Praise cheese and pass the wine! :: Melissa Schilling

Melissa Schilling isn't necessarily known for her photography, but her photos clearly demonstrate her love of the finer foods in life -- cheese, wine -- and her even deeper love of sharing her gift with her students.

Traveling the world, San Francisco native Melissa Schilling developed a passion for food and wine. She lived within striking of Rioja when she was just 20 years old.

While earning her Master of Science in Agriculture she began working in a tasting room in the Edna Valley. Next she spent time in Napa amongst historic vineyards such as BV Vineyard 1, Beckstoffer, To Kalon and Winery Lake - working for several wineries.

Now at home on the Central Coast, she organizes cheese and wine tastings, waxes poetic on farming organically and adores Pinot Noir and Albarino.

Schilling also teaches at The Cheese School of San Francisco. The Cheese School of San Francisco is the only institution of its kind in the Bay Area dedicated to helping individuals and groups maximize their enjoyment of cheese and its accompaniments through education and tasting events, both structured and informal.

Founded in 2006 by Sara Vivenzio, The Cheese School of San Francisco and its roster of expert instructors offer regularly scheduled classes as well as corporate events and private parties, held either at its classroom facility in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood or at the client site.

The Cheese School of San Francisco is committed to building a complete curriculum, with classes and tasting events that can be taken alone or in combination to satisfy food lovers of all types, from the merely curious, to the serious cheese enthusiast, to the food service professional.

Melissa lives at the beach with her pooch, Freddie Mercury.