News From The Cheese Caves

Good old Ibores (full name – Queso Ibores) from the Extremadura of western Spain, this cheese comes through as a successful pairing partner for a broad range of wines more often than not, though it does have its favorites. Like most goat cheeses, there is a strong bias in favor of the white wines, however the Ibores actually holds up well against quite a number of red wines too. The successes with the red wines have been noted in the type of Ibores that has the pimentón rubbed onto the rind.

Recently I had the opportunity to taste this cheese against some Pinot Gris wines while preparing to teach a Cheese & Wine 301 here at the Center. The wines that I tried were medium-bodied types with significant apple/pear aromatics. I have recorded successes with the lighter and leaner Pinot Grigios from Italy too. A nice idea for a summer picnic or light lunch can include a chilled Pinot Grigio with the Ibores, perhaps an arugula salad to highlight those flavor notes that are sometimes found in this grape

The Ibores are peaking during the warmer months and the ones that arrived here recently are some of the prettiest that I’ve seen in years. The Ibores can be produced without the sweet red pimentón and still fall within the legal definition for the cheese yet this is part of what gives the cheese its Spanish character; it lends a good dose of zesty umami to the flavor profile – a good thing. This most important goat cheese of the Extremadura, the Ibores is always produced with uncompromised milk (meaning unpasteurized milk) which helps to give it added depth and a good claylike texture, as well as plenty of vitamins A & D.

I have been a huge fan of Cabernet Sauvignon for almost as long as I have been a fan of cheese. There was a time when I would take advantage of the case discount price of Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux expecting that I would be able to age it successfully in my basement. Few bottles stayed around longer than six months.

When I am choosing a red wine, I take note of the wines that have this varietal as a major component, or those wines that are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Even though the tannins in a Cabernet Sauvignon can be a bit harsh, those tannins can be softened with a buttery cow cheese such as Le Moulis. Interestingly, as this cheese matures and the flavors become earthier and funkier, the wines from this grape tend to soften and mellow. It is as though the cheese goes in one direction and the wine goes another.

It is this maturation that makes Le Moulis and Cabernet Sauvignon such excellent partners. A more astringent Cabernet Sauvignon is well balanced by the milder flavored and younger Le Moulis. The smooth and familiar butter flavored Le Moulis will meld into a more youthful and vigorous Cabernet Sauvignon. Then as this cheese matures and the flavors deepen, it will find better balance with the less strident and aged wine.

There are many variables that can characterize the wines that are made with Cabernet Sauvignon. The terroir: the soil, the climate, the water, etc., as well as the vinification and aging methods. I recall one occasion when I tasted a cheese quite similar to Le Moulis from the Pyrenees, with two 100% Napa Cabernet Sauvignons, same producer, same vintage but different vineyards. Though both of the pairings were excellent, each wine brought out different “finishes” with the cheese.

There are some varying and related qualities in this grape, no matter where it is grown and no matter how it is made into wine that will give the typical Cabernet Sauvignon profile. The flavor/aroma components include: green pepper, lead pencil, cedar, and cigar box. The meritage blends that include Cabernet Sauvignon can add other dimensions to the wines, and these marry very well with Le Moulis as well.

The better known cow version of this cheese can elevate several other varietals as well. Whenever I think of a suitable cheese partner for that Cabernet Sauvignon which I favor, I remember to check to see if I have Le Moulis. This fecund cheese provides the platform for this varietal to best exhibit its noble finery. What better organoleptic profile in a cheese to play off the profile of this workhorse of a grape – rich butter and toothsome Le Moulis underneath an elegant wine.

I recall feeling a little dismayed earlier in my cheese and wine pairing career when I found that one of my favorite wines did not always blend with whatever cheese I had before me. Cabernet Sauvignon helped me to appreciate the importance of the texture of a wine as well as its flavor and aroma components when making successful pairings of cheeses and wines. Fortunately this grape “prefers” cow, which is the milk from which most cheeses are made.

For all the many cheese types that are produced in France, no other type quite defines French cheeses than the triple-crèmes. I often refer to these cheeses as “luxury” cheeses because they are fat-added cheeses, more luxurious than the double-crèmes because they have a minimum of 75% fat in dry matter compared to the minimum of 60% for the doubles. 75% would not make them exactly triple the fat that would be found in the milk to begin with, yet considerably more than the 60% of the double-crèmes.

