Navarro. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, but it is a beautiful valley with a unique geography that results in a wide diurnal temperature range. This enables Pinot Noir growers to keep acid development in line with sugar and flavor formation through long, warm Indian summers, and it also makes for superb Gewurztraminer and Riesling. Walter and Rhoda Anderson left Missouri in 1845 and settled near Sacramento. However, after the gold discovery that brought new settlers, they felt that having neighbors a few miles away was “too crowded” and set out further west, eventually coming to this unsettled valley. Within a few years it became a thriving agricultural area. Grapes were first planted in the 1860s or 1870s (no one kept records), and by then Walter didn’t mind having a few neighbors.

Larry and Shirlee Londer of Albuquerque, New Mexico, dreamed of planting a vineyard and having a winery. Larry, a semi-retired ophthalmologist, found their land in 1997. Forty-five minutes from the nearest traffic light, their family and friends called them “bold, brave, gutsy, and just plain nuts”.

They planted 15 acres of Pinot Noir and one acre of Gewurztraminer on a south-facing hillside in one of the coolest areas of California. The Navarro River, on their boundary brings fog and water, for irrigation. Their first winemaker was the talented Greg LaFollette (Flowers, Tandem) who taught them the basics. In 2005 they hired Greg’s assistant, Rick Davis, who specializes in cool-climate varietals.

Gewurztraminer (just say geh-Vertz) loves this cool climate. Originally from northeast Italy (Sud-Tirol) and most famous in Germany and Alsace, France, it has pink to reddish skin and high natural sugars. It has flamboyant aromas of lychees, roses, passion fruit and flowers. The Londer version has grapes coming from the Ferrington and Valley Foothills vineyards. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks and saw no oak, to preserve its fresh flavors. It is bone dry, great for spicy Asian dishes, and went well with a number of cheeses we tried, especially the Pantaleo.

Wisconsin, fondly known as the Dairy State, is home to the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Co-op (WSDC). Formed in 1996, the WSDC consists of 15 small family farms in northwest Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. Their mission is “to enhance their quality of life by sustainably producing and marketing premium sheep dairy products.”

The family farms milk about 400 sheep seasonally from February to September. During spring and summer the ewes of the East Friesian or Lacaune breeds have access to the greenest pastures available. The flavors from the grasses impart themselves into the milk and contribute to the cheese’s complexity.

During this time, the flocks return to the barns twice a day for milking. The milk is collected very gently while the ewes are eating natural grains, and cooled quickly. This cheese was developed for the cooperative by dairy scientists at the University of Wisconsin, and debuted about nine years ago.

We featured WSDC’s sister cheese, Mona, a year ago to rave reviews and we are delighted to bring you the Dante. This is a very nice example of an aged (six months) sheep’s milk cheese, with toasted nut and brown butter aromas, along with a nice scent of the pasture. The flavor near the center of the cheese is grassy with salty-sweet notes, and a touch of butter. Closer to the rind, the flavor is more intense, tasting of pecans and brown butter. The paste is a golden-ivory color, shifting to a light tan near the rind. The cheese is coated with an edible plastic rind that is easily peeled off. We didn’t enjoy the cheese with the rind, and would recommend you not eat it. Allowing the cheese to linger and dissolve in the mouth gives a more intense buttery flavor, with a little lemony taste at the end. The finish is of good length, and lingers pleasantly for a while.

Hawkes Bay is the warmest and second largest grape growing region in New Zealand.  Located on the east coast of the North Island and protected by a mountain range to the west, it has low rainfall and is the ‘fruit basket” of the country with stone fruit orchards and plant nurseries galore. Soils are very young and derived from the gravels, silts, and sands left behind as the three main rivers of Hawkes Bay changed courses over thousands of years. The best red wines are made on the most gravelly soils, with the whites doing better in the areas with some sand and silt overlying the gravel.

The most outstanding wines are Syrah and Bordeaux-style reds. The region also has consistently produced the nation’s best Chardonnays. Specifically the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing Region defines a particular “terrior,” with long ripening seasons, concentrated fruit flavors and a certain minerality to some wines.

