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| Oxbow Cheese Merchant |
Life has been crazy the past few weeks, so I'm a bit behind on my wine and cheese of the week. In an attempt to catch up, I'm writing about two of each this week. Enjoy!
Chimney Rock
Picture above from http://www.beatravelbee.com/. Picture below from http://www.yelp.com/
Napa is so famous for it's cabs and Chimney Rock makes a fantastic one. I recently shared a bottle with my Mom and she is still raving about it. Chimney Rock is situated in the Stags Leap District on the Silverado Trail and is an easy place to stop in and enjoy some killer wine.
My favorites:
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon - $69
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - $66
2007 Elevage (cab blend) - $81
2008 Elevage (cab blend) - $76
http://chimneyrock.com/
James Cole
Picture from http://www.yelp.com/
Right next to Chimney Rock on the trail is James Cole. Cool little place that does some really nice, single varietal wines. Ever had a 100% petit verdot? I hadn't until James Cole and it was awesome. They also do a great reserve cab and malbec and it's just nice to taste through some unique, small-batch wines.
Petit Verdot - $75
Malbec - $75
"Umbral" Cab Sauv Reserve - $140
http://www.jamescolewinery.com/
Piave
Picture from http://www.artisinalcheese.com/
We had a swanky event at work yesterday and once the guests left, I took it upon myself to eat most of the Piave cheese leftovers. I am by no means a cheese expert, but I was telling people it kind of tastes like a cross between a deliciously, tangy Parmesan and a mild cheddar. The real cheese professionals at Oxbow describe it as having a rich and dense texture, with rich and full bodied caramel flavors. However you want to describe it, it's just plain delicious.
Prefere De Nos Montagnes
Picture from http://www.nellsdish.com/
Do you love Epoisse, but is it sometimes a little too footy and stinky for some of your guests? Do you love how creamy and gooey brie is, but wished it had a little more umph? If you are a total freak like me and answered yes to these questions, then prefere de nos montagnes is the perfect French cheese for you. It is fantastically creamy and spreadable, with a mild hazelnut flavor. Just enough flavor to taste like an aged cheese, but not over the top. This is one dreamy cheese.
