And I'm on another of those "posting like a mad woman" rolls, making this my third post in less than 24 hours. I just wanted to be sure that this got out while I had some time to do it.
Sooooo. For those of you who asked, here it is!!
First of all, credit for the host. The wines all from
Willmon Vineyards (the vineyard is located in Deming, NM)
End of the Vine (the store)
2801 Sudderth Drive
Ruidoso, NM 88345
Phone: 505-630-WINE
jessica@winesofnewmexico.com
This a relatively new vineyard/winery, and I'm sure their stock is not known everywhere. I'm sure it can be ordered by a cooperative liquor/wine store in your area or by contacting the store. They will ship. The shop is run/managed by Kay, who is the mother of the owner. She is a great lady, quite knowledgeable. The cheeses are available through the store, but you'll need to ask about shipping. I assume this can be done, but I failed to ask.
Here is the list. There isn't one wine or cheese on this list that I didn't like. NONE!
1. Reserve Chardonnay - aged in French and American oak barrels. Two months in old barrels and two months in new barrels creating a perfect harmony of the oak flavors. This wine is fermented and aged high acid with very low sugar residual. It is paired with Keen's Cheddar, a superior hand made cheese from the Keen's farm in somerset, England. Made from unpasteurized cows milk. You will find the acidity in both the wine and the hand=crafter cheese makes for a delicious paring. the key is to pair acid to acid.
2. Chardonnay aged in stainless steel rather than oak. This Chardonnay is sweeter with higher sugar residual - similar in style to white burgundy. Our cheese selection for this Chardonnay is Brillat Savarin (brie-YAH sah-vah-RAHN). This cheese is a cow's milk, triple-créme, brie style from France. You will find a buttery, rich, creamy texture that pairs nicely with the crispness of the Chardonnay. This cheese is excellent on its own or served with fruit jam and hard bread. It is basically the cheese equivalent to ice cream.
3. Merlot 2006 - a later harvest Merlot with a sweeter and fruitier taste than traditional Merlots. Our paring is Rogue Creamery's "Oregon Blue." this is the first blue made on the west coast and the first smoked blue cheese. This cheese has been cold-smoked for 16 hours over NW grown hazelnut shells. The result is a balance of sweet caramel and hazelnut flavors that contrast the sharpness of the blue cheese making this Merlot the perfect wine.
4. 2006 Syrah - a nice dry red complimenting the dryness of our pairing of the Humbolt Fog goat cheese. This cheese is a young, bloomy rind goats milk cheese characterized by the thin line of edible black ash running through its middle. There is also a thin layer of the ash under its exterior to give it a cake-like appearance. The "fat" in the goat cheese compliments the acidity of the Cabernet.
5. Ruidoso Red - our signature wine - is a blend of Zinfandel and Muscat. This blend creates that goes with almost any cheese selection, but we have chosed Reblochon. The word Reblochon stems from the word "reclocher" roughly translated means "to milk again." In the 16th century in France, the region's farmers would pay rent and taxes with milk, cheese, or butter. Some farmers allegedly milk the cows dry in order to pay their landlords. However the farmers would then return to milk the herd again at night for their own consumption. This second milking provided rich, high-butterfat milk used for creating creamy, flavorful cheese. The Reblochon-style cheese is strong and mushroomy, the thin pillowy rind give way to a near-liquid, delicious paste. The sharpness of the cheese pairs beautifully with the sweetness of our Ruidoso Red.
6. Muscat de Alexandria our dessert wine paired with a key lime cheesecake. The sweetness of our dessert wine with the tartness of the Key Lime cheesecake make a great finish to our evening.
Dang! Now I want some wine and cheese!!!! MmmmmmmMMMMmmmMMMmmmm!
If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am not drinking any @#$#@! Merlot.
ReplyDeleteIf you know wine and movies, then you know where that quote is taken from.
Let me comment here also on a couple other blogs that you've posted. You can NEVER be too careful on a ladder. My grandfather fell off one and broke some ribs. My uncle fell off one last year--trimming branches like you--and he was hurting for months afterwards.
Your blog on your parents anniversary reminded me of a wonderful song from a local composer who sang it at an open mike night we went to recently. It was titled, "Does She Like Me" and described an elderly man's attempt to re-connect with his wife who was housed in a ward for Alzheimer's patients. Brought a tear to my wife's eye.
Dave, ya got me. I have absolutely no idea about that line. I even goggled it, and I didn't see the movie. I lose this round, for sure!
ReplyDeleteThe ladder - I was extremely careful. Since I live alone and remotely, I try to avoid any risk. I know, I know, it can always happen, but I do everything I can. :D
I'd love to hear that song. And yeah, I'd cry, but I'd still like to hear it. Has your wife read "The Notebook"? Awesome tearjerker. Jus' sayin'.
If I ever start drinking wine and eating cheese, I know where to come for which ones are good, Lynilu ! Your detailed descriptions are great :)
ReplyDeleteDear Annie, I wish I could claim to be so accurately descriptive, but it was written by the hostess. I simply copied it (with a few grammatical errors in place! It was all I could do to not correct them, but I refrained.). :)
ReplyDeleteNot a big wine conniseur. You are the most versatile and interesting woman though, Lynilu!
ReplyDeletePatti, mais oui, madame!Je suis la grande dame conniseur de vin!! Et beaucoup, beaucoup plus!!! ;D
ReplyDelete(I surely hope I remembered my Frendh right? LOL!)
THANKS for this!!!!
ReplyDeleteGary and I love wine and I'm still learning what goes with what.
I think I will be buying some wine (and cheese!) today! :-)
Cheryl, I'm glad! good luck with the happy pairing of your wine and cheese!!
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend, Lynilu :)
ReplyDelete