Last weekend at Bartholomew-Park-Winery in Sonoma was a busy one!
The sun was kind enough to come through once in a while, but the weather did not dampen our spirits. They were very high!
We did a beautiful wine and cheese pairing which helped everyone discover the wines quickly and appreciate them better. One of the comments I heard was, "I never liked wine so much!" I had so many questions of all kinds, all very interesting, pertinant and knowledgable. All and all I spoke for three hours straight and everyone bought lots of wine as a result.
Here is the pairing in case you visit this bucolic winery or you were there and lost the list. This would be one of my favorite wineries to visit. The history, the beautiful site, the surroundings full of wild flowers with the mountains presiding over or perhaps protecting this very unique place.
BARTHOLOMEW-PARK-WINERY
Estate Vineyard 2001 Chardonnay
Cheese Pairing: Robiola two milks
This version of the Piemontese robiola is made with cow and sheep milk. During its short aging period, the cheese develops a thin white bloomy rind and smooth, soft interior with a rich, earthy flavor reminiscent of mushrooms and cream
2003 Chardonnay:
Cheese Pairing: Brillat-Savarin
Named after the French gastronome Brillat-Savarin who said, “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are.”
This cow’s milk cheese is made in Normandy where the milk and cream are very rich. It has a soft triple-cream paste, should have a white downy crust, a mild elegant flavor and a lingering finish.
This cheese makes a perfect pairing with any Champagne!
Desnudos Vineyard Merlot 2002
Cheese pairing: Abbaye-de-Belloc
The milk for this raw sheep's milk cheese is brought in from neighboring farms and taken to the Abbaye- de- Notre Dame de Bellocq in the Western Pyrenees. The semi-hard, dense paste has a concentrated flavor profile that balances the smooth, buttery, nutty and fruitiness characteristics of the cheese. The wheels are covered with a thick, brown, cloth-imprinted rind.
Estate Vineyard 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cheese pairing: Cashel-Blue
Jane and Louis Grubb started making Cashel Blue in the 1980s and since then it has gained an enviable international reputation as Ireland's most famous blue cheese. It takes its name from the Rock of Cashel, a bold outcrop overlooking the Tipperary plains. Cashel Blue is made from the milk of Jane's and Louis' own herd of 110 Fresian cows. It is made in a similar way to Roquefort although it is softer, more moist and less salty. When young, the cheese is firm and relatively moist with a fresh and slightly sharp flavor. With aging it develops a melt-in-the-mouth creaminess and a rounder, mellower flavor.
Kasper Vineyard 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cheese pairing: Wringled-Paglierina
This is a mould-encrusted cheese, which is aged on straw mats. This little gem has a very soft texture with a melting center and an intense aroma. It is made with whole cow's sheep's and goat's milk.
