California Wine and Cheese

Beginning on May 17…

tdugan — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:40:11 +0000

Important Notice : Due to the absence of our only full time staff member, from May 18 through May 25, we will not open during those dates until 2:00pm each day.

Of much greater import, however, I am exceptionally pleased to announce that our own Vicky Abdallah took the Certified Level Master Sommelier exam this past Wednesday, and not just passed, but scored the most points of all the candidates taking the test. As a result, she was awarded a scholarship of $500 from Chateau St. Michelle Winery to pursue her wine education!!

Our Red Wine Flight includes:
- Margerum 2010 M5 Rhone Blend
- Pyrenees 2009 Meritage Umquaa Valley Oregon
- Happy Canyon 2010 Merlot Happy Canyon
- Sesquipedalian 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino
- Bodegas áster 2008 Ribera del Duero

Our White Wine Flight includes:
- Trenza 2009 Blanco Edna Valley
- Yealands 2011 Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand
- Argilex Vouvray 2011 de Gautier
- Donnafugata Athilia 2012 Sicily
- Errazuriz Don Max Reserve Chardonnay 2011 Chile

Our most popular red wine last week was the Barrel 27 Right Hand Man Syrah Central Coast. The favorite white wine was the Margerum 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Sybarite Happy Canyon.

Cheese Corner

The cheese cases may look a little thin this week, but that’s because we had to refuse a delivered cheese on a freshness issue last week and our supplier wasn’t very happy. When they didn’t resolve it to our satisfaction, we decided not to order anything from them this week. Our alternate cheese purveyor couldn’t fill the gap on short notice, but they’ll be stepping up to the plate next week. No worries though, we certainly have more than enough cheese in stock.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine in Pasadena, will feature their Annual Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Dinner on June 2 and their Annual Burgundy Wine Dinner on July 14. Each of these are four course dinners. Additional details can be found at their web-site, www.noirfoodandwine.com

A word about “Upcoming Events.” CWaC is not a principal or sponsor of events which take place at premises other than our own. I list these activities because they pair wine and food together and I feel they are worth knowing about.

We open at noon Tuesday through Saturday, closing at 8:00pm on Tuesday through Thursday and 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday. We are open Sunday from noon until 6:00PM . Please remember, we stop pouring 30 minutes before closing. Any questions, please call us at 626-358-6500.

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on May 10 …

tdugan — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:22:24 +0000

Please Note: Between May 18 through May 25, we will be unable to open until 2:00pm each day.

Our Red Wine Flight includes:
- Château Maris Syrah Lanquedoc
- Barrel 27 Right Hand Man Syrah Central Coast
- Cordon 2010 Syrah White Hawk Vyd Santa Barbara County
- Pyrenees 2007 Syrah Oregon
- Anthill Farms 2010 Sonoma Coast

Our White Wine Flight includes:
- Margerum 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Sybarite Happy Canyon
- King Estate 2011 Pinot Gris Oregon
- Soléna 2011 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley
- Barrel 27 High on the Hog 2009 White Wine Central Coast
- J Lohr Sauvignon Blanc Carol’s Vineyard St Helena

Our most popular red wine last week was the Gain Bay 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Lake Co. The favorite white wine was the Fritz 2011 Chardonnay Dry Creek.

We have temporarily suspended our “occasional” Thursday night wine pairing dinners. We hope to resume these dinners after we have been able to affect some recommended changes.

Cheese Corner

Something new from Sicily. The Piacentinu Ennese is a typical cheese produced with whole pasteurized sheep’s milk, coming only from native sheep. It is a unique product as it is flavored by saffron that gives it the typical yellow color and then filled with black peppercorn. After an aging process of 60 days, its taste is very characteristic, spicy and lightly mild, with stimulating properties.

