Are you ready for a grate time? Mould’s brie-lliant cheese festival is back this winter, with stops in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. This weekend my plus one and I ventured to the iconic Royal Exhibition Building to partake in Melbourne’s dairy delights.
Tickets include all cheese tastings – from brilliant blues to mouthwatering wine wash rinds. What can I say? Tasting a variety of delicious morsels melts my heart. My plus one and I came for the cheese fever dreams, and then stayed for all the cheese-adjacent goodies. Think wine, beer, spirits, crackers, preserves, and spices. 
Here’s a sample of our highlights:
- Vannella’s luscious range of buffalo milk cheese. The gooey Stracciatell was a personal favourite.
- Sneaky sips of Starward’s limited release bourbon cask single malt.
- A giant wheel of blue cheese at Milwara.
- La Cantara’s Columbia coffee coated cheese made in Tasmania by Venezuelan dairy farmers.
- The refreshing zero-alcohol tea flavoured beverage from TINA.
- Woman’s Work preserves made from a great-grandmother’s recipe. My plus one and I both walked away with a jar full of nostalgia (in the form of tomato relish).
- Yume Wine’s fizzy honey fermented Ambrosia, named for the nectar of the gods.
- The nutty Curfew goat’s cheese developed by Stone and Crow during the lockdowns as a tasty, comforting treat.
- Clifton Hill Fermentary’s kimchi range. The red cabbage kraut with fennel seeds delivered traditional German flavours and the kimchi with fish sauce was *chef’s kiss.
- Mount Zero’s salt and pepperberry seasoning. Who knew salt and pepper could be this good!
- And last, but certainly not least, Berry Creek’s Australian Champion Award winning blue.
The event is popular, with sold-out sessions. (Revel, the team behind Mould also produce the infamous Pinot Palooza.) So be prepared for short queues. Luckily I had a gouda friend with me to pass the time, and the tasty treats were worth the whey-t. 
– Jenny
Jenny S. is an event adventurer. When she’s not attending live shows, you can find her sampling the latest craft beer or sipping a creative cocktail.
Mould runs June 28-29 Melbourne, July 26-28 Sydney, and August 9-11 Mould x Pinot Palooza Perth. Buy tickets now.
