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The Cheese of the Week is Ibores (ee-BOR-ess)
Country: Spain
Milk Type: Goat
Fat Content: 50%
Cheese Type: Firm
Wine: Tempranillo, California Merlot, Barbaresco, Albarino, Chardonnay, Pouilly-Fume (Sauvignon Blanc), and Riesling.
Ibores also called Sierra Ibores, is a hard, dense raw goat's milk cheese in the Chevrotin family of cheeses. Ibores hails from the region of Extremadura in Spain. Extremadura is one of the most rugged an economically distressed regions in Spain. Many of the cheeses from this region reflect these harsh conditions in their rusticity, flavor, and lack of recognition. Ibores is definitely no exception. During their two month aging process, Ibores wheels get rubbed with a mixture of olive oil and sweet paprika. However, some makers use varying combinations of spices to produce lighter colors and different flavor profiles.
Ibores wheels are a very vibrant red-orange color (due to their treatment of paprika) and are about 4 - 5 inches thick and about 5 inches in diameter. Ibores wheels usually weigh about 1 - 3lbs.
Initially, Ibores exhibits a rustic yet surprisingly mild flavor that finishes off slighty spicy. Unlike other cheeses in it's class, Ibores is more gregarious and cooperative when pairing it with wine and food. It is also an excellent crowd pleaser for most dinner parties as it pairs well with a great variety of wines. As Ibores ages, the pate becomes denser and the cheese exhibits a sharper and spicier flavor profile. It is during this time where the "goatiness" of the cheese really shines through. Keeping this in mind, the goat flavor of this cheese never becomes overpowering or intolerable as some raw aged goat's milk cheeses tend to have.
Ibores pairs exceptionally well with a variety of accompaniments such as raw fruits, vegetables (peppers, cucumbers, radishes) smoked and cured pork products, and crusty artisanal breads. This cheese can also be enjoyed plain or with a simple slice of bread and hearty glass of Tempranillo. Whatever your palate leans to, Ibores is sure to please.
Next week we will continue our Journey through Spain to take a look at
some other rustic cheeses made from different milks. STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEKS CHEESE!!!!
Hollywood Vine, located in downtown Hollywood, Florida, is a rather small but exceptionally well stocked wine store that also operates as a bar and tasting facility. The atmosphere is elegant and classy, yet not overdone. I recently visited Hollywood Vine for a tasting that they held this past Tuesday. They featured a selection of four different wines from Italy, two whites and two reds.
My tasting started with Canella Prosecco di Conegliano which is a non-vintage, light colored, spumante (sparkling) prosecco wine. The wine comes from the Veneto region of northern Italy and is made from 100% prosecco grapes. Many of the prosecco's in this region are not appelation controlled and do not receive D.O.C. stamping. However, since this prosecco comes from Conegliano, which is a sub-region of the Veneto, it is able to attain D.O.C. stamping.
The prosecco had wonderful fruity aromas of peach, apple, and quince. On the palette, the wine exhibited a slight frothy and pleasing fizz that seemed to gently tickle the tongue. Fruity nuances of apple, pear, and melon were present as well. On the finish, the wine exhibited a slight buttery yet dry bitterness similar to a raw almond skin. Unlike its light color, the wine has a rather substantial weight in the mouth. I really enjoyed this wine and believe this would be an excellent alternative to champagne.
Next on the list was a Pieropan '05 Soave Classico, which is also from the Veneto. Pieropan has been a leader in the producation of wines from this region for quite some time. His soave's are regarded as amongst the best by natives of this region.
The wine exhibited elegant floral aromas with hints of herbs and a slight smell of fresh grass. On the palette the wine is very light, elegant and refined. There are no oaky undertones in this wine at all. This is a very silky and beautifully balanced wine. It is very dry with a slight tartness at the finish. Overall, I enjoyed this wine. It was much lighter in weight than the prosecco and was more of a robust yellow gold in color. If you are looking for enjoyable white wine, this suave soave is definitely something to try.