In 1987 a partnership among John Hancock, Robert and Robyn Wilson (owners of two London restaurants), and Aucklanders Trevor and Hanne James, began to develop vineyards to grow world-class wines from New Zealand. In 1993 the Gimblett Estate block was purchased, then planted, with the first vintage in 1996. The first stage of the winery began in 1997. John Hancock is the managing director and chief winemaker, with over 35 years experience in New Zealand, Australia, and France. Working with him since 1986 is Warren Gibson, named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2005.

This wonderful red comes from three vineyards – Gimblett Stones, Gimblett Estate, and Stockbridge Vineyards, all in the Gimblett Gravels sub-region. Soils are river rock, very free- draining and of low fertility, producing crops of intense color and flavors. The blend is 61% Merlot, 21% Malbec, 11% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Each vineyard and varietal was vinified separately aging in mostly French oak barrels (40% were new). After 20 months, blending and bottling took place.

The result, especially with some bottle age now, is a masterful blend, without any one varietal standing out. It’s so smooth and complex – just a pleasure to drink. It went with a number of cheeses tried, but excelled with the Dante cheep milk cheese from Wisconsin!  Visit us next week for more information about the delicious Dante.

Henri de Sennecterre, a 17th century marshal from the Auvergne, used to serve this cheese at his table. He was given an opportunity to present it to King Louis XIV at Versailles. The Sun King adored it and christened it “Saint Nectaire”.  Henri then devoted himself to the promotion of this cheese that, from then on, carried his family name (the spelling altered over the years).  In 1911, Jean Dischamp, who came from a farming family, assumed control of a cheese business that was reputed to be the origin of the genuine Saint-Nectaire. Today, three generations later, the Dischamp family is still making this historic cheese at Les Terres d’Auvergne.

The production area of Saint Nectarine cheese is one of the smallest PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) areas in France, the limits of which were legally set by decree on 1 December 1955.

The territory is on a rich volcanic area, called Monts Dorés, at an altitude ranging from 750 to 1200 meters. The cheese must be produced from cows milk sourced from within this registered designation area.

Made exclusively from the milk of Salers cows, (a breed that produces rich milk due to the volcanic pastures and aromatic flora of the region), Saint Nectaire is crafted in two stages: first the white cheese is produced and aged for two to three months on beds of rye straw, then the cheese is washed and rubbed in salt and turned daily. The salt assists in the whey drainage of the cheese, and also in the formation of a pinkish, and bloomy rind which encourages the development of micro-organisms and imparts a strong flavor in the cheese.

Saint Nectaire is made in three and one-half pound discs.  With a slightly firm, yet supple straw-yellow paste, this raw cows milk cheese is weighty, fruity and nutty, with a touch of salt and spice. It paired perfectly with the mature Fogarty Chardonnay.

The Santa Cruz Mountains have been recognized as a premier wine region since the late 1800s. It was the first region during California’s wine renaissance of the 1970s to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a flavor, character and textural profile reminiscent of Burgundy. In 1981 the area gained official American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range from Half Moon Bay in the north to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west.

The Fogarty vineyards are located due west of Palo Alto and at about 2000’ elevation. Two properties are farmed and harvested as stand-alone entities. They have a layer of low-vigor loam on top of sandstone, shale and marine deposits. The unusual soils, coupled with a cool climate, promote low yields, great intensity, firm structure and a distinct impression of minerality in the wines.

Dr. Thomas Fogarty has always followed his passions – to help people he became a surgeon, and he now teaches surgery at Stanford. In 1969 he patented an embolectomy catheter that revolutionized vascular surgery. That same year he also began helping a colleague who had started a small winery in the vineyard and cellar. A few years later he purchased his property, planting vines in 1978 and founding the winery in 1981. His full-time winemaker is Michael Martella, who has been with the doctor since the very beginning. His current focus is to change the vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming.

Grapes for this wine come from two additional vineyards (11% of the total), chosen to add more depth of fruit and body weight. In the outstanding 2007 vintage the wine nearly “made itself”. It was whole cluster pressed, barrel fermented, and the lees were stirred weekly. After 10 months of barrel age most of the wine was transferred to steel tanks to avoid over-oaking the wine.