Neither of these cheese types may be my favorite types, not because they may be more fattening (because they aren’t necessarily so anyway) but I have to admit that they are quite popular. I took one to a Bastille Day party recently and the cheese was devoured within a matter of minutes, the firmer cheese beside it lasted a little longer even though it weighed less. One reason that I may veer away from these cheeses is because they contain relatively higher water content than the firmer varieties (one of the reasons that they aren’t actually more fattening). I would prefer to pay for the good solids offered in cheese than the water.

Every once in a while I sample one of those triple-crèmes anyway. At a Cheese & Wine 201 seminar recently we incorporated a Brillat-Savarin Frais (a rindless example from one of the best producers) into the mix of cheeses. One of the wines we sampled was a Friulano. The triple-crèmes have often presented challenges to their wine partners, or at least the pairings have only been rated as “good.”

Though I did not expect this matching to thrill us, after the cheese and wine had melded together in the mouth, the layers of flavor began to unfold into an unusual and exceptional finish. The Friulanos are noted for their delightful blends of aromatics – floral, fruity, vegetal and nutty – as well as their medium bodied textures, their softness that is balanced by some acid. These qualities would suggest a delightful match for the rich Brillat-Savarin Frais. The acid in the wine would dissolve the added fat of the cheese. The medium-bodied texture of the Friulano would complement the thick texture of the cheese. The nutty, fruity aromatics in the wine coupled with the sweet creamy flavor of the cheese might suggest a banana split.

What we noted was an enhanced savory note in the wine. A detection of the presence of umami rose up and it gave us the surprise top pairing of the evening. This was a pairing of cheese and wine where both the wine and the cheese were elevated, a one plus one equals three matching!

After experiencing this pairing I plan to include Friulano wines more frequently in our classes.

A crisp Sauvignon Blanc can offer the perfect wine partner for many of your cheese selections during the warmer months. Most frequently lined up with goat cheeses, these wines can pair amazingly well with some of the sheep milk cheeses. The bright acidity in the Sauvignon Blancs balances the olive oil qualities of these sheep cheeses – like a squeeze of lemon juice on an omega-3-rich Mediterranean fish.

Many of these sheep cheeses are coming into their primes now: the Fleur du Maquis from Corsica; the Azeitão, the Evora, the Serpa and the Serra from Portugal; the Torta del Casar from Spain. With just a little more age, and also chock full of nutrients, we find the Flixer from Switzerland, the Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane from Italy, as well as the Ossau Iraty or the Abbaye de Belloc from France.

An added bonus that is derived from those sheep milk cheeses is that they are relatively high in CLA – Conjugated Linoleic Acid – the potent anti-oxidant, skin cancer fighter, and weight-reducing fatty acid.

So if you’re headed to the beach or lounging by the pool, take plenty of water, a chilled Sauvignon Blanc and some of those amazing sheep milk cheeses.

The Abbaye de Tamié has been produced at the eponymous monastery in the Savoie since the 12th century. On the young side this cheese may remind you of the thick cream that rises to the top of fresh uncompromised milk; when it is a little older the cheese becomes beefier in flavor. The curds are cut fairly large and the young cheese is lightly pressed to give it an unctuous texture. Much of the depth of flavor comes from the full pasturage upon which the cows graze. The cheese has light washings giving it added depth. Younger or older, the cheese exudes a pleasant barnyard aroma.

With these qualities the Abbaye de Tamié tolerates few ordinary wines. As with many other cheeses in this family, a fine Riesling makes the ideal partner. The bright acidity that these wines possess gracefully breaks down the butterfats. The sweet floral notes in Riesling balance the outdoorsy flavor aromatics of this exquisite cheese. For anyone that has not yet appreciated what Rieslings can bring to the table, the Abbaye de Tamié should be on their plate.

Younger or older, the Comté (sometimes called the “Prince of Gruyères”) is a fabulous cheese for any time, any day of the year. No wonder that when you ask for fromage in France, the assumption is that you are speaking of a Comté. At one time this cheese was more frequently enjoyed on the younger side. Nowadays the older varieties have become more popular. As with most cheeses, it becomes a deeper flavored cheese with more age. Younger, older, or somewhere in the middle, this cheese can be great for snacking by itself; it also melts well for cooking.