Upcoming Events

Janet & Tom Dugan
California Wine and Cheese

Beginning on May 3 ….

tdugan — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:38:24 +0000

We will be unable to open this Saturday until 2:00pm. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Our Red Wine Flight ($18.) includes:
- Tercero 2009 Grenache Larner Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley
- Fritz 2011 Zinfandel Dry Creek
- Kenneth Volk 2009 Mourvedre Enz Vineyard Lime Kiln Valley
- Kenneth Volk 2008 Tempranillo John Smith Vyd San Benito Co
- Gain Bay 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County

Our White Wine Flight ($15.) includes:
- Director’s Cut 2011 Sauvignon Blanc California
- Fritz 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek
- Tercero 2011 Viognier White Hawk Vyd Sta Barbara Co
- Fritz 2011 Chardonnay Dry Creek
- Tercero 2012 Gewurztraminer “The Outlier” Sta Barbara Co

Our most popular red wine last week was the Bodegas Palacios 2006 Glorioso Reserva Rioja. The favorite white wine was the Morgadio 2011 Albariño Rias Baixas. The Morgadio 2010 Albariño was likewise a top seller until we ran out of it two weeks ago when the vintage expired.

Many thanks to Scott Dienhart for allowing us to display his paintings on the West Wall. Scott will be moving some of these paintings to the Segil Gallery here in town.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine will be offering it’s Annual Best of Sonoma Wines Dinner featuring Winemaker Mark Ketcham of Ketcham Wines. The dinner will be this Sunday, May 5 at 6:30pm. It’s a four course dinner for $99. (includes gratuity, but maybe not tax – hard to say from the web site). Reservations should be made online at www.noirfoodandwine.com . Information about future wine dinners is also available at the web site.

A Winemaker Dinner will be offered at Restaurant Devon in Monrovia and feature Toucan Wines. This event will take place on Thursday, May 16 at 7:00pm. Winemaker Doug Timewell, whose wines have been well received in our shop, will be present for the dinner. The dinner menu is as follows: Black Cod, paired with the 2010 Maldonado Parr Vineyard Chardonnay; Free-range Chicken Breast paired with the 2010 Toucan Petite Sirah; Pork Tenderloin paired with the 2010 Toucan Old Vine Carignane; and Chocolate Terrine with Pistachio Sauce paired with the Estate Toucanet, a port made with Zinfandel and Petite Sirah fortified with Grape Brandy. This dinner will cost $60 per person. Restaurant Devon is located at 103 E. Lemon Street in Monrovia. For reservations, please call Restaurant Devon at 626-305-0013.

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on April 27 …

tdugan — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 22:17:35 +0000

Our Red Wine Flight ($19.00) includes:
- Alvaro Palacios 2010 Priorat “Camins del Priorat”
- Bodegas Palacios Glorioso 2006 Reserva Rioja
- Robert Perroud 2009 Côtes de Brouilly
- Château du Gravières 2009 Bourdeax Rouge
- Palmina 2007 Nebbiolo Santa Barbara Co

Our White Wine Flight ($15.00) includes:
- Ulacia 2010 Getariako Txakolina Getaria
- Morgadio 2011 Albariño Rias Baixas
- Adegas Gran Vinum “Nessa” Albarino
- Vinos Pinol Ludovicus Garnacha Blanca 2011
- Vinos Pinol Nuestra Portal Blanc 2011

Our most popular red wine last week was the Jason Stephens 2009 Petit Verdot Santa Clara Co. The favorite white wine was the Dutton Goldfield 2010 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley. The more interesting news though is that two Rosés individually were responsible for twice as many sales as the red and white wines combined!! The standout Rosés were: Le Domitienne 2012 pays d”Ocs and the Clos Alivu 2012 Petrimonio.

Our current art show features paintings by Scott Dienhart. Scott’s art includes principally oil paintings. In fact, Scott started painting with oil when his parents gave him oil paints for his 12th birthday!! After 30+ years working in the hospitality industry, Scott returned to his long held passion of oil painting. In addition to his show here in the shop, his work can also be found at the Segil Gallery here in town.

We have temporarily suspended our “occasional” Thursday night wine pairing dinners. We did this because attendance had dropped below a break even point for us. We did send out a survey a couple weeks ago, but only received four responses. We will send out a repeat of that survey next week in the hope of discovering what adjustments we may need to make.

Cheese Corner

We’re introducing a new truffle cheese from Italy this week. Boschetto al Tartufo is a cow’s and sheep’s milk blend combined with truffle, and aged for just a few months. The cheese and the truffle complement each other beautifully: sweet, savory, pleasantly briny cheese, and woodsy, garlicky truffle, with neither overpowering the other.

Vicky is also introducing Prince La Fontaine, a new brie for the shop. It’s a rich and buttery French triple crème cheese with an edible bloomy crust. According to Carlito’s Market, it’s like solidified whip cream!! Take some home and try it with a Sparkling wine.