This wine focuses on citrus fruit and mineral flavors, with oak spice as a structural effect rather than flavor. Fine depth, racy acidity, and a long clean finish contribute to its charm. It is a wonderful example of how well a balanced Chardonnay can age.

Next week’s post will present the French cheese paired with this terrific Chardonnay.

Mrs. Ruth Kirkham began making Lancashire cheese at Beesley Farm over 30 years ago.   She was taught by her mother, making her the third generation cheese-maker in her family.  In the early days, Ruth and her husband John had a herd of 40 Holstein Friesian cows. With the milk and their limited equipment they made just four 40 pound wheels a day. These were waxed and sold monthly to a wholesaler.  In the mid-eighties, Randolph Hodgson, from Neal’s Yard Dairy took over the distribution of the cheese and introduced it to the US and other international markets, and the Kirkham’s business flourished.   Around this time, Ruth also changed the coating of her cheese from wax to cloth bound and then butters them. This helps the cheese mature and adds to the flavor and texture.

Despite its success, Kirkham’s Lancashire is still a family business.  Apart from two full-time employees, John still milks the cows every day, while Ruth and son Graham make the cheese, seven days a week.

Aged four to five months, this cheese has a bright, lemony flavor that is reminiscent of rich yogurt. The texture manages to be both creamy and crumbly (Lancashire’s trademark). It has a pungent note, an almost tanginess that adds wonderful depth of flavor.  (We recommend that you don’t eat the rind.)  If you have any left after you enjoy the pairing, try melting some on a piece of toast or with a slice of apple pie… it’s delicious!

Zichichi Family Vineyards is definitely a Dry Creek winery, physically (and with its emphasis on Zinfandel and Petite Sirah), yet they have a connection for some prime Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The ranch and winery are located in a beautiful spot and a nice bike ride out from Healdsburg. It has 14 acres of Zinfandel and four acres of Petite Sirah, all head-pruned and growing in rocky, gravelly soil. Bring your camera when you come to visit – it’s so Dry Creek Valley.

In 2000, Steve Zichichi (pronounced zeh Keek ee), a New Orleans physician (he was the foot and ankle doctor for the Saints and LSU Tigers), and his wife, Kristin, purchased the 22 acre Bartolozzi Ranch. It was first planted in 1928 (because some folks didn’t care about Prohibition. Frankly, how can making and drinking wine be illegal?). The winery was completed in 2006 with a large rustic tasting room and deck. Steve also has a connection with the Jaeger family in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. The Jaegers previously owned Rutherford Hill and Freemark Abbey Wineries and now have a 582 acre parcel, the fifth largest in Napa. They supply fruit to 25 different producers.

2007 was a wonderful year for most wine grapes. A Wine Spectator cover story declared the 2007 Cabernet vintage to be “the finest in history”, but they love to hype things like this. Regardless, there are some stellar wines and this is one of them.

This is a classic Napa Cabernet – big and bold, with complex layers of black cherry, currants, mint, and spicy dark plums. There’s an elegant side to this wine that goes well with the power and richness. It is full-bodied, with a long, juicy finish. As good as it is now, it will age and gain complexity for another five to eight years. Cabernet is often difficult to match with cheeses because of its inherent tannin structure, but this wine seemed to do well with many of the cows’ milk cheeses that we tried, and soared with the Lancashire cheese.

We’ll have more details about the Lancashire cheese we paired with this lovely wine in our post next Monday.

“I have just opened your latest Pairings Wine and Cheese shipment. It amazes me how you constantly put such wonderful combinations together. The extras you include are always great. I look forward to each new shipment with great anticipation. It is so much fun to open the box and see what you have done next. You can’t imagine how much will-power I have to exert not to finish the shipment in one sitting.”

“We just loved the wine selection, cheese, and wonderful gift we received a few weeks ago.”

“Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the gift pack that was sent to me by my sisters. We finished half of the cheese and the wine and decided it was too good not to share, so we invited our neighbors over the next day. We polished off the remainder of the wine and cheese which blew my neighbors away. The wine was a perfect match to the cheese, we paired it with some Gala apple slices and a home made Italian olive loaf foccacia, wonderful stuff. Needless to say we truly enjoyed the whole experience, thank you.”

