Dallas Wine Chick

INTO WINE: A Q&A with Olivier Magny

The subject matter was just “Book.”  Honesty, I thought to myself, “just what we need – another wine book” and books aren’t something I wanted to get in the habit of reviewing.  I even went to Google to see how many would pop up on search – the answer, 764,000,000.  But the email from Olivier Magny was just so engaging.

“As part of the promotion thingy, I just wanted to see if you’d be interested in receiving an advance copy – free of charge, no strings attached, no nigerian widow asking you to transfer funds, no nothing!  You like it, you can blog about it, you don’t, well, no biggie, many ways to recycle it,” he said.

Okay, he was funny. So on a beach in Punta Mita, Mexico, I started reading.  And, couldn’t stop.  My husband, someone who I never expected to pick up a book about wine, had the same experience.  Olivier, an award-winning sommelier and best-selling author, is based in Paris and is the founder of O Chateau, a fabulous wine bar that has been rated one of Paris’ best.

I briefly had the chance to meet Olivier in Dallas and here’s our Q&A:

There are clearly a lot of wine books on the market today. What unique perspective do you believe you are bringing with the release of INTO WINE?

I think I try to bring a bit of a fresher voice, following what I think makes wine and its’ culture not only fun and delicious, but also truly inspirational.  INTO WINE is a wine book that doesn’t only talk about wine (100% wine is just boring to me).

I told you that my husband couldn’t put the book down.  He’s not into wine books at all – is he the type of person you were targeting with the release of INTO WINE?

INTO WINE is for everyone who’s ever had a glass of wine really.  Amongst the early reviewers, I’ve had both complete novices and experienced professionals tell me how much they loved the book – and it makes me really happy.  I’ve perfected the art of talking to people of all walks of the wine life working at O Chateau for close to a decade now.  No matter where you stand in your wine journey, this book will prove genuinely helpful and informative.  Guaranteed!

If you were trying to convey three things with INTO WINE, what do you want the reader to take away?

Well, the book is informative.  It’s engaging.  And I believe it’s a book that will make you think – one that may lead you to change your outlook and your habits on a couple of things.

What are the biggest differences between French and American wine drinkers?

I’d say that when it comes to wine, most American drinkers are more interested and more knowledgeable than your average French person.  There is a passion around wine in the US that you simply don’t find in France these days!  Style wise, a majority of Americans like it big, while culturally, the French have always looked down on big wines!

You talk a lot about terrior and really bring it to life in the book.

Yup – I believe terroir is the cornerstone of a real and genuine understanding of anything wine.  It is what makes wine not only delicious but also truly unique. I’m proud to be a “terroirist”, and in the book, I explain this tremendously exciting philosophy of terroir, which is healthier, tastier and more sustainable!

Having met you in person, you are a pretty approachable guy.  With all your credentials and experience, how do you avoid becoming a wine snob?

Thanks Melanie.  Wine snobs really bore me to death: I’m just not interested in talking to them!  Also, at the end of the day, I love to drink wine, I love to share the culture of wine, but talking about that very wine is simply not my thing.  I much prefer to drink it and talk about something that I find actually interesting.

When you are hanging out with your friends, what are your “go to” wines?  Let’s talk budget, mid-priced and splurge wines.

Budget – I think the Loire is fantastic.  Both whites and reds

Mid-priced – I’m a big Rhône fan when it comes to reds.  For white, I love a good white Burgundy!

And well, if I’m to splurge, for reds, I’d go for an Hermitage (still in the Rhône).  And for whites, I do love a triumphant German Riesling from the Mosel Valley!

What else am I not asking you that I should be?

Where can your readers buy Into Wine?  The answer is right here.

Note: The book was launched today.

Celebrity Wines: The Good, the Bad and the Funny

Christy Lemire at the Oscars

Check out my column today in Culture Map Dallas where I interviewed Associated Press Movie Critic Christy Lemire to find out what she thought the persona of the wines would be based on the celebrity.  Then Jasper Russo, who runs the fine wine program for Sigel’s, and I tried the wines.

Give Cork A Pop: A Wine Bar Review

It had been a while since I had last visited Cork Wine Bar and it was time for a return trip.  I knew that Cork used Enomatic wine dispensers, and I am a huge fan of the technology.  It allows consumers to try a wide variety of wines while making business sense for wine bar owners.  Thus, I made the journey to the West Village in Uptown.

