San Francisco has a handful of iconic landmarks, and one of them is the Ferry Building. Aside from being a ferry terminal, it’s actually also an office building, and more importantly it houses a food hall and a farmer’s market. I was charmed by the idea of being able to grab some good food and getting to enjoy it by the bay, with Bay Bridge gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Unfortunately, I did not get to do that because I spent way too much time geeking out over the artisan food products inside. Before I knew it, it was time for us to leave. Nonetheless, I did get to sample…

I’ve never been to a winery before. Somehow in all those previous times I’ve been to San Francisco, the timing just didn’t tie in with a visit to Napa Valley. My desire to go to one is not because I fancy myself a wine connoisseur or anything like that; a winery just seems like a fascinating place to visit. Well, thanks to our California Cheese Crawl with Real California Milk, I got my wish granted with this visit to Louis M Martini Winery.

Off the coast of Sonoma County, in a little town called Valley Ford, there stands a 640-acre farm that has been owned by the Bianchi family since 1918. Boasting lush, rolling pastures overlooking the wetlands of the Estero Americano, there is plenty of room for their 500 Jersey cows to roam. With the help of knowledge passed down by their Italian ancestors, this farm has been home to sustainable dairy and agricultural practices since the beginning. From building using recycled materials, to implementing a system that catches rainwater for use around the farm, earth-friendly practices continue to be a commitment for the Bianchi family many generations after.

You know a company is serious about cheese when they have a visitor center, and quite a big one at that. I don’t know what I was expecting upon arriving here at Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center, but certainly it was not the ginormous gift shop-slash-cafe, nor the second floor “learning hub” they have. I also did not expect the very kiddie, slightly corny, but also shockingly informative video they show at the start of every tour lol.

Before coming to California for this Cheese Crawl, I was already enamored with Fiscalini’s cheeses, most notably their award-winning bandage-wrapped cheddar. It’s the cheese I keep praying will be available in Manila soon. I would probably be one of the first in line to buy it, and I would probably be that girl urging everyone else to do the same.