“We have been doing Pairings with you for two years now and tonight,we finished our best one to date.”

Those are just two of the many comments we received from our very happy club members.  What is the Pairing they are so happy with?  Read on…

Zichichi Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley  paired with Kirkham’s Lancashire, England

Today we have one foot in Napa Valley and the other in Dry Creek Valley. Zichichi Family Vineyards is definitely a Dry Creek winery, physically (and with its emphasis on Zinfandel and Petite Sirah), yet they have a connection for some prime Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The ranch and winery are located in a beautiful spot and a nice bike ride out from Healdsburg. It has 14 acres of Zinfandel and four acres of Petite Sirah, all head-pruned and growing in rocky, gravelly soil. Bring your camera when you come to visit – it’s so Dry Creek Valley.

In 2000, Steve Zichichi (pronounced zeh Keek ee), a New Orleans physician (he was the foot and ankle doctor for the Saints and LSU Tigers), and his wife, Kristin, purchased the 22 acre Bartolozzi Ranch. It was first planted in 1928 (because some folks didn’t care about Prohibition. Frankly, how can making and drinking wine be illegal?). The winery was completed in 2006 with a large rustic tasting room and deck. Steve also has a connection with the Jaeger family in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. The Jaegers previously owned Rutherford Hill and Freemark Abbey Wineries and now have a 582 acre parcel, the fifth largest in Napa. They supply fruit to 25 different producers.

2007 was a wonderful year for most wine grapes. A Wine Spectator cover story declared the 2007 Cabernet vintage to be “the finest in history”, but they love to hype things like this. Regardless, there are some stellar wines and this is one of them.

This is a classic Napa Cabernet –big and bold, with complex layers of black cherry, currants, mint, and spicy dark plums. There’s an elegant side to this wine that goes well with the power and richness. It is full-bodied, with a long, juicy finish. As good as it is now, it will age and gain complexity for another five to eight years. Cabernet is often difficult to match with cheeses because of its inherent tannin structure, but this wine seemed to do well with many of the cows milk cheeses that we tried, and soared with the Lancashire cheese.

Lancashire is one of the few traditional cheeses still made in Britain, with a history stretching back hundreds of years. When meat was a rarity and times hard, it became the staple food of the mill workers who were crammed into back-to-back houses with little or no cooking facilities.  In 1939, there were over 200 farms turning out 1260 tons of Lancashire every year. However, the cheese became a causality of the war effort, with all the milk being used for mass cheese production. In 1948, with the limited post war revival, only 22 farms returned to Lancashire cheese making. By 1970 there were only seven, and today there are only three making real, unpasteurized Lancashire, all in the Preston area.

Mrs. Ruth Kirkham began making Lancashire cheese at Beesley Farm over 30 years ago.   She was taught by her mother, making her the third generation cheese-maker in her family.  In the early days, Ruth and her husband John had a herd of 40 Holstein Friesian cows. With the milk and their limited equipment they made just four 40 pound wheels a day. These were waxed and sold monthly to a wholesaler.

In the mid-eighties, Randolph Hodgson, from Neal’s Yard Dairy took over the distribution of the cheese and introduced it to the US and other international markets, and the Kirkham’s business flourished.   Around this time, Ruth also changed the coating of her cheese from wax to cloth bound and then butters them. This helps the cheese mature and adds to the flavor and texture.

Despite its success, Kirkham’s Lancashire is still a family business.  Apart from two full-time employees, John still milks the cows every day, while Ruth and son Graham make the cheese, seven days a week.

Aged four to five months, this cheese has a bright, lemony flavor that is reminiscent of rich yogurt. The texture manages to be both creamy and crumbly (Lancashire’s trademark). It has a pungent note, an almost tanginess that adds wonderful depth of flavor. (We recommend that you don’t eat the rind.)  If you have any left after you enjoy the pairing, try melting some on a piece of toast or with a slice of apple pie… it’s delicious!

This club offering is now available as an Al a Carte Pairing at Pairings Wine and Cheese

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