Upcoming Events

A / K / A Bistro will be offering a wine dinner on Tuesday, April 30, featuring the five wines of Sean Minor paired with 5 courses. Winemaker Sean Minor will be present. The cost is $65 PP. You may book reservations via 626-564-8111 or email at akabistro@sbcglobal.net

Noir Food and Wine will be offering it’s Annual Best of Sonoma Wines Dinner featuring Winemaker Mark Ketcham of Ketcham Wines. The dinner will be on Sunday, May 5 at 6:30pm. It’s a four course dinner for $99. (includes gratuity, but maybe not tax – hard to say from the web site). Reservations should be made online at www.noirfoodandwine.com . Information about future wine dinners is also available at the web site.

Janet & Tom Dugan
California Wine and Cheese

Beginning April 19…

tdugan — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:37:49 +0000

Our Red Wine Flight includes:
- Uvaggio 2010 Primitivo Lodi
- Block Nine 2012 Caiden’s Vyd California
- Dry Creek 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek
- Crognolo 2010 Toscana Setti Ponti
- Jason Stephens 2009 Petit Verdot Sta Clara Valley

Red flight charge = $18.00

Our White Wine Flight includes:
- Pelerin 2009 Les Tournesols Santa Lucia Highlands
- PL & JF Bersan 2919 Bourgogne Aligoté
- Dutton Goldfield 2010 Chardonnay
- Dry Creek 2010 Foggy Oaks Chardonnay Russian River Valley
- Carol Shelton 2010 Coquille Blanc Paso Robles

White flight charge = $18.00

And with the advent of warmer spring weather, how about some Rosé:
- La Domitienne Pays d’Ocs Rosé 2012
- Domaine de la Fouquette Côtes du Provence Rosé 2012
- Bieler Père et Fils Coteaux d’Aix Provence Rosé

Rosé Flight charge = $9.00

(Pricing changes week to week depending on wines used)

Our most popular red wine last week was the Adelaida 2009 Keeper Red Paso Robles. The favorite white wine was the Bierzo Godelia Blanco 2009.

Elizabeth Schweitzer is offering Spanish wine classes on Sunday, April 21. There are just a couple seats left. On the front page of her web-site, www.winewisdomandwit.com , she offers the following: Grapes appeared in Spain around 1100 B.C. Only in recent decades have the wines of Spain evolved into some of the most delicious, innovative and award-winning wines in the world. You will be hard-pressed to find better tasting Garnacha or Tempranillo from anywhere else. This class will give you an understanding of the regions and wines of Spain. We will taste Spanish wines, discuss the foods, tapas, and cheeses of Spain and improve our wine tasting ability in a relaxed and friendly environment. Beginners and wine experts are welcome. This class is taught by a Master Sommelier. The class includes wines, snacks, hand-outs, fun and friendship. The class is $45.00 and should be pre-paid via her website. Registration for the April 21st class should be made on her web page, just below the description. For the computer challenged, you make drop a check off, payable to Elizabeth, in advance at the wine shop.

Wine classes are currently offered by Elizabeth Schweitzer, not California Wine and Cheese. The pre-payment request by Elizabeth for the classes is a sensible means to insure full attendance. Some guests who are a little “tech” challenged (as I often am) have experienced difficulty in making the online reservations, and for that reason, we will accept pre-payments on the teacher’s behalf. If you call in a reservation to us, we will forward it to Elizabeth, but your payment is required to hold the reservation.

Our current art show features paintings by Scott Dienhart. Scott’s art includes principally oil paintings. In fact, Scott started painting with oil when his parents gave him oil paints for his 12th birthday!! After 30+ years working in the hospitality industry, Scott returned to his long held passion of oil painting. In addition to his show here in the shop, his work can also be found at the Segil Gallery here in town.

Cheese Corner

So we we got a call last week from the Nederlandse Auivel Organsatie (Dutch Dairy Association). They were concerned about our apparent addiction to Beemster and suggested we switch over to UnieKaas for awhile. So what the heck, we decided to make the switch and see which our guests liked the most. They are both really good cheeses, and the Uniekaas was very popular in our early days. So, you tell us which you like the best!

