I Love You--Wines I Love

            As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, I have been thinking about love and all the different types of love