When I walked in, I saw 48 wine options labeled into categories (big and bold, eight for eight, etc.) along with a variety of computer touch screens giving information about each of the wines along with the price.  You can try in quantities from a one ounce tasting to a full glass of six ounces. 

My friend compared it to a “grown up’s Dave and Busters,” in reference to the card that you buy to insert into the machines as you taste the wines.  We tried wines from several regions – from California to Spain to France to Washington State.  The unanimous favorite for the wine was the 2011 Chateau Guiraud ‘Le G de Chateau Guiraud’ Blanc Sec from Bordeaux, France.  It was a Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillon and it had flavors of citrus (lemon and grapefruit), thyme and notes of honey. 

Our favorite red was the 2010 Spring Valley Vineyard Kathryn Corkrum Cabernet Franc from Walla Walla, Washington.  This was a well balanced red with flowers, green pepper, raspberries, herbs and some strawberry.  This was a very nice and fragrant cabernet franc that represented the grape well.

I tried six wines for less than $25 and loved the variety of choices.  Cork also designates a certain happy hour section each night and features a retail selection with 350 wines and craft beers.  They also have a selection of appetizers and desserts.

Wine Club Reunited: Spanish Heavy Hitters, White Flights, Napa Finds and Cajun Cuisine

Picture a group of very driven, professional folks that have a passion for wine, like to have fun, enjoy off the beaten path wines and make sure to not take ourselves too seriously.  The last part a total 180 from what you would expect a somewhat serious wine club to look like especially from a group representing a snapshot of corporate America.

We tried taking ourselves too seriously in the beginning where we voted members in, selected favorite wines and then tried to store them for the right period of time before opening and officially voting on our favorites. That all changed one fateful night of tasting Turley Zinfandels where we threw all decorum out the window and had an amazing time.  There may or may not be a YouTube video that you will never find capturing our version of MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.”  Throughout the years, we changed the goal of the club to enjoying wines we haven’t had before while putting the emphasis on fun.  And, you know, I ended up learning and retaining a lot more knowledge.

As most groups go, life got in the way for awhile and we had not met in a few months.  When Peter and Jen revived the group, I was excited. I walked in with my Spiegelau glasses and no idea of what surprises were in store.

It turns out we were having a Mardi Gras theme with homemade Cajun food.  Our hosts wanted to do a Spanish red theme, but knew that it wouldn’t match the food, so another theme was added to go with the dinner.  We started with wines that would go well with spicy food.  Our first line-up included the following:

• Chateau Bonnet Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc 2011 – a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle with grapefruit, minerality and a little hint of sweetness.  Great wine under $10.
• Chateau Guibon  2011 – lots of pear and melon with a nice balance from the blend of Semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle.  This wine is led by the Semillon and is more muted than the first.  Another nice white under $10.
• Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 09 – lots of citrus with lime, grapefruit and green apple.  Great minerality and nice finish. Also in the $10 range and a great bargain.
• Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 09 – lots of grapefruit, exotic fruit and grassy notes. 
• Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 07 – I am a big fan of Merry Edwards wines – especially the Sauvignon Blancs and Pinots – this had the same minerality and citrus notes, but unfortunately had lost some its essence with time.

Then it was truly showtime – a line-up of highly rated Spanish reds, all from the highly-rated 2004, of which I have not had the opportunity to try.  Our line-up was:

• Bodegas y Vinedos Alion Ribera del Duero 04 – inky black with blackberry, chocolate, spice and some floral notes.  Incredibly rich and yummy.
• Baron de Magana 04 – priced under $20, this wine had notes of oak, blackberry, current and graphite. Very earthy.
• Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 04 – it took some time in the glass for me to appreciate this big wine.  I tasted mocha, cardamom, cinnamon and something that was almost port-like.
• Vall Llach Priorat 04 – lots of blackberry, herbal notes, chocolate, coffee, peanut brittle, vanilla, minerality and spice.  I really liked this wine and it changed in the glass through the course of the evening.
• Numanthia ‘Termanthia’, Toro, Spain 04 – this was an incredible wine by one of the best Spanish wine makers out there.  It was complex with black and red fruits, eucalyptus and as smooth as silk.  My absolute favorite of the evening.
• Dominio Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus 04 – definitely needed more decanting time, but had notes of cherry, chocolate, oak, smoke, sage, licorice and coffee. 

And if we hadn’t tasted enough great wines, one of our participants had just returned from a trip to Napa, so out came the Guilliams Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 07 and Seavey Cabernet 09.  And that was a fabulous end to our evening and a foggy start to a Sunday morning.