Of the wines that we have tasted alongside Comté, the Chardonnays have presented many fine matches. I recall pulling up to visit Château Haut-Bailly south of Bordeaux, producer of excellent red wines. You might expect that they would be having a glass of their wine with the default lunch of choice – Comté. The winemakers did indeed have the cheese, yet instead of having a glass of their red Bordeaux, they were having a low-calorie cola. Alors!

Besides the fact that their day of work was not nearly complete and the glass of wine might beg for a siesta instead, their lovely wine might not be elevated by the cheese. If their vineyard was planted in Chardonnay, they might allow themselves at least one glass.

This is one thing that our Cheese & Wine 101 sessions are about – finding the synergies between cheeses and wines. There are a couple of things that make Comté and Chardonnay a good match. Chardonnay is a relatively complex varietal and Comté is a full-flavored cheese. Aromatically, the apple and pear notes of Chardonnay harmonize beautifully with the nutty buttery notes of this cheese.

One of the most exquisite and memorable cheese and wine pairings that I have ever experienced is the one that occurs between wines that are made from the Chenin Blanc grape and a little sheep milk cheese from Switzerland – the rare and distinctive Flixer. This cheese is related to the better known Alpine style cheeses such as Appenzeller; this cheese is cooked, pressed, and it receives several washings to enhance its savory flavor profile.

Chenin Blanc in its many expressions, from the lightest drier styles to the fruitier more viscous or sparkling types, generally pairs most successfully with goat or sheep milk cheeses (though in its sweeter incarnations especially, it can be a respectful wine partner for many cow milk cheeses). The Flixer prefers white wines, and the chestnut flavor and toothsome texture of this cheese provides the perfect complement for the honeyed peach and mineral notes of the Chenin Blanc wines. The good acidity that this grape acquires dissolves the compact Flixer to a mouth-watering finish.

Quite frankly: why this varietal is not considered to be one of the “noble” grapes is a little surprising. It can stand out on its own or it can blend successfully with a number of other grapes.

There are several lovely Chenin Blanc wines around, from the new world as well as its probable birthplace in France. There is however only a limited supply of Flixer available – one solitary producer, Mario Cotti in Canton Graubünden. This is one of those “before I die” cheese and wine marriages to experience.

Cheese and beer have been great partners for centuries. Some of the regions where exceptional cheeses are produced also happen to be known for their fine ales. The effervescence of beers lifts up the deep flavors in some of the aged cheeses, and the brighter flavor notes in beers can balance the lighter notes in many of the younger cheeses.

There are many cheeses that pair admirably with beer; some cheeses incorporate beer into their production, or at least some of the ingredients that go into beers.

Some of our all-around favorite beer cheeses include Flösserkäse (which is washed in hops), the Beermat (which is washed in wheat beer), the Tarentaise from Vermont (more beer produced in that beautiful state than wine, the Putnam’s Tarentaise is excellent with a pilsner or lager), the Mousseron Jurassien (lip-smacking delicious right now), the raw-milk French Raclette (no melting required), the Bavarian Limburger (a classic match), the Quicke’s Cheddar (outstanding with an I.P.A.), the Andeerer Schmuggler (from the award-winning dairy in Canton Graubünden) or the Austrian Hittisau (buttery, nutty and full-flavored at a relatively young age for this type of cheese).

For more information on pairing cheese with beer check out the chapter on Beer in my latest book – Mastering Cheese. Or sign up for our next class on Craft Beer & Cheese and get a guided tasting tour with our cheese and beer experts.

Some people wait until fall to enjoy blue cheeses but there are many that are outstanding right now. The Smokey Oregon Blue is one that is perfect for summer picnics as well as just about any other part of the year with just a touch of smoking over hazelnut shells. The inimitable Roquefort, Carles is so sweet and creamy, simply remarkable. The often misunderstood and rare naturally bluing blue from Asturias, Spain – Gamonedo – has a touch of that smoking that comes from the small apple wood fires around which the young cheeses are cured. For another brilliant summer time blue we enjoy the Crater Lake Blue, or for a funkier blue, we recommend the Bleu de Laqueuille, full of the buttery cow notes.