Upcoming Events

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on April 12 ….

tdugan — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:10:55 +0000

Please note, we will not be able to open on Saturday, April 13, until 2:00pm.

Our Red Wine Flight includes:
- Bodegas Aster 2008 Ribera Del Duero
- Luis Canas 2005 Rioja Reserva
- Bodegas Volver LaMancha Tempranillo 2010
- Dry Creek 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
- Runquist 2010 Petit Verdot California

Our White Wine Flight includes:
- Bierzo 2009 Godelia Blanco
- Resso Garnacha Blanco 2011
- Clos de Nouys 2011 Vouvray Sec
- Dry Creek 2010 Foggy Oaks Chardonnay
- Player to be named

Our most popular red wine last week was the BenMarco 2011 Malbec Mendoza The favorite white wine was the Hermanos 2011 Torrontes Cayafate Salta.

Elizabeth Schweitzer is offering Spanish wine classes this Sunday (full) and on Sunday, April 21. On the front page of her web-site, www.winewisdomandwit.com , she offers the following: Grapes appeared in Spain around 1100 B.C. Only in recent decades have the wines of Spain evolved into some of the most delicious, innovative and award-winning wines in the world. You will be hard-pressed to find better tasting Garnacha or Tempranillo from anywhere else. This class will give you an understanding of the regions and wines of Spain. We will taste Spanish wines, discuss the foods, tapas, and cheeses of Spain and improve our wine tasting ability in a relaxed and friendly environment. Beginners and wine experts are welcome. This class is taught by a Master Sommelier. The class includes wines, snacks, hand-outs, fun and friendship. The class is $45.00 and should be pre-paid via her website. Registration for the April 28th class should be made on her web page, just below the description. For the computer challenged, you make drop a check off, payable to Elizabeth, in advance at the wine shop.

Cheese Corner

Rollingstone Lavender Chevre is back!! If you have not had it in a while, it’s anise and lavender are blended in with the curd during the making of this cheese; each wheel is coated in yellow wax to retain its creaminess during aging. The cheese exhibits a wonderfully flowery bouquet. It’s from Chuck and Karen Evans who started making goat cheeses from their herd in 1988 in Idaho.

Upcoming Events

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on March 22 …..

tdugan — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:15:29 +0000

Our Red Wine Flight includes:
- Casa de Arcilla 2010 Tempranillo Paso Robles
- Palacios-Remondo 2009 La Montesa Crianza Rioja
- Glorioso Rioja 2006 Reserva Especial Consecha 2006
- Monteabellon Avaniel 2011 Ribera Del Duero
- Adelaida 2009 Keeper Red Paso Robles

Our White Wine Flight includes:
- Gautier 2010 Vouvray Cuvee Argilex Sec
- Pierre Vessigaud Cru de Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuisse Vieilles Vignes 2009
- Finca des Origen 2011 Torrontes Santa Carolina Argentina Reserva
- Zocker 2009 Riesling Paragon Vyd Edna Valley
- Bastianich 2010 “Adriatico” Friulano

These two flights will each cost $18.00 each.

Our most popular red wine last week was the Center of Effort 2010 Pinot Noir Edna Valley. The favorite white wine was the Yealands 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ .

There will likely be a wine pairing dinner next Thursday. A menu will be emailed on Monday to our Newsletter readers if so.

The Italian Wine Class on March 24 is full. There will be Spanish Wine Classes in April on dates to be announced.

Wine classes are offered by Elizabeth Schweitzer, not California Wine and Cheese. The pre-payment request by Elizabeth for the classes is a sensible means to insure full attendance. Some guests who are a little “tech” challenged (as I often am) have experienced difficulty in making the online reservations, and for that reason, we will accept pre-payments on the teacher’s behalf. If you call in a reservation to us, we will forward it to Elizabeth, but your payment is required to hold the reservation.

We have a new art show featuring painting by Scott Dienhart. Scott’s art includes principally oil paintings. In fact, Scott started painting with oil when his parents gave him oil paints for his 12th birthday!! After 30+ years working in the hospitality industry, Scott returned to his long held passion of oil painting. In addition to his show here in the shop, his work can also be found at the Segil Gallery here in town.

Early Notice: We will be closed on Sunday, March 31. We will close early, the following Sunday at 5:30pm.