How Much Wine Is Enough: The Art of Stocking the Bar for a Party

We were co-hosting a party of the first grade parents at my daughter’s school and expected about 70 people.  I was stumped by the age old question — if you are throwing a party, how much wine do you buy?  The general consensus at least on the web is about half a bottle per person.  Experts say to plan for a 3:1 ratio of red to white. If a normal 750 ml bottle of wine contains 25.361 oz. and a normal glass of wine is usually 4-6  oz., I needed to plan about 4 – 6 glasses per bottle.  So 70 wine drinking people would consume about 35 bottles.  Or not.

Also, my husband insisted on having a bourbon, vodka, scotch, beer and other bar selections.  In retrospect, walking in with almost three and a half cases of wine alone, was a big overkill.  So, if you are having a cocktail hour reception that goes for 2-3 hours, unless you expect a group of college kids on a bender, I’d recommend cutting that in half.

It is my mantra to not serve safe wine choices and push people out of their comfort zone.  I did that by purchasing mostly European and Australian wines with the exception of my value Cabernet, 2010 Blackburn Cabernet, which I feel in love with at Russo’s Coal Fired Italian Kitchen during my “can you get a decent glass of wine at a chain” quest. It is priced between $10-$13 a bottle and I believe it rivals $25 cabernets.

Of the 6 wines served, we had one white and one red group favorite:

• 2010 Vacqueyras Jean-Marie Arnoux, which is 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre, and is a Rhone priced under $16.
• 2011 Burgans Albarino Rias Baixas, fruity, dry and crisp.  We picked this up for about $11.

The good news is that we had enough leftover wine to have yet another party and I found some more great wines perfect for a Tuesday.

Taste Live and Vouvray: Complexity, Citrus and Chenin Blanc

Creative Furnace and TasteLive, along with the Loire Valley Wine Association, invited me to a two-part tasting of Vouvray wines that took place in October.  The event was divided into two interactive chats segmented by coast.  The next event takes place on November 13 and is also hosted by Pamela Busch, wine writer and educator.

We tried several wines from Vouvray, the largest white wine appellation of the Anjou-Saumur-Touraine region, which  is made from Chenin Blanc and  is grown in flint and limestone clay soils.  Sixty percent of the wines are made into still wines and 40 percent are made into sparkling wines.  Vouvray can be aged and the wines are known for being fruity and floral.

The wines tried included:

• Didier Champalou Vouvray Sec, 2010, a very balanced wine with lots of grapefruit and grassy notes.  This was one of my favorites.
• Marc Bredif Vouvray Sec 2010, this one had a little funkiness and hints of honey, quince, pineapple and marizipan.  This one changed the most over the tasting and became very creamy.
• Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Sec ‘’Cuvée Silex’’ 2011, honey, mineral, lemon, pear, grapefruit and honey notes.  This was really an interesting blend and totally different than the others.
• François Chidaine Vouvray Sec ‘’Argiles’’ 2010, peach, honey, floral, honeycomb and almond.  This one totally transformed between the first and second day.
• Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray Sec ‘’Coulée d’Argent’’ 2011, pear, ginger, almonds, tangerine, nectarine, floral notes and a hint of sweetness.

While I had tried Vouvray before, I never knew the depth, complexity and the differences of the wines.  I’m looking forward to the next tasting on November 13 and continuing my education in the future.

Max’s Wine Dive: Fried Chicken, Champagne and Why The Hell Not?

I never expected arriving around 5 p.m., the first official day at Max’s Wine Dive, that there would be a question of finding a place to sit.  The place was absolutely packed with a who’s who in the wine (including winemakers), food and spirits industry.  And there’s good reason.  You put a dream team of Paul Pinnell of Dali and Nana fame; Patrick Russell formerly of Craft; and Juan Pablo Trabado (JP) who never got to spread his talented wings at Decanter and people will attend.

The vibe is cool and laid back.  The people are helpful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  How could it not be with great wine, gourmet “comfort” food and a mantra of “Fried Chicken and Champagne?  Why the Hell Not.”  Nuff said.  I see myself quickly becoming a regular here.

The wine list is well thought through (150 selections) and there is an extensive by the glass program.  Also, if you commit to buying two glasses of wine, you can get anything on the list at a by the glass price.  A word of advice is to ask the price and see if the bottle is a better deal.  We started with a glass of sparkling, moved to a wonderful (and complimentary) glass of Sauternes paired with our bison sliders and a great carpaccio taco, which rocked with our red.  And try the Brussels sprouts – even if you hate Brussels sprouts – trust me.

