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Our First Spring Second Saturday! Vintage Cars, Great Co-Pilots, Picnics and Boat Time!
We’re starting to feel it…
Windows down, longer drives, and that pull to just get out and go. The kind of days where the road matters as much as the destination — and maybe even a little more.
This weekend feels like the first real step into it.
Make a day of it… either way.
Start in Ridgefield with Second Saturday — Gary will be pouring wines from 12–5, and our neighbors Sarah and Bernard from à table will be right next door, joining in as always. It’s the perfect place to begin — something to taste, something to eat, and a little inspiration for what comes next.
Then head north to Kent. Spend some time in WKNDDRVR, our gallery space inside 109 Cheese & Wine, and settle in for a bit. The patio is open, the pace is slower, and it’s the kind of place you end up staying longer than you planned.
Or do it the other way around.
Start with a drive to Kent — take the long way, walk through the gallery, grab something to eat, sit outside for a while — then make your way down to Ridgefield to catch the tasting and see what Gary has open.
Either way… it works.
Cheese, wine, a good drive, and a little time to enjoy it all.
Bandit’s already leaning into it… ears up, taking it all in, ready for wherever the road goes next.
Stop by, grab something good, and make a day of it.
Both Stores and Gallery will be closed Easter Sunday
Bandit, our personal Easter Bunny and honorary Matzoh Ball, along with Monica and I, want to wish you all a very happy Easter and Passover.
We hope your tables are full, your glasses are raised, and you’re surrounded by the people who matter most.
Both stores and our gallery will be closed Easter Sunday so our team can spend time with family.
Thank You,
Todd, Monica and Bandit 
we make some pretty great sandwiches and grilled cheese too
At 109 Cheese & Wine in Kent and Ridgefield, we’re not just about cheese and wine… we make some pretty great sandwiches and grilled cheese too.
In Ridgefield, it’s grab-and-go until they’re gone — and then we keep it going, making them fresh to order all day.
Up in Kent, you can settle in a bit. Grab a seat inside our gallery space, WKNDDRVR, or head out to the patio when the weather’s right. It’s one of our favorite ways to spend an afternoon.
Simple, delicious, and made with the same care we put into everything else.
Take a look at the link below to see what we’re serving… and come hungry.
Sandwich menu
Bandit’s Corner
Bandit’s Corner
Assistant Cheesemonger 109 Cheese & Wine
Hi friends,
Bandit Monkey Brown here.
This week, I’m keeping things simple.
I’ve been spending some quiet time lately… watching the light come in, listening to the house, keeping an eye on the yard (very important work). And it got me thinking about something I’ve been learning from the people around me.
Be kind. Be nice. Be loving.
That’s it. That’s the whole thing.
I never got to meet Otis… but I hear about him all the time. I see him in the way people talk about him, in the way they smile, and in the way love still fills the room when his name comes up.
And I think he’d want me to remind you of this:
You never really know how much time you have.
So live every day like it’s the first day of spring.
Like this moment right here —
watching the sun come up,
feeling the warmth through the window,
knowing a new day is starting.
Smile more.
Say thank you — all the time.
And don’t forget how much of an impact you can have on someone else… sometimes without even realizing it.
I see it every day at the shop.
A kind word. A shared laugh. A little connection over a piece of cheese.
It all matters.
And if you’re ever unsure what to do…
find a little sun, slow down, and maybe give someone a good smoosh.
With love and kindness,
Bandit Monkey Brown
Assistant Cheesemonger, Director of Smooshes, 109 Cheese & Wine
Moliterno al Tartufo
Some cheeses don’t whisper… they make an entrance.
Moliterno al Tartufo is one of those.
A firm sheep’s milk cheese from Italy, aged and then infused with ribbons of black truffle running through the paste. Rich, savory, and deeply aromatic — every bite delivers that unmistakable earthy truffle flavor.
Shave it over pasta, fold it into a warm risotto, add it to a board, or just break off a piece and let it do its thing.
This is a “stop what you’re doing and taste this” kind of cheese.
WKNDDRVR — On the Road, On Purpose
WKNDDRVR lives inside 109 Cheese & Wine in Kent, but it’s really about what happens before you get here.
It’s about the drive.
The kind where you don’t rush. Where the road matters as much as the destination. Where you roll the windows down, take the long way, and let your mind settle into the rhythm of it all. Two wheels, three wheels, four… old or new, it doesn’t matter. If you love to drive, you’re one of us.
We created WKNDDRVR as a space for people who feel that pull. A place to land after a meaningful drive. A place to connect with others who understand that sometimes the best reset in life is a good road, a great machine, and a little time.
And when you get here… take a look around.
The walls tell stories.
Moments in motion. Quiet roadside scenes. Machines and memories from days gone by.
