Adam's 40th

Wine and cheese for Adam's birthday.

Douceur de Jura - French, raw. Soft, creamy and buttery cow cheese
Delice de Bourgogne - pasteurized. "Triple cream"

• NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  I am not a huge fan of champagne, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It was light yellow in color with a nose of ripe citrus and zest. Maybe a little toast. Very little yeastiness. Just the right amount of tartness with fresh, crisp apples and citrus on the palate. The finish was nice. Clean. I really enjoyed this wine and might even pick some up for future consumption. (4+13+17+7)

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Fleur verte - pasteurized fresh goat. (My favorite). Tarragon and crushed peppercorns on the outside.
St. Maure Goat cheese - Touraine - fine white, firm, slightly nutty.
Queso de la Serena - Extremadura, Spain. Raw sheep. Extremely gooey.

• 2008 Rainer Wess Grüner Veltliner Wachauer 84 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Oh was this a disappointing wine. The color was nice - light apple juice. The nose was unpleasant. Some sort of pickled vegetables or overripe fruit. The description is really irrelevant. I would not recommend inhaling it. The taste was unusual. There was both too much sweetness and too much acidity, but there were some underlying flavors - lemon zest being the only memorable one - that kept my interest (until I took another sniff from the glass). There was a slightly bitter finish which, thankfully, was short lived. (4+10+15+5)

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• 2009 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño Rías Baixas 91 Points

  Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas

  Very nice wine. Very light straw or yellow in color. The nose was very fresh and crisp with lots of tropical and citrus fruits. Palate was peach and apricot with a touch of lemon or orange zest. The overall effect was almost a cleansing of the palate. I need to explore Spanish whites a little bit. I really enjoyed this one. (4+13+16+8)

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There was another wine here which I can't find the details for - i will add it when I can. It was a Kurtsch, maybe?

D'affinois - Rhones-Alpes, France - pasteurized cow. Mild, buttery. Very creamy.
Taleggio - Lombardia, Italy - pasteurized cow - soft, pungent rind. Soft, spreadable texture. Nutty and fruity.

• 2007 Vinhos Borges Douro Quinta da Soalheira 88 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  First red of the night and really a nice transition from the whites. Deep ruby color. The nose was a little closed, but I think I got some cherries. The wine was a little sweet, but not jammy. Fresh cherries, light, low acidity and not very tannic. It was a nice wine, but not particularly memorable. mrs. gbm really liked it, though. (4+11+16+7)

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Formaggio vino rosso - Vento, Italy - raw cow. hard cheese, slightly crumbly. Soaked in and covered with crushed Barolo grape skins for days to weeks and then aged for several months. Very salty, but very tasty and pairs well with the Barolo.
Tomme Crayeuse - Rhones-Alpes, France - raw cow. Mushroomy and earthy.

• 2004 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Storico 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  OK. First of all, it was way too early to drink this wine, but preparation can make all the difference. The wine was double decanted and went through a Vinturi. Color was a deep dark red. Nose was complex with plums and tar and leather. Palate was more of the same. Tannins were strong, but not overwhelming which I suspect was related to the aeration and decanting. Nicely balanced. I kept going back to this one (until I got to the next wine - El Puntido). (4+12+17+8)

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• 2003 Viñedos de Páganos Rioja El Puntido 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Deep dark opaque reddish purplish blackish color. I don't know if it was good or bad, it interested me though. Similar to the barolo which preceded it, this was both double decanted and passed though a Vinturi. Nose was a bit closed, but complex with black fruits over hints of leather and tar. More black fruits on the palate with smooth, round tannins and a nice long finish. This was a very enjoyable wine which I simply could not stop going to for more. (4+12+17+8)

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Bleu des Causses - Midi-Pyrenees, France - cow's milk - "poor man's Roquefort"
Roquefort - Midi-Pyrenees, France - raw sheep/ewe's milk
Boerenkaas 4 year aged Gouda - Holland - pastuerized cow. Crunchy, flaky, crumbly. Melts in your mouth, but oh so salty.

• NV Blandy's Madeira Malmsey 15 Years Old

  Portugal, Madeira

  This was my first Madeira. I like port, but sometimes find it too sweet or syrupy. This was neither. Caramel and nuts predominated but there was an acidity or a citrus component that I did not expect. This was poured after a couple of hours of tasting (and retasting) so my notes are not formal, but I would certainly choose this again given the opportunity. ~ 90 pts.

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• 2003 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos

  Hungary, Tokaji

  My first Tokaj - and another pleasant surprise. Less cloying than a Sauterne. Dark apricot color. Viscous, but not syrupy. The fruit was really well balanced by the acidity. ~90 pts

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Lots of fun and lots of great wine (and cheese).

WOTN for me was the Puntido, but it was close.
Surprise of the night was the Albarino. It was my first Spanish white and I will certainly have to try some more.

Cheese of the night - Fleur verte. I could eat that stuff forever.