Cheese Corner

Fiscalini Bandage Cheddar makes it’s debut in the shop this week. This cheese has a firm, crumbly straw colored flesh; a nutty, slightly smoky, earthy taste; and a more round finish than most aged cheddars. Laura Werlin, author of Cheese and Wine notes that this cheddar pairs wonderfully with most heavy red wines and also with sweet whites, a rare attribute to be found in one cheese. We recommend it with Cabernet, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Port, and also with Chardonnay. This cheese is aged for 18 months.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine will be offering an Italian Wine Dinner featuring the wines of the “Piemonte Region, Italy” on Sunday, April 7 at 6:30pm. It’s a four course dinner for $59. (includes gratuity, but not tax). Reservations should be made online at www.noirfoodandwine.com . Information about future wine dinners is also available at the web site.

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on March 15 ….

tdugan — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:18:11 +0000

Many thanks to Allison Levine, who joined us last Friday and visited with guests and provided considerable information about the wines of the Ribera Del Duero. As a result both of her presence and your enthusiasm for the Spanish reds, we went through almost of the wines in the first 24 hours!! Thank you.

We will be short staff on Saturday and will not be able to open until 2:00pm.

Our Pinot Noir/Burgundy Wine Flight includes:
- Yealands 2010 Central Otago NZ
- Vergari 2008 Marin County
- Pierre Morey Monthelie 2007 Burgundy Cote d”or
- Sean Minor 2007 Carneros
- Center of Effort 2010 Edna Valley

Our Sauvignon Blanc Wine Flight includes:
- Yealands 2012 Marlborough NZ
- Yealands 2011 Marlborough NZ
- Chateau Des Gravieres 2010 Bordeaux
- Cliff Lede 2010 Napa Valley
- J. Lohr 2012 Carol’s Vineyard St Helena

Our most popular red wine last week was the A Fernandez Condado De Haza 2008. The favorite white wine was the MartinSancho 2011 Verdejo Rueda .

The Italian Wine Class on has four vacancies. The class will cost $45 and pre-registration and payment is necessary to secure your reservation. You may accomplish this by either visiting Elizabeth’s web site at www.winewisdomandwit.com or dropping off a check, payable to Elizabeth, at the shop. See the next paragraph for a class description.

Italy produces and consumes vast amounts of wine and has been doing so for over 22 centuries. The great pleasure of Italian wine is the variety. Every region makes wines that complement the foods of that area. The Italian winemakers have a well-earned reputation for their promiscuous wine-making and robust life-styles. This class will give you an understanding of the regions and wines of Italy. We will taste Italian wines, discuss the food and cheese of Italy and improve our wine tasting ability in a relaxed and friendly environment. Beginners and Wine Experts are welcome. This class is taught by a Master Sommelier. The class includes wines, snacks, hand-outs, fun and friendship. Ciao! $45.00 Please sign-up for this class at www.winewisdomandwit.com

There will be Spanish Wine Classes in April on dates to be announced.

An additional word about the wine classes. They are offered by Elizabeth, not California Wine and Cheese. We believe offering the classes is an asset to the shop insofar as they may generate additional business for us. The pre-payment request by the Elizabeth for the classes is a sensible means to insure full attendance. Some guests who are a little “tech” challenged (as I often am) have experienced difficulty in making the online reservations, and for that reason, we will accept pre-payments on the teacher’s behalf. If you call in a reservation to us, we forward it to Elizabeth, but your payment is required to hold the reservation.

Anyone interested in buying a 240 bottle Vino Temp refrigerated wine storage unit? It’s new, unused and holds 240 bottles. Friends bought it only to find it doesn’t fit into the available space at their home. Vino Temp values it at $2400; They’re asking $1000. Its mahogany with dark cherry stain, never used, locking handle. There is a very small scratch on the side from moving it, but could easily be covered with furniture stick. I’m not part of the deal, just letting you know about it. Call me at the shop and I will give you a name & number to call.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine will be offering an Italian Wine Dinner” featuring the wines of the “Piemonte Region, Italy” on Sunday, April 7 at 6:30pm. It’s a four course dinner for $50. (includes gratuity, but not tax). Reservations should be made online at www.noirfoodandwine.com . Information about future wine dinners is also available at the web site.

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on March 8….

tdugan — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:42:09 +0000

The Italian Wine Class is fully booked for March 10. The follow-up class on March 24 now has four vacancies. Additional information about the class is noted below.

