Luca Paschina, Winemaker & GM at Barboursville Winery

I could not be happier with the success of the 2010 Winemaker Wednesday series at The Frenchman’s Cellar in downtown Culpeper.  When I first suggested this series to Jeffery Mitchell, owner of FC, there was no hesitation on his part.  A true believer in Virginia wines and Virginia artisan food products.   His shop, located within the Frenchman’s Corner, is an oasis of wines, micro-brews and artisan cheese delights in Central Virginia.  

You know how I love one-on-one chats with winemakers, and I have no doubt that you also see the benefit of a visit to charming downtown Culpeper, for the opportunity to visit with an icon in Virginia winemaking. 

So get your wine-loving self to FC on Wednesday, September 15th, when Luca Paschina of Barboursville Winery will be the featured winemaker.   From 6pm – 8pm wine enthusiasts will have the opportunity to experience a casual, intimate setting in which to taste the highly revered Barboursville wines and chat with Luca about his approach from vineyard to bottle.  The wines will be paired with artisan cheeses from the Frenchman’s Cellar’s international array.

The Frenchman’s Cellar/Corner,  129 E. Davis Street, Culpeper.  Phone. 540.825.8025.  Complimentary tasting paired with artisan cheeses.  Of course, wine available for purchase.

Cheers!

Anita

Keswick Vineyards, and Winemaker, Stephen Barnard

Wednesday, July 14th, from 6p-8p,  the Frenchman’s Corner in Culpeper will feature Stephen Barnard, winemaker at Keswick Vineyards. 

This in-store event is an opportunity to have a casual tasting of Keswick Vineyard’s wines and a one-on-one with Stephen.  If you have not yet discovered the KV wines, than I suggest that you make your way to downtown Culpeper on Wednesday.  Make a night of it.  Foti’s Restaurant is just a block away.  It’s About Thyme is just across the street! 

The Frenchman’s Corner, 129 E. Davis Street, Culpeper.  540.825.8025.

See you there!

Cheers,

Anita

Claude Thibaut

June 9th, from 6pm to 8pm at The Frenchman’s Corner, 129 E. Davis Street, Culpeper.  An opportunity to meet Virginia wine-maker (by way of Champagne…yes, I mean France) Claude Thibaut of Thibaut-Janisson Winery.  As you may already know, Claude is a renowned Master of Champagne, and as good fate has it, he has made his home in Central Virginia.  So tell your friends and get your wine-loving selves there!

The Winemaker Wednesday series of complimentary tastings, which I cooked up with Jeffery Mitchell, owner of the wine & cheese shop portion of The Frenchman’s Corner, is a great casual way to meet the winemaker.  Let’s face it, they aren’t hanging out in their tasting rooms…well very much anyway.  And in the case of Claude, who doesn’t have a tasting room, this is a perfect opportunity to meet him and find out what goes into the making of his Sparkling wines.

The wine menu for the evening, paired with fine French cheeses, will be the Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay,

Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay

and Claude’s newest releases, Brut Rosé and Virginia Fizz.  I wrote about Virginia Fizz in my article about Claude in the Spring issue of the Virginia Wine Gazette.  But, don’t rely entirely on what I have to say, show up on June 9th and taste for yourself.   Did I tell you that the TJ Blanc de Chardonnay was served at the Obama’s first State Dinner last November?!   (oh, we just don’t tire of this story!)  Well, it was, and Claude did not have to crash it. (Don’t get me started on the two Bozos who did crash.)   The wine-powers-that-be in the State Department have chosen Claude’s Sparklings on a few occasions, when he was working for California wineries.  But since they were not his own label….the Obama State Dinner makes it that much more special!

Here is the upcoming star-studded schedule of Winemaker Wednesdays! 

A nod of thanks to the winemakers who have participated thus far:  Bree Ann Moore for Unicorn Winery, Gabriele Rausse for Gabriele Rausse Wines, Al Kellert for Gray Ghost Winery.  And a big kudos to Jeffery Mitchell for making this commitment to promote Virginia wines and their winemakers!

See you there!

Cheers,

Anita

“No government could survive without champagne. In the throat of our diplomatic people [it] is like oil in the wheels of an engine.”

Joseph Dargent quote

At one of my dinner parties, I served Old House Vineyards 2009 Vidal Blanc with a grilled curry shrimp, as an appetizer.  I even had Damien Blanchon, Old Field’s winemaker, grilling the shrimp for me.  The slight sweetness of the Vidal Blanc and spicy curry was a good combination, but of course, I have my critique.  And that is that I should have simmered the shrimp in the curry sauce, vs. marinating it and then grilling.  For the simple reason that it didn’t have enough spice.  I use Patak’s Curry Paste, which I buy at Cost Plus World Market.  It is really a simmering sauce and now I understand that is how the spice and heat develop, when I’ve previously used it.  So, next time I will let the curry paste simmer (add a bit of water) for 20 minutes and then put in the shrimp for 5 minutes to cook.  I bet it will then have the spice that I’m looking for.

The apéritif that evening was the Janisson et Fils ’Bleu’ Champagne.  It was a gift from my friend, Pamela Margaux of Margaux & Company.  This champagne is divine.  Brilliantly fresh with subtle fruit and flower characteristics.  50% Pinot Noir, and 50% Chardonnay.