 JP bearing Sauternes

The Texas-based restaurant has locations in Austin, San Antonio and Houston.  Also of note is the reverse happy hour with $2 off wines by the glass from 4-7 and then the last two hours before closing.

Day Two, Wine Bloggers Conference 2012: 42 Hours of Wine, Key Learnings and Post Parties

Bless me father, for I have sinned.  I went to bed at 2 a.m. and needed to exercise, so I did.  And based upon what is waiting around every corner of the Wine Bloggers Conference, you’ll understand why.  Here is my roomie, Liza’s, morning breakfast of a lovely French wine and Voodoo Donuts.

While I missed the first session, I started my day with a session entitled “the winery view of wine bloggers” with Sasha Kady of Kings Estate, Christopher Watkins of Ridge Vineyards and Ed Thralis of Wine Tonight.  Sasha, Christopher and Ed are well known, well respected and well integrated wine people in the world of social media and what they had to say was a validation that my many unpaid hours spent on a passion made a difference.  The conversation was two-way; because that’s what these guys know how to do well, and why they are at the top of wineries that bloggers want to engage with in a meaningful way.

We had a very quick lunch at a food truck lot in Portland, where I had a fabulous Korean taco with extra, extra, extra spicy sauce.  As someone who usually is written off on spicy, this stand complied and I was very excited – especially for $5.50.

I attended “The Art of Oregon Pinot – A Clonal Tasting, which was a total wine geek tasting that I so enjoyed.  So basically, clones are separate organisms that are genetically identical to their predecessor, which is paramount to creating wines that reflect the qualities of different clones in Oregon Pinot Noirs.  Erath hosted our clonal tasting where we discussed the different terriors in Oregon and why the clones where so different.  We tried Pinot clones from Wädenswil and Pinot Noir Pommard as well as new Pinot Noir clones developed in France and at UC Davis to address disease problems and later to isolate vineyard characteristics such as early ripening, open clusters, and small berries including “115,” which had lots of red raspberry, red fruits and tasted of black pepper; “777,” with black fruits and vegetal notes, which was described as “slutty”; the Pommard UCD 4 clone, my favorite, which stood alone as a traditional Oregon pinot; and the blend, which incorporated  spice, but was rough at a young age. 

We moved on to the “Off the Beaten Path” seminar presented by Winebow with Sheri Sauter Morano, MW, and the most humbling session of the conference.  We had a blind tasting of seven wines, which I began with confidence, but ended with the realization that I have so much to learn.  In order, we tried the following wines:

1.  Itasad Mendi, Hondarribi Zuri 2011 – Bizkaiko Txakolina is a small denomination that covers wines in the province of Vizcaya in Spain.  The wine is full of citrus, tropical and zesty minerality that left me guessing on a new wine, grape and region.
2. Argiolas S’elagas Nuragus di Cagliari 2010 – apple, floral, nutty, floral with stone fruit.  This Sardinian wine kept me guessing.
3. Cousino- Macul Sauvignon Gris 2011 – Maipo Valley in Chile.  Almost candy-like with starfruit, smoky notes with a crisp acidity.  A very interesting wine.
4. Librandi Duca San Felice Ciro Rosso Riserva 2009 – Calabria in Italy.  Earthy, mocha, red cherry, kirsch, tobacco and a bit of meat.  Lots of structure.
5. Weingu Heinrich Zweigelt 2008 – Austria.  Strawberry, all spice, red fruit and an earthiness that was unique.
6. Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Reserva Bonardoa 2010 – aka known as Charbono, but only in Argentina.  Plums, raspberries, spice and oak with lots of tannins. 
7. Anima Negra An 2008 – Mallorca in Spain.  Meat, cedar, earth and leather. 

Key learning here – no matter what you think you know about wine, there is a blind tasting out there to make you realize you know nothing.  And with the exception of the last wine listed, this is a fun exercise with the most expensive bottle listed at $25, but many at least $10 below that price.

After that, Rex Pickett, author of Sideways, took the stage.  Here is my picture.  I’m sure someone else will dedicate ink to his discussion.  I will not.

I wish I had more time to join the reception for the Wines of Greece, but everything was running behind and I only had about ten minutes to spend to find out I need to know more about the wines of Santorini. 

