P’tit Basque is a raw sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region of France.  It was invented in 1997 and has quickly become a very popular cheese.  Lactalis makes this cheese and exports close to 400,000 pounds of P’tit Basque.  P’tit Basque is handmade and formed into small cylinders about 3 inches tall weighing 1 ¼ pounds.  This cheese is aged for 70 days and coated in thin plastic.  This coating prevents the cheese from getting moldy and drying out.

P’tit Basque is made using traditional methods of the Basque region.  Cheeses of this region are produced from December to July.  This is in time with the sheep’s natural fertility cycle.  Unlike cow’s, sheep cannot be milked year round.  Sheep’s milk has a very high fat content and the fat content for this cheese is 45%.  Due to the high fat content, this cheese can sometimes sweat.

P’tit Basque is often called the crème brulee of cheese as it smells like brown butter and caramel.  This cheese is creamy and slightly sweet with notes of olive oil and fruit.  The paste is smooth and the color of butter with no eyes.  The sweetness of this cheese becomes more salty as it melts on your tongue.   This cheese will pair well with Madiran, Tempranillo, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Grenache, or Burgundy.

Midnight Moon

Midnight Moon is a goat cheese made by Cypress Grove Creamery in California.  This creamery is located in Humboldt County near the Pacific Ocean and amongst redwood trees.  Cypress Grove has joined forces with a Dutch cheese maker to produce Midnight Moon and Lamb Chopper.  Both cheeses are made following a Dutch Gouda recipe.  This cheese was conceived in California but produced in Holland

Midnight Moon is aged for six months or more allowing time for those delicious flavor crystals to develop.  These pockets of salty crunch are actually concentrated proteins.  The pale ivory paste is dense and creamy.  The flavor has notes of caramel, brown butter, and nuts.  This cheese is not what you expect from a goat cheese as it does not have any of the usual tang.  All cheeses made by Cypress Grove are made using microbial vegetarian rennet.

This cheese is very wine friendly and pairs well with Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Dry Sherry, Gewürztraminer, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Try this cheese with your favorite beer or cocktail.  This cheese melts well and can be added to your favorite dishes like macaroni and cheese.

Both of these cheeses are among my personal favorites,  stop into The Vineyard and try them for yourself.

As always, wines being tasted are offered a discounted prices of 15% off a bottle purchase, and 20% off a case (including mixed cases).

The Lineup:

Crios Torrontes 2009 – 90 pts Wine Advocate

Luca Chardonnay 2007 – 92 pts Wine Advocate

Crios Rose of Malbec 2008 – 90 pts Wine Advocate

Mapema Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – 87 pts Wine Advocate

La Posta Bonarda 2007 – 89 pts Wine Spectator

La Posta Cochina Blend 2007 – 89 pts Wine Spectator

Mendel Unus 2006 – 93 pts Wine Advocate

BenMarco Expressivo 2004 – 90 pts Wine Spectator

Tikal Patriota 2006 – 92 pts Wine Advocate

Susanna Balbo Malbec 2007 – 91 pts Wine Advocate

The tasting will cost $10/person, and reservations are required.

Give us a call at (703) 288-2970 with any questions or to make a reservation.

Please stop in and visit with us and taste some great wines!

I have started to crave richer comfort foods like hearty stews and roasted meats.  To be honest, I crave hearty comfort foods all year round, but my weakness tends to overwhelm me as winter closes in.

My thoughts naturally drift from food to wine.  I have had fuller reds in my wine rack recently.  I spent some time cooking a meal for friends and family over the weekend.   I chose a 1999 Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion from Bordeaux.   Here’s what Mr. Parker had to say abou this one:

“This perfumed, sexy effort is dominated by complex aromas of scorched earth, Provencal garrigue notes, and black cherries. It is medium-bodied, with serious concentration, moderate tannin, and a long finish. This plum/garnet-colored wine will benefit from 2-3 more years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2015.”

It’s a great wine that’s drinking very well at the moment.

I prepared a fantastic roasted lamb loin.  I dredged the lamb in fennel and caraway seeds, browned it all sides and popped it in the oven.   I used some of the Bordeaux and some stock combined with brown and Dijon mustards to make a wonderfully simple pan sauce.  In the end, the mustard was a bit sharp for the Bordeaux, but my cravings for a full bodied red wine and comforting roasted meat were satisfied, but only temporarily!