The main course was a Grilled Marinated Flank Steak and a Creamy Potato Salad with Lemon and Fresh Herbs.  The marinade I used has become my favorite,  and makes an inexpensive cut like london broil or flank steak sing.  This was paired with King Family Vineyard’s 2007 Petit Verdot (sold out, you’ll have to wait for the 2008).  The rich, dark fruit of the PV paired beautifully with the steak.  The marinade makes a difference, and you will understand when you click through below, to the recipe.  Of course, one bottle wasn’t enough, so we also opened a bottle of Old House’s Bacchanalia, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin and Tannat, for the cheese course.

Dessert

Dessert….one of my famous cakes!  A Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries, paired with a Prosecco. 

Frantz Ventre opening the Prosecco!

And then we finished off with Old House’s Chambourcin Port…..ahhh, a perfect evening!

Recipes are compliments of Epicurious.com:

Marinated Grilled London Broil/Flank Steak

Creamy Potato Salad with Lemon and Fresh Herbs

Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries

I am forever apologizing for the quality of my photos….so, why should now be any different!!  My other dinner guests:  Katy Bradley & Damien Blanchon, Jenn & Benoit Pineau were not done  justice by my very  blurry pics.  Never mind….I’ll get the hang of it someday!

Let me know how you like the recipes…and enjoy!

Cheers,

Anita

“I think it is a great error to consider a heavy tax on wines as a tax on luxury. On the contrary, it is a tax on the health of our citizens.”
Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of U.S.)

Despite my lust for wine and good cheese, I am a neophyte when it comes to the cheese-making process, so Gail had to get down to basics for me.  To begin with what defines a farmstead cheese?  That would apply to cheese made on the property where the cows/sheep/goats are raised and milked.  No outside milk is sourced; no frozen curd; and all the cheeses are hand ladled.  The Caromont goats are a closed herd.  What does that mean…they’re unsociable?  Yes, in that they are all bred on the premises, and some on Gail’s sister’s property.   No outside goats welcome!

Gail’s cheese making is self-taught and inspired by the great artisanal cheeses from Europe, primarily France.  The production facility is small and efficient, and good hygiene is strictly adhered to, hence the attractive cap and long, white coat I donned before being ushered into the ‘drain room.’   An overview of the process begins with…you guessed it, milking the goats!  Two minutes per goat x 22 milking goats doesn’t seem so long.  Each goat gives about one gallon per day.   The pasteurization is based on temperature control, which will be adjusted based on the weather.  A lactic bacteria/culture is introduced to the milk and sits until Rennet is introduced.  This creates a matrix of proteins + fat + milk solids, which in turn creates the curd. 

The curds in the drain pans...that used to be a salad bar!

 The curds are cut and put into drain pans, which sit on what once was a salad bar…ingenious.  Most or all of the whey is drained and the curd is set into molds, and then continues to drain.  Once the cheese molds have drained sufficiently, Gail will then apply any herbs, as in the case of the Old Green Mountain Round, a fresh Chevre; or Ash, for the Greek Feta.   Then they are off to the temperature-controlled walk-in where they hold until ready for shipment, or longer in the case of the aged Esmontonian.  Have you ever thought about the different shapes of cheeses?  Those shapes aren’t by accident.  The mold shapes vary dependent on the type of cheese. For example, you will only see Tommé cheeses in one mold shape.  As Gail says, “I love molds like other girls love shoes!”   

The Esmontonians draining.

Our next stop was at the goat’s winter home.  This is a dome-shaped structureand the eco-friendly aspect is that the goat’s poop (can I say that on a blog?) emanates enough heat to keep the structure warm during cold temperature months. Then it goes to the compost pile in the Spring.  As we wandered to the goat pens, Gail pointed out that the whey, a by-product of the ‘matrix,’ flows into the goats’ water dish.  Whey is full of protein and very healthy to drink, even for us humans.

We then visited with the goats, and it was love at first sight.  Had Gail taken me to the goat pens first, I would have to be dragged by my ears to continue the tour.   They are just too cute, especially the babies, all of whom I wanted to take home with me.  And if my cell phone camera was more cooperative, I would have posted the pics, that somehow ended up as video files…don’t ask.

When shopping for Caromont Farmstead Cheeses, here are your choices, and wines to pair! 

“Caromont’s Farmstead Fresh” pasteurized, light, lemony, and creamy in the style of Fromage Blanc.    “The Old Green Mountain Round” – 5 oz. “Rounds” dusted on the top and the bottom with Herb de Provence – mild, creamy, and with gentle herb overtones.  
 “Alberene Ash”  has been aged for 2 weeks – a 6 oz Pyramid with a layer of vegetable ash in the center and is creamy with a pronounced mineral overtone and hints of blue as it ages.     “The Esmontonian”  is raw and aged 60 Days with a Natural Rind -Semi Hard Tomme (2.5 lbs) – washed in local Chardonnay Vinegar while aging.    “Mount Alto Feta” Raw — Aged 60 Days – Greek  Feta Style Cheese, aged in its own brine – mild, Creamy, and crumbly – not aggressively salty, gets more complex as it ages.

White Wine Recommendations:  Sauvignon Blancs (crisp and lean),especially Sancerres; unoaked Chardonnays and Gruner Veltliners; Pinot Blanc; Chenin Blanc; Italian whites from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

Red Wine Recommendations: Beaujolais, Gamay or other light red blends.

 Check the website for ‘Where to Buy’  http://www.carmontfarm.com/.

Cheers,

Anita