There were a few folks who bagged on the wine dinner hosted by King Estate.  Shame, shame, shame.  This was a wine dinner that brought together the best of wine, food and social media and was seamlessly organic.   We started with a salad of fennel with heirloom tomato, grilled corn and duck breast prosciutto with the 2011 NxNW Horse Heaven Hills Riesling. 

Our next course was the confit of spot prawns with a cucumber, roasted peach and opal basil with the 2011 King Estate Signature Pinot Gris, a delightful and refreshing wine that paired perfectly with the course. 

We then went to a wild Chinook salmon with garlic sausage (except for me – thank you for asking), potato gnocchi, buttered leeks and aged balsamic with 2010 King Estate Signature Pinot Noir.  Another divine match.

The next course was a roasted top loin of beef with wild mushroom, Yukon potato and shallot marmalade with the 2009 NxNW Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 

The dessert course was a lemon panna cotta with summer berries and lavender syrup with a 2010 King Estate Riesling Vin Glace.  It was a brilliant display of social media, showcasing local farmers and sources and highlighting all that Oregon has to offer.

We quickly ducked into the International Wine Night, which unfortunately probably got shorted due to the dinner running over by about 90 minutes.  Then it was time for the after-parties, which I had opt out on some as they were too numerous to attend all of them.

• We went to the Holy Grail of Alsace Riesling party, which featured vintages from 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001 including Trimbach’s Close Ste Hune, a great single vintage Riesling.  I was lucky enough to try everything but the 2000, and it was a nice reminder of how great Alsace Grand Cru Rieslings stand the test of time.  They aren’t called “somm candy” without reason.

• There was a vertical tasting of Oregon magnums with some that weren’t represented at the conference, so it was fun to try some new vintages.
•  #Get Vertical by Palm Bay Wines – this was a fun opportunity to taste verticals of international wines including Bertani (Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC, 1980, 1993 and 2004); Col D’Orcia (Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOG, 1980, 1997 and 2007);  Faustino (Faustino Gran Reserva Rioja DOC, 1964, 1982 and 1999); Jean-Luc Colombo (Jean-Luc Colombo “Les Ruchets” Cornas AOC, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2009); and Trimbach (Timbach Riesling “Cuvee Frederic Emile” Alsace AOC, 2000 and 2001).  I really wish that this wasn’t my second to the last stop as there were some great wines that I would have liked to savor more, but thank you Palm Bay Wines for the experience.

• Jordan – this event has brought many bloggers to their knees on Sunday morning and is always the party never to miss.  Lisa brought a wide array of Jordan’s best vintages, right off of their 40^th anniversary.  These were wines to remember (or perhaps some attending did not).

I’ll end this post with a full disclosure and an introduction to “Crazy Chicken.”  I travel the world for my day job and so my seven-year-old daughter asked me to bring a toy and take pictures so she can experience my journey.  The chicken has traveled with me from London to Stockholm to Singapore and finally to Portland, where he has adventures – clearly tonight he spent too much time at the after-parties (and no, those photos aren’t shared with her).  Look for him in the return to Carlton winery post-trip.

Icon Georges Duboeuf: Changing the Face of Affordable French Wines

This summer, a number of iconic brands celebrated important anniversaries.  The trend continued in August when Georges Duboeuf, founder and co-owner of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf Wines, came to Dallas to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of working with his dear friend, William Deutsch, chairman of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and the importer of Duboeuf wines.  The families have been friends for many years and have children that have grown up together in the business.

Georges wanted to personally visit key cities in the U.S. including Dallas, Boston, Miami and New York to pour his wines because 2011 was an exceptional year and the U.S. accounts for 25 percent of his imports.  Les Vins Georges Deboeuf is also the number one French wine brand in the U.S.  He credits the amazing weather in April and the early harvest in August in 2011.  He talked about the need for nature to cooperate and allow the winemaker to have the good grapes needed to make a great wine.  Even though he’s been involved in the business for many, many years, he still considers himself an apprentice of wine.  He talked about how each year can be a harrowing experience – from the weather, to the grape quality, to the harvest to the winemaking process. 

We met him at Marquee Grill where Celebrity Chef (and friend) Tre Wilcox prepared a set menu followed by several courses not on our printed menu.  The food was off the charts.  Great food paired well with wine seems to be the core of Georges approach to life and he referred to successful pairings as poetry.  We began with the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Macon-Villages Domaine Les Chenevieres ($13.99) as an apertiff.  The wine was full of citrus, mineral and notes of flowers.  It was a very nice sipping wine.