This evening (3-8-13) we’ll welcome Allison Levine of “Please the Palate” to the shop. Allison will be with us to provide our guests with first hand information about the wines of the Ribera del Duero region. The popular wine magazine, Wine Enthusiast, named Ribera del Duero the 2012 Wine Region of the year. We’re featuring Ribera del Duero wines beginning this Friday. More information about Allison and her experience / expertise can be found below in the “Upcoming Events” section.

Our Ribera del Duero Wine Flight, $18., includes:
- Protos 2009 Tinto Fino
- Antidoto 2010 Ribera del Duero
- A Fernandez 2008 Condado De Haza
- Emilio Moro 2011 Finca Resalso
- Vina Mayor 2007 Reserva

Our Spanish White Wine Flight, $15., includes:
- Ulacia 2011 Getariako Txakolina Getaria
- Navaherreros Blanco de Bernabeleva 2010 Vinos de Madrid
- Lagar de Cervera Albariño 2011 Rias Baixas
- A Rodriguez 2011 MartinSancho Verdejo
- Huguet 2011 Can Feixes Penedes Selecció

Per Wikipedia, wines produced in the Ribera del Duero region derive almost exclusively from red grapes. The Albillo grape is the only white variety grown there. White wines made from this grape are almost exclusively destined for local consumption. Because of this, our white wine flight this week is made up of Spanish whites, but not from Ribera del Duero.

Our most popular red wine last week was the Carol Shelton 2010 “Wild Thing” Zinfandel Mendocino. The favorite white wine was the Bernardus 2010 Chardonnay Central Coast .

The Italian Wine Tasting Class offered by Elizabeth Schweitzer on March 10 is full. The additional class on March 24 has four vacancies. The class will cost $45 and pre-registration and payment is necessary to secure your reservation. You may accomplish this by either visiting Elizabeth’s web site at www.winewisdomandwit.com or dropping off a check, payable to Elizabeth, at the shop. See the next paragraph for a class description.

Italy produces and consumes vast amounts of wine and has been doing so for over 22 centuries. The great pleasure of Italian wine is the variety. Every region makes wines that complement the foods of that area. The Italian winemakers have a well-earned reputation for their promiscuous wine-making and robust life-styles. This class will give you an understanding of the regions and wines of Italy. We will taste Italian wines, discuss the food and cheese of Italy and improve our wine tasting ability in a relaxed and friendly environment. Beginners and Wine Experts are welcome. This class is taught by a Master Sommelier. The class includes wines, snacks, hand-outs, fun and friendship. Ciao! $45.00 Please sign-up for this class at www.winewisdomandwit.com

We have just installed a new art show featuring oil paintings by Scott Dienhart. Scott’s art also includes watercolors, as well as pencil and ink. The majority of his work consists of outdoor scenes, many in our immediate area.

The Cheese Corner

So, if we’re doing Spanish wines, it seemed appropriate to go with Spanish cheeses. In addition to those we had in stock, Vicky brought in some Leonora and Mahon Reserva. From a single herd of goats in Leon, Spain, we will offer you Leonora, a fresh, flaky, but with a creamy texture, cheese. It’s a little pleasantly tarte, with even a hint of spice.

Second only to Manchego as Spain’s most popular cheese, Mahon is produced on Minorca, an agriculturally-devoted island. The Reserva is made with cow’s milk and is ripened between six months and two years. It is simultaneously sweet, nutty, sharp, and buttery with a light golden paste and a fiery orange rind.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine will be offering an Italian Wine Dinner” in late March / early April. Details when we have them.

Regarding our guest this Friday evening, Allison Levine is the founder of Please the Palate and has over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing and event planning. Allison holds a number of certifications, including Italian Wine Specialist from the North American Sommelier Association and a Level 2 WSET from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. She is currently studying for an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits with WSET. As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and Allison communicates her experiences into articles which have appeared in The Tasting Panel, Wine Country This Week, F&B World and the new JLiving.

Janet & Tom Dugan

Beginning on March 1, 2013…..

tdugan — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:04:25 +0000

sss

The shop will close at 5:30pm this Sunday, March 3. We will resume 6:00pm closing the following Sunday.

