Cheese Shops We Love: Arrowine & Cheese

Arlington, Virginia’s Arrowine & Cheese has been a standby for D.C.-area cheese lovers for decades, thanks to its extensive selection of imports. The shop is owned by president Doug Rosen, who joined the business as a partner in 1999, and vice-president Shemsedin “Shem” Hassen, who joined Arrowine & Cheese in 2004.

“We curate a selection of cheeses that are more unique and hard to find,” says Davíd Bauman-Rojas, Arrowine’s assistant cheese and deli manager. “We work directly with French and Swiss importers to get cheese that might not be available otherwise.”

Arrowine typically purchases large wheels of cheese as opposed to smaller pre-cut, vacuum-sealed pieces, including 60 to 70 pound wheels of Gruyère made by internationally acclaimed master cheesemaker Michael Spycher. “It’s the same with Parmigiano-Reggiano,” says Bauman-Rojas. “We split 80-pound wheels once per month, so you’re getting a much higher quality.”

Bauman-Rojas is especially excited to showcase new cheeses. “You’re finding more experimental stuff coming out of Europe that you wouldn’t see before—now you’re getting fun, interesting cheeses coming out of Switzerland instead of just traditional Gruyère and raclette,” he explains. “[In addition,] American cheesemakers have really upped their game.  You can serve American cheese to Europeans and it’s just as good as what they get at home.”

The Shop

“The shop isn’t huge, but it feels nice and open,” says Bauman-Rojas.  A large glass cheese case runs the entire width of the store, and a refrigerator behind it is filled with ham, prosciutto, and split half wheels of cheese on display. There’s also a grab-and-go section with pre-cut cheese wedges and cheese dips, and one side of the store features a large table for wine tastings.

The cheese selection varies throughout the year, with up to 250 cheeses during the holiday season and about 100 cheeses during slower periods.

“We tend to focus more on imports—we have a ton of French and Swiss cheeses, and a nice selection of Spanish and Italian cheeses,” says Bauman-Rojas. “We bring in local cheesemakers too, from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania…We usually have nice array of goat, cow, and sheep cheeses, with mild to funky washed rind cheeses, and the same with blues.”

 

Top Selling Cheeses

Delice Mon Sire

“Of our triple creams, Delice Mon Sire is the most popular,” says Bauman-Rojas.  “It’s like a creamy, buttery Brie.”

 

La Gruta Del Sol Tres Leches

“La Gruta Del Sol Tres Leches is a Spanish cheese like Manchego, but made with three different milks,” Bauman-Rojas says. “You get the butteriness from the sheep’s milk, a tang from the goat’s milk, and the cow’s milk wraps it all together. It’s good for snacking and a nice dessert cheese, it just hits all the notes.”

 

Le Gruyère AOP

Bauman-Rojas explains that Arrowine & Cheese stocks several Gruyère and Comte cheeses with various ages; Gruyère made by Michael Spycher is the most popular. “Our alpines tend to be big movers,” he says.

 

Also Look For

In addition to wine, beer, cheese, and charcuterie, the shop also stocks international grocery items from France and Italy.

Although formal classes aren’t currently available, Bauman-Rojas encourages customers to deepen their cheese knowledge by interacting with the shop’s cheesemongers. “We have cheesemongers who have been here for over 10 years—any time you ask a question, you get a cheese lesson just by talking to our mongers!”