I loved his story of how his family had a few acres of vines in Pouilly-Fuisse and he learned winemaking from his uncle and older brother.  At 18 years old, he began delivering the family wine to local restaurants.  He decided to expand to other local wineries and in 1957; he created an association of 45 producers in France, one of the first associations of winemakers in France.  He basically knocked on doors and sold a value proposition to the individual winemakers of creating a group of special winemakers who could represent the region well.  In 1964, he founded his wine label and now the company works with over 20 wine co-ops and 400 growers. 

You may be thinking of Duboeuf wines as the easy drinking Nuevo Beaujolais released every November, but the wines we tried were so much more than that.  He describes this harvest as the most feminine that he’s seen and talked about the perfect moment for maturation of the grapes and how that affected the balance in the wines we were about to taste. Georges tastes an average of two hours per day outside of harvest and five hours a day during harvest.

So let’s talk about the pairings.  We started with the seared diver sea scallops with caviar champagne sauce, asparagus, watercress and tomatoes with the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Pouilly-Fuisse Domaine Beranger ($25.99).   I am still dreaming about this match – the scallops paired perfectly with the pineapple, floral notes, vanilla, almond and minerality of the wine.  Fifteen different grapes are sourced for this wine from four different villages. 

Our next course was paired with two wines.  The roasted beet salad with grilled endive, French beans and crispy goat cheese was served with the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages ($9.99) and the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles Flowers Label ($13.99).  The Beaujolais was full of fruit – cherry, black currant and licorice.  The Chiroubles was much more elegant with notes of violet, black fruits and cassis.    

The third course of truffle sausage stuffed quail with sweet corn succotash, fava beans and tomato demi-glace was served with the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean-Ernest Descombes and the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Julienan Chateau des Capitans.   The Morgon reminded me of a burgundy with black fruit, cassis and violet notes.  The Chateau des Capitans ($18.99), named after a famous culinary chateau that he acquired ten years ago, was a powerful wine.  It had notes of mocha, vanilla and black fruit. This was really nice today but I think would be spectacular in a few years.

Definitely give these wines a try – for taste, for affordability and for expanding your palate, they make for a fun journey.  And if you try the Pouilly Fuisse with the scallops, you’ll experience a match made in heaven. 

Savor Cheese, Savor Wine, Savor Dallas

As a part of Savor Dallas, I was invited to a joint event held by the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and Scardello to discover wine and cheese pairings.  Ironically, I had recently attended an event with the Moet Hennessy event, which was also held in the same place,  and found the identical wine portfolio.  Jim White, the founder and face of Savor Dallas, welcomed us along with Michael Flynn, the director of food and beverage at the Mansion, and Rich Rogers, the lead cheese monger for Scardello. 
Rich walked us thought the several step cheese tasting process – which consisted of similar steps with the exception of touch.  He also taught us about leaving the cheese on the roof of your mouth for a moment before tasting.

I’ve written about the Chateau de Sancerre many times before and this was matched with a Cana de Cabra.  The goat cheese combined the acidity, creaminess and citrus of the wine splendidly.

Our next wine, the Café Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend, was paired with the St. Pat Cowgirl Creamery, a seasonal cheese from California.  It was wrapped in stinging nettle leaves and was a whole organic cow’s milk cheese.  This was a powerful combination and one that worked very well.

I have fond memories of Newton and I really like Chris’ wines, so I was happy to see the 08 Unfiltered Chardonnay with the Capricious goat cheese from Achadinha Cheese Company in California.  This brought together caramelization with a dry jack style.  I loved them both, but not together.

The next match was the 07 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir with a Pagliarino from Italy, a raw sheep’s milk cheese.  This was a nice match – the cherry was neutralized and the two combined had a great finish.

We then moved to the 07 Newton Merlot and the Cabot Clothbound, a cow’s milk cheese from Vermont.  The jamminess of the merlot and the sharpness of the cabot made this a buttery, nutty and caramel combination.  Very nice.

We ended with a Mahon Reserva, a raw cow’s milk cheese paired with the Termes (see link).  This was a nice mix of nutty and salt that was tempered by the richness of the Termes.

Also Rich gave some cheese advice to live by, “if a rind looks like something you shouldn’t put in your mouth, then don’t.”  Very smart advice from a very skilled cheese monger.   And cheers to another successful year of Savor Dallas making our city more informed about wine.