Twisting Vines » sherry

Ménage à trois

WineDiva — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:24:57 +0000

Chocolate, Cheese and Wine
Okay, so you think it sounds weird, but it’s a great combination. We already know that wine and cheese are wonderful together. Chocolate and dessert wines are great together. What could be better than all three at the same time?

If you have a Port or a nice Sherry that you enjoy sipping, try it with a bitter-sweet dark chocolate. Then add a piece of salty Stilton blue cheese or Chèvre (goat) and your taste buds will go wild.

The Chocolate
Gourmet chocolate bars will cost more than a Hershey’s. Expect to pay anywhere from $2 – $5 per bar. Because the darker chocolate is dry and less sweet, you won’t be scarfing it down and a little goes a long way.
Suggestion:
Valrhona 71% Cacao Dark Bittersweet Chocolate
Find it at Cost Plus or Trader Joe’s.

The Cheese
Two suggesions:
- Point Reyes blue cheese
- Humboldt Fog
Soft, creamy ripened goat’s milk cheese. Has a mild tangy flavor. This cheese goes with so many different foods. If you didn’t like it with chocolate and sherry, you can enjoy it with pears or spinach drizzled with balsamic vinegar or a little honey, paired with a nice Sancerre or Chenin blanc. Mmm, mmm.
Find it at a cheese shop or Whole Foods. Not cheap, but you don’t need a lot. $20 per lb.

The Wine
2006 Banyuls Rimage Les Clos de Paulilles
Rimage is a Catalan word which means vintage. Therefore a rimage Banyuls is a fortified wine in which all grapes come from a certain vintage, much like a Colheita or vintage Port. Made of 100% black grenache, this Banyuls exhibits a dark black-purple robe, with intense blackberry jam and succulent rich flavors. This is France’s answer to Port, and the absolute best wine to pair with chocolate! $18 at K & L.

Other pairing suggestions:
- Gorgonzola with shaved bitter-sweet chocolate and marmalade
- Blue Cheese with dark chocolate truffles

Wine & Cheese

WineDiva — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:47:53 +0000

The Blue Cheeses

Blue cheese is a general classification of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or goat’s milk cheeses that have had Penicillium cultures added – producing the blue, blue-gray or blue-green veins or spots of mold in the cheese. The 3 classic blue cheeses are Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton. The saltiness of the cheese is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of fortified wines such as Sauterne, Port and Sherry.

Roquefort – from the south of France and is made entirely from the milk of the Lacaune, Manech and Basco-Béarnaise breeds of sheep. Fabulous with a great Sauterne.

Gorgonzola – an Italian blue cheese from the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy made from whole cow’s milk.
Serve with sliced pears and prosciutto and enjoy with a glass of good Italian vin santo.

Stilton – made from cow’s milk, is produced in England according to a strict code. There are only 8 dairies licensed to make Stilton at this time. Tawny Port is a perfect match.

Serving ideas

Crostini with Stilton & fig preserves
Slice baguette into 1/2 to 1 inch slices. Brush with olive oil and lightly toast. Top each with fig preserves, a pear slice or caramelized onions. Top with a slice of gorgonzola and put in 400 degree oven until cheese is melted – about 3 minutes.

Serve with a glass of Tawney Port.

Pecan Halves Stuffed with Roquefort and Cream Cheese
Ingredients:
20 large pecan
Cream cheese – 1/2 pkg.
Roquefort cheese equal to cream cheese
Mayonnaise – just enough to blend the cheeses
Dash cayenne pepper
Directions:
In large bowl, beat softened cream cheese, Roquefort cheese, and a little mayonnaise until creamy
Mix in dash of cayenne
Take two halves and stuff with filling (like a sandwich)
Refrigerate until ready to serve
Serve with a glasss of French Sauterne.

The Hot New Wine for 2009

WineDiva — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:16:25 +0000

What’s Old is New

Chances are, when you think of sherry you think of little old ladies at the turn of the century, sitting in a drawing room sipping wine from small crystal glasses. Well, maybe those ladies knew something we’ve forgotten- sherry is a delightful, food friendly wine. Today, most sherries that are sold are commercial blends, which ensure consistantcy, but don’t offer sought-after complexity. Fortunately, with the popularity of Spanish wines today, that is changing. Consumers are discovering a whole new world of sherries, from the dry, crisp Finos to the oh-so-sweet Pedro Ximénez wines. And, just like Champagne, sherry is only sherry if it comes from Jerez region of Spain.

With today’s interest in food and wine pairings, sherry has become a star player – especially with tapas. Tapas are small plates of appetizers such as cold meats, sausage, olives and cheese. According to “The Joy of Cooking”, the original tapas were slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips to keep the flies off. Whatever the origin, the pairing of tapas with sherry is a perfect match. In fact, recent scientific studies have shown certain compounds in dry sherries actually accentuate the taste and flavors of certain foods such as cheese, meat, fish and mushrooms.

If you feel adventurous and want to begin enjoying sherries, start with a dry, light fino or Montilla . Serve it cold with proscuitto, salted, roasted almonds or green olives.

A little more full-bodied Amontillado goes great with Stilton or Gruyère cheese or an Oloroso with goose liver pate or beef teriyaki.

Cream sherries, such as Harvey’s Bristol Cream, are sweet dessert wines. Try dried fruit or custard to bring out the flavor.

Serve the very sweet Pedro Ximenez at room temperature. The raisin-like flavor is great for dipping a biscotti to finish off a meal.

The good news is a good quality sherry won’t break the bank. You can find a bottle of Don Fino for less than $12.

Sandeman Amontillado Sherry Medium-Dry Character is a more full-bodied wine. Because a small amount of PX (Pedro Ximenez) is added late in the aging process, it has a touch of sweetness. Under $18.

To round out the sherry experience, try Osborne Sweet P.X. It has a nice brown sugar smell and taste. Great over vanilla ice cream or in a glass to linger over by the fireplace. The alcohol content is 17%, so sip it slowly. Under $20.