Wine & Cheese from our May 11th Bloomy-Rinded Cheesemaking Workshop

Below are pairings from our May 11th Brie-Making with Sommelier-Led Wine-Pairing Workshop:

• M. Chevalier Cava, Spain -Macabeu (Mauk-a-beao) is the primary grape used in Cava production. Despite its importance, Macabeu tastes somewhat simple. It has faint floral aromatics, a lemony flavor with a slightly bitter finish that tastes similar to green almonds. Xarel·lo (sounds like ‘Cheryl-ooh’) on the other hand, is much more aromatic with rich floral aromas and pear/melon-like notes. The last grape, Paralleda (Par-re-ya-da), is blended for its ripping high acidity and zesty citrus flavors. Together the three Spanish grapes create a balanced fruity sparkling wine that’s less sweet than Prosecco but not as nutty as Vintage Champagne.

• Bergamino di Bufala - From Bergamo, Lombardy, this soft-ripened buffalo milk cheese is reminiscent of frozen yogurt, without the freeze. Buttery in texture with a milky, tangy finish.The rind is light and milk, the paste smooth and custard-like.

• Smith Story Sauvignon Blanc 2017 - Smith Story is known for making old world style wines from single vineyard sites in northern California. They produce balanced wine with minimal human intervention from family farmed vineyards in Sonoma County and the Anderson Valley.

• Locarno from Nicasio Valley - Creamy around the edge with a chalky interior, this cheese is all fresh milk flavors. You can almost taste the rolling grassy hills of its birthplace on the Marin dairy farm that has been run by the Lafranchi family for 100 years.

• Idlewild The Bee Flora & Fauna White 2016 - Vineyard- Flora and Fauna loosely means the collection of plant and animal life from a particular place. In this wine the winemaker intended for it be a collection of varietals from the cellar that make up the blend for the year. For 2016, The Bee compromises of roughly 53% Muscat Canelli (a.k.a Muscat Blanc, Moscato Bianco), 42% Arneis, and 5% Cortese. The Muscat Canelli comes from organically farmed, well drained volcanic soils on the southwest edge of Lake County. Most of the Arneis for this blend comes from the high altitude of Potter Valley in Northeast Mendocino. The remaining Arneis and the Cortese comes from Fox Hill Vineyard with soils that are well drained with high concentrations of gravel and sandstone. - collection of 3 diffrent grapes from 3 different climates and growing condition creating a beautifully complex wine.

• Mothais Sur Feuille - This is one of my all-time favorite cheeses! A farmhouse goat cheese from the Deux-Sèvres region of France, it is named for the town of Mothe-Saint-Héray where the cheese has been made and marketed since the 19th century. In 2002 it received AOC designation to maintain quality standards. The cheeses are aged 3-four weeks in a moister environment than most goat cheeses, giving it a moister, more unctuous quality. They are turned every four days. The cheese are then dried out by placing on a chestnut leaf.

• 2016 Prima Materia Barbera, Lake County, CA 2016- An absolutely smooth and decadent Barbara with hints of black cherries and cocoa. "Tasting notes: Boysenberry, blackberry and pomegranate tones in a round, medium-weight package with characteristic good acidity and low but slight tannin. Good minerality. No new oak."

• Pave Cardinal by Hervé Mons - Originally from a small village in France called Richelieu (named for the infamous Cardinal), this square-shaped cheese (pave means paving stone) has a light, lactic flavor that becomes nuttier with age. Our was aged 6-8 weeks and demonstrated an interesting mottled rind with big flavor.
• La Dama by Caseificio Reale - From a corner of Piedmont halfway between the Alps and the Po Valley where lush green pastures and perfect climate create prime dairy conditions. This cheese is 87% cows milk with 8% sheep's milk plus cream. The cheese is soft and ripens with just enough lanolin from the sheep's milk to pleasantly coat your tongue.

• Mathis Sonoma County Grenache - Grenache is a rarity in the North Coast wine regions of California, and great Grenache even more so. But in any discussion of North Coast Grenache, the name Peter Mathis always comes up. The wine maker, owner, and general magic maker. He was the winemaker at Ravenswood for over 20 years and the wines he produces show his true knowledge of the area, wine making, and a passion for the craft.

• Harbison by The Cellars at Jasper Hill - Made by one of the best cheesemakers in the country - Mateo Keuhler and the team at Jasper Hill Farms - from cow's milk and wrapped in spruce bark. This big, bold cheese is a show-stopper. People claim to taste everything from cheeseburgers to bacon to hot dogs in this smoky, delectable cheese. It's often served with the top cut off so you can dip right into its gooey interior like fondue.