Casa Mia Picks from the Heart

When we design food and wine experiences, everything starts with what we genuinely love to eat and drink ourselves, especially at this time of year. Winter is when we slow down, cook more thoughtfully, linger at the table longer, and reach for foods and wines that feel comforting, celebratory, and deeply connected to place.

We are excited to share a few hand picked treats for this holiday season! These are the gifts from our favorite gourmet shop Formaggio Kitchen based in Massachusetts where Carolyn and I grew up and call home. You may recall that Casa Mia Tours partnered up with Formaggio Kitchen to create wine and cheese packages for our online wine and cheese tastings. Speaking of which, drumroll… we will be hosting an online tasting on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Please contact us for details. We’d love to share a glass (and a bite) with you. Read on for our picks and warm wishes for a delicious and joyful holiday season!

Gina’s Picks

Monte Veronese Latte Vecchio (Raw Cow’s Milk Cheese)

This is a cheese I crave every winter. There’s something about Monte Veronese that feels made for cold weather: rustic, alpine, and complex. I love its balance of savory depth and delicate sweetness, and how after a day of snowshoeing, it’s the kind of cheese that invites you to slow down, pour a glass of wine, and stay at the table a little longer.

Zaccaria Carnaroli Rice 

As soon as the temperature drops, risotto starts appearing on our table more often, and great risotto starts with great rice. Carnaroli is my go-to for its structure, creaminess, and ability to absorb flavor. Winter cooking, for me, is about warmth and patience, and risotto checks every box.

Perbellini Panettone all’Albicocca

I’ll be honest: growing up, panettone was something I actively avoided. It always felt like dry, brick-like bread pretending to be dessert. Everything changed when I moved to Italy and tasted true, artisan panettone. Properly made, it’s fragrant, delicate, and luxurious, and Perbellini’s panettone is extraordinary. Now I fight for the last slice of panettone every holiday season, and I can’t imagine Christmas without it.

Carolyn’s Picks

American Vinegar Works Hot Honey Vinegar

I am a huge fan of hot honey. I am a huge fan of vinegars. The combination here is crisp, tangy, slightly sweet, with a lingering kick. I like to add it directly to my salads and have even put it into my tomato sauce for an additional layer of flavor.

Mulino Marino Flour Tipo “00”

This flour feels like silk on your finger tips. For pasta making, it is a dream to work with as it is durable and delicate at the same time.  

Gorgonzola Dolce

Gorgonzola dolce has crept into my life and made me a better person.  It has the ability to put and keep a smile on my face for days!  The texture is soft and welcoming.  The flavor has enough sweetness to win over most bleu cheese haters.  Yet it possesses enough of the bleu funk to satisfy the bleu cheese lovers.

Eleonora’s Picks

Robiola Due Latti

Robiola due latti is a bloomy rind cheese from Piedmont, made with both cow and sheep’s milk. I love it for its soft, bloomy rind, and when ripe and unrefrigerated, it’s hard to resist its slightly oozy, rich interior, with typically milky and slightly mushroomy flavor. Robiola pairs beautifully with bubbles. 

Calcagno (Sheep’s Milk Cheese)

Calcagno is a beautiful hand-made pecorino made from the milk of ewes that live sotto cielo (under the sky), grazing free on pastures. This pecorino is made with a Parmigiano-style technique in Sardinia, and then aged for about a year in the cool caves of Casa Madaio in the Campania region of Italy, which I visited in 2016 and filmed an episode of my cheese TV show.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Cheddar brings my Vermont origins to the Italian cheese platter. Like me, the milk for this cheese is born in New England at venerable Cabot Creamery in Vermont. When the 40+ lb. wheels are only a few days old, they are sent over to the “Cellars” at Jasper Hill Farm, where they are bandaged and aged anywhere from 10-14 months, until the classic Cabot Clothbound flavor profile comes out: sweet, fruity, savory, and nutty. 

Wines for the Holiday Table

For those of you visiting or living in Massachusetts, Formaggio Kitchen has wonderful wines that can be delivered to your doorstep (contact Formaggio Kitchen to order). These are wines I return to again and again during the holidays because they’re incredibly versatile. Whether you’re hosting a full feast or bringing a bottle to share, the below choices feel both thoughtful and celebratory.

Whites

Daniele Ricci “Io Cammino Da Solo” Timorasso 
A white with presence, structured, mineral, and quietly powerful. It’s perfect for richer fish dishes, shellfish, and even creamy sauces.

Raìca Aranzu Vermentino 
Bright, fresh, and effortlessly drinkable. This is a bottle I love opening early in the evening, especially with antipasti or lighter seafood courses.

Casebianche Cumalè Fiano 
Textural and expressive, with enough depth to carry through an entire meal. A beautiful bridge between seafood and heartier dishes.

Reds

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 
This is a special-occasion wine in every sense, powerful yet soulful, and absolutely worthy of the holiday table. Ideal for roasts and dishes that call for something profound.

Sanguineto Nobile di Montepulciano (Sangiovese Grosso) 
Classic, savory, and incredibly food-friendly. This is a wine that shines and feels right at home with anything roasted or braised.

Criolin Barbera d’Asti
Juicy, vibrant, and endlessly versatile. A fantastic choice for mixed menus, leftovers, and relaxed holiday gatherings.

Don’t forget to contact us to sign up for our online wine & cheese tasting on Sunday, February 8, 2026.