Now on to the reds. The first red in the lineup was an Il Feuduccio '03 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo "Fonte Venna". This was a very bold, robust, and meaty red. The first aroma that graced my nose was an intense smell of dark roasted coffee beans, followed by a slight aroma of truffles that ended with a very earthy, almost dirt-like smell. The flavors on the palatte were very similar to that of the aromas. Dry, woody, and smokey with an undertone of coffee was present on the palette. This wine is very heavy and complex and would pair excellently with a steak or even a decadent chocolate dessert. I enjoyed this wine so much that I took a bottle home with me. At only $18.99, it is an excellent wine for money.
Last of the reds was a Conterno Fantino '05 Barbera D'Alba. This was my favorite wine during the tasting. Barberas low tannins make them incredibly enjoyable wines that are easy to drink, and equally easy to pair with most foods. Black fruit, truffles, and a hint of fig are present in the nose. On the palette the wine is very light, buttery with a slight dryness and a hint of spice. It has a very long, flavorful, and buttery finish, most likely due to the low tannin content. This was an amazing wine, and was a great end to an equally great tasting. Sadly, I did not end up taking a bottle of this home because the wine had a price tag of $28.99 and I wanted to buy a few glasses of wine to end the night. If you are looking for a very versatile red to kick off an "Italian Night" give this Barbera a try.
Overall, the tasting went exceptionally well and there were an astounding number of people at Hollywood Vine. I was impressed especially since it was a Tuesday evening. I will be attending Hvine's Tuesday tastings regulary and will be posting many more notes and critiques on wine, so stay tuned for more!
I figured for my first blog it would be appropriate to give a small synopsis of who I am and how I became fascinated with the world of cheese, wine, and gastronomy. Those of you who already know me know my background, but for those that do not, let me briefly tell you a little about myself. I was born and raised in South Florida and have lived here for most of my life. Living in South Florida has had its ups and downs, we do not have many great markets, grocers, or the quaint culinary perks like some of the other states do. However, we do have a very fast paced and tourist oriented mode of living. Many of the great restaurants down here are equivalent to those found in Los Angeles and New York. I was raised rather differently from most young children. My parents always went out and wined and dined in fancy establishments, their rule for me was simply put; if I couldn't find anything to eat, I simply did not eat. Growing up in this way allowed me to establish a very broad palate and exposed me to many different culinary treats and ethnic delicacies. I began eating sushi at the age of eleven, drinking wine at around the same time; although I never really liked it much and it was always just for holiday and family gatherings. For as long as I remember I have been eating foods from around the world, and also sampling what many people would find to be strange and odd. I never thought of it in this way and I have always enjoyed indulging my culinary endeavors.
I don't really remember the first time I tasted cheese, real cheese, the kind of cheese that cheesmakers pride when they finish. Artisanal cheese is what I am speaking of here. I always remember my mom bringing home cheeses for special occassions or when she just felt like eating something new and delicious. I'd always try some, not really knowing what I was trying or why I was trying it. I remember eating cheese with grapes, crackers, and other fruits. I guess my first formal experience with cheese, in which I actually willingly went to taste and learn was about two years ago at a restaurant in Portland, Oregon called Blue Hour. Blue Hour is a fantastic restaurant and one of the few restaurants I have been to that have a cheese cart with separate cheese menu. Seeing the cheese cart, smelling the pungency of some of the cheeses, and listening to the maître fromager explain the different regions each cheese came from and how it was produced really excited my curiosity. Thus, I have been on a quest since then to learn as much as I can about cheese. I figured with my growing knowledge and love of wine, cheese would fit easily into the picture and also accompany my wine hobby rather nicely.
I will use this blog to share all of my experiences, tasting notes, and general information that I attain on wine and cheese. Hopefully, everyone will learn something from this and take an appreciation in wine and cheese.
