Some great values in wine and another wild and crazy yeast beer along with a whole range of cheeses brought over by friends for dinner the other night . . .
2007 Botromagno Gravina [60 percent Greco, 40 percent Malvasia] (Gravina DOC, Puglia, southern Italy) cork closure, 12% - imported to USA by Leonardo Locasio Selections/Winebow, New York, New York – appears medium dark gold, tons of spritz, almost sparkling, even bit of foam, smell pretty awesome dried butterscotch and volcanic rock, also a bit of the dentist's office, this is a pretty awesome nose, mouthfeel lively spritzy, light, kabinett-like, taste crisp, clean with deep penetrating flavors, wow, precise and dry, tons of fun in the flavor category, instantly likable, dried out tang, suggests muscat at times, riesling at others, this wine is an incredible little package, lovely match for a delicious easygoing kaeng khiew wan kap pak, tao hoo leh horapha (green curry with eggplant, bell pepper, broccoli, tofu and thai basil). This wine was $12—which makes it one of the top values I've had in awhile, as I loved it. But then I had another great value . . .
2006 Bernard Santé Chénas [Gamay] (Chénas, Beaujolais, Bourgogne, northeastern France) cork closure, 12.5% - imported to USA by Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, California – appears light faded cranberry color with grey tones, smell wonderful floral, fresh violets, lovely, taste soft/tender acid, violets and grapes, tiny bit of spice, delicious and integrated, dry depth with juicy firmly bound texture, this wine is impressive, and for less than $17 made a stunning, I mean stunning food wine pairing beautifully with a chickpea, fingerling potato and tomato stew with romesco sauce and with the wide range of cheeses below. Jaw-dropping value on this wine.
Russian River Brewing Consecration Batch 001X3. Santa Rosa, California (wild/sour ale) sparkling wine-type mushroom cork with wire cage, 10% – appears reddish caramel and making a mess coming out of the bottle (I thought it had rested), smell tight inward rubber, butterscotch, very intense very inward, almost like reduction type smells, taste yeasty, funny didn't get that on nose, full frothy mouthfeel, crisp and edgy, yeasty unripe raspberries, contemplative with touch of sweet intensity on finish, the carbonation and nose on this beer made me feel I was drinking it far too early (and I think this beer was just released) a minimum of two years before I'd touch it again, I guess in any case I had mixed feelings on this beer, certainly wave of wild, crazy, yeasty beer but not sure this particular combination would win me over, certainly not right now and hard for me to get a sense of how it might develop, and $23 for a 750 ml is steep for me, will see. I liked very much, however, how the tart yeastiness paired with most of the cheeses below. Great use for the beer, it may perform best with the right dish, as the cheeses made it very approachable but still distinctive.
From producer: beer aged 6 months in oak barrels, label suggests aging up to three years, Ale aged in used Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with currants added. Undergoes a secondary fermentation in this bottle to create its fine carbonation—a process commonly used in Champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast cells form a thin layer in the bottom of this bottle, adding even more complexity and flavors.
Fromager d'Affinois Double Cream, a cow's milk cheese from Rhône-Alpes in southeastern France – evidently a bit controversial in the cheese world, as the producer uses (and developed?) a process of ultrafiltration that removes water from pasteurized milk before making the cheese, which not only concentrates it all, but allow them to make the cheese quicker – smells kind of lightly of stinky milk, but the taste truly reflects the 60 percent fat content, tastes sweet, fatty, and almost lard-like, firm and gummy, a nice fatty cheese
Fromager d'Affinois Ewe's Milk from Rhône-Alpes in southeastern France – smell is sweet and herbal, very nice, taste butter firm and fresh, firm/chewy texture, amazing texture with bright fruity notes, this cheese was one of the best matches for the Chénas, a match made in heaven, the complexity of fruit flavors in this cheese made it one of my favorites
Nevat, a soft-ripened goat cheese from Catalonia in northeastern Spain- subtle on nose, firm texture, dry and nutty, dry and crumbly, quite elastic, felt like chewing on a rubber band at times, didn't seem that distinctive, but I did like it and enjoyed the variation of flavor within.
Manchego, a raw sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha in central Spain – tasted dry crusty, nuttier, and spicier, long finish and the spiciness were welcome features, but in general the cheese felt tired, certainly not the best representative of Manchego I've had
Epoisses, an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese from the Côte-d'Or in Burgundy, southeastern France – pungent in smell per its reputation, rich, overpowering in pungent and rich flavors, almost volcanic elements at times, fruit juice, subtle it is not, but kind of like a friend even though they may get a bit loud when they've had a few drinks. Both the Chénas and the Consecration went excellently with washing down the flavors of this cheese.
Tomme de Ma Grand-Mère, a goat's milk cheese from western France – tastes soft, delicate and precise, firm texture but not lingering or sticky, very clean, everything the Epoisses was not, I adored it, good palate cleansing cheese.
Prima Donna Aged Gouda, a cow's milk cheese from the Netherlands – fire and smoke smell, tastes sharp, salty, Parmesan-like, very light, crisp crystals withing, this was a great firm and crunchy cheese, great complexity, would have gone better with a white wine, I think.
St. Agur, a blue cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk cheese from Auvergne in central France – great nose of a moldy cellar in Ireland, taste salty upfront, leafy and green, bit tangy and spicy and gritty on the finish, this cheese was all about the fun.