Our current collection includes the work of Richard James—what we like to call “roadside views you may have missed”—alongside continuing works from Chuck Queener, Steve Klucik, Bryan McCarthy, and Lans Christensen. Each piece captures a different part of the drive… the stillness, the movement, the feeling you can’t quite put into words but always recognize.
And of course, there’s food.
109 Cheese offers a full lunch menu built around the same idea—simple, thoughtful, and worth slowing down for. Whether you’re pulling in solo or arriving with a group, we can also put together custom breakfast or lunch spreads for fellow enthusiasts. Good drives deserve good food.
There’s plenty of parking—because sometimes the drive turns into a gathering.
WKNDDRVR isn’t just a gallery. It’s a mindset.
Drive with intention. Arrive with purpose. Stay for a bit.
Hi everyone, Bandit Monkey Brown here
Hi everyone, Bandit Monkey Brown here.
I’ve officially been living with Todd and Monica for about a month now, and from what I understand I had some very big paws to fill. A lot of you knew and loved Otis, and I hear he was a pretty legendary guy.
I’m doing my best.
So far I’ve been working very hard at my main responsibilities: being cute, causing a little mischief, giving smooshes, and making sure Todd and Monica smile as much as possible. The humans say it’s been a tough start to the year for them with the loss of Rhoda and then Otis not long after. But I think they’re doing okay… especially when I sit on their feet or fall asleep next to them. For those of you asking about my progress: I’m now pushing 25 pounds, which Todd says is about one-third of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano. Apparently that’s how they measure things around here.
I’ve also been told that many of you have been sending love, gifts, and support. The humans say thank you. I say thank you too… especially if any of those gifts involve treats. They also keep telling me I’m a gift from Rhoda and Otis. I’m not exactly sure how that works, but I’ll do my best to live up to it.
Good news though — I’ve recently been promoted and will now be writing my very own column in the 109 newsletter, where I’ll be sharing important updates about life, cheese, and other things I discover while supervising the humans.
So if you see me around the shop, please say hello. I accept belly rubs, ear scratches, and compliments about how handsome I am.
And remember — if you need a friendly face, a puppy smoosh, or a little cheese and wine therapy… it must be 109 time.
Bandit Monkey Brown
Assistant Cheesemonger / Director of Smooshes / Newsletter Columnist
Second Saturdays in Ridgefield Oregon Wines This Week
Second Saturdays in Ridgefield
Oregon Wines This Week
This Saturday March 14th, we’re heading out to the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon for our Second Saturdays tasting with Sarah and Bernard from à table. We’ll be pouring two wonderful organically farmed wines that are perfect companions for cheese and charcuterie.
First up is the 2022 Illahe Pinot Gris. Illahe is a small, family-run winery known for doing things a little differently. The vineyards are farmed organically, horses are used in place of tractors, and the winery itself operates without electricity in the cellar — relying on gravity, pedal power, and daylight to craft their wines in a thoughtful, old-world way. The wine itself is bright and lively with fresh pear, citrus, and a hint of melon. Crisp and refreshing, but with enough texture to stand up to food. This is exactly the kind of white that loves creamy cheeses like our French triple crèmes, fresh goat cheeses like the Buchette, and a slice or two of prosciutto. Then we’ll move into the 2023 Crowley Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, another organically farmed wine that shows just how graceful Oregon Pinot can be. It’s silky and elegant with notes of red cherry, raspberry, and a touch of earthiness that makes Pinot Noir such a natural partner for cheese and charcuterie. Balanced, approachable, and incredibly food-friendly.
Both wines highlight what we love about Oregon — thoughtful farming, beautiful balance, and wines that shine brightest when enjoyed around the table with good food and good company.
Stop by, grab a taste, and spend a little time with us. Great wine, wonderful cheeses, and the always delicious bites from à table — a perfect Saturday afternoon in Ridgefield.
Gary will be pouring, and if we’re lucky, Bandit may make an appearance too.
We really do love cheese and wine
We really do love cheese and wine — not just as products on our shelves, but as a way of living. They’ve shaped our
days, our table, and the life we’ve built together.
We cook side by side, share meals as a family, and hold deep respect for the winemakers, cheesemakers, and charcuterie artisans whose work brings so much joy to so many tables. At the heart of it all is something simple: gathering people we care about, pulling up chairs, and sharing a little piece of life together.
If you’ve spent time with us — in our home or in the shops — you know how much we value balance. Life is busy, work is full, but the best moments happen when you slow down and enjoy what you love with the people who matter most.
So come by. Say hello. Spend a little time talking food, wine, and the small, meaningful moments that connect us all.
Let’s keep things easy. Keep them joyful. Keep them genuine.
A little kindness and honesty can carry us a long way.
We’d love to see you — and those smiles.
Bandit would too.
Monica, Todd & Bandit
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