Before this week’s wine menu, I wanted to remind you about next Friday when we host Allison Levine of “Please the Palate.” The popular wine magazine, Wine Enthusiast, named Ribera del Duero the 2012 Wine Region of the year. We’re featuring a Ribera del Duero Tasting on Friday, March 8, 2013. Allison will be with us providing our guests with first hand information about the region and the wines. More information about Allison and her experience / expertise can be found below in the “Upcoming Events” section.

Now, onto this week’s wine flight list:

Our Red Wine Flight is all about Zinfandel and includes:
- Sextant 2011 Central Coast
- Wine Guerrilla 2008 Conte Vyd Russian River Valley
- Wine Guerrilla 2009 Forchini Vyd Russian River Valley
- Carol Shelton 2009 Wild Thing Mendocino
- Orin Swift 2010 Saldo California

Our White Wine Flight is all about Chardonnay and includes:
- Bernardus 2010 Central Coast
- Morgan 2011 Metallico Monterey
- Sean Minor 2010 Central Coast
- Three Saints 2009 Santa Maria Valley
- Gundlach Bundschu 2011 Rhinefarm Sonoma

Our most popular red wine last week was the Reyes 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon San Pelona Valley. The favorite white wine was the Carol Shelton 2010 Coquille Blanc Paso Robles .

Can’t help but comment on the white wine “big seller” this past week. The Carol Shelton 2010 Coquille Blanc Paso Robles took a lot of guests by surprise. One reviewer called it the “red wine drinker’s white wine!” It had body to spare and a little kick at the finish. We were out of it for about a day, but managed to get another case in Thursday.

The Italian Wine Class is fully booked for March 10. The follow-up class, on March 24, is likewise “fully booked.” I have put this in quotes because not everyone has pre-paid. At Elizabeth’s web-site, below the class description is a box to click, identify how many people your reservation is for, and then pay online. If you prefer check or cash, it is incumbent on you to visit the shop and pre-pay so your reservation can be secured.

Our current artist, Lachlan Turczan’s, show will be coming down this weekend. We’ll have a new show up shortly.

The Cheese Corner

We received several cheeses today including a wheel of Sage Derby. Always popular in March because it’s bright green color, it’s a cheddar – type gourmet cheese made using leaf sage for flavor, and plant coloring (chlorophyll) to give a green marbled finish. The finely chopped sage leaf gives a subtle extra flavor. Sage Derby is matured for around 12 weeks as per mild cheddar.

So, I’m looking at the “Murray’s Cheese” website for some info on Epoisses. The opening line is, “You may not know it, but Epoisses is actually a French word meaning “completely worth the effort”—either that or “stinky but incredibly loveable.” So that leaves me with mixed emotions. I mean really; Stinky is a good word with food?? Well, apparently it can be!. Vicky tells me we frequently get requests for this cave-Aged Epoisses. It is the end result of aging and weekly baths in a Burgundian brandy, which results in a custardy bacon bomb!! One slurp of the intensely creamy paste of Murray’s cave-aged version of this French classic, and you’ll know why … this unctuous pasteurized cow’s milk round, made in Burgundy, France, is so delightfully decadent.

We also received a couple cheeses for next week’s “Ribera Del Duero” Spanish wine tasting event. More on that next Thursday.

Upcoming Events

Noir Food and Wine will be offering a “Best of Santa Rita Hills Wine Dinner” on March 3 at 6:30pm. This four course dinner will feature wines from a dozen well regarded winemakers. Dinner is $89. per person (I believe that includes gratuity, but tax will be added). Go to http://www.noirfoodandwine.com for details and to make reservations.

Regarding our guest next Friday evening, Allison Levine is the founder of Please the Palate and has over 15 years experience in communications, marketing and event planning. Allison holds a number of certifications, including Italian Wine Specialist from the North American Sommelier Association and a Level 2 WSET from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. She is currently studying for an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits with WSET. As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and Allison communicates her experiences into articles which have appeared in The Tasting Panel, Wine Country This Week, F&B World and the new JLiving.

We open at noon Tuesday through Saturday, closing at 8:00pm on Tuesday through Thursday and 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday. We are open Sunday from noon until 6:00PM (at 5:30pm this weekend). Please remember, we stop pouring 30 minutes before closing. Any questions, please call us at 626-358-6500.

Janet & Tom Dugan