored bubbly with green apple, cherry and strawberry aromas and flavors.

Point Reyes Original Blue (Gold Medal Winner in Semi-Soft Division) and Ironstone Obsession (Double Gold Medal Winner): California’s classic blue cheese, Point Reyes Original Blue was the first cheese made by Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. We love its smooth, creamy texture and bright, milky flavor, which finishes in a peppery sharpness. It goes nicely with Ironstone Obesession, made from the Symphony grape, a cross between Muscat and Grenache Gris. Very aromatic, this wine bursts with floral and tropical flavors, and features just the right amount of sweetness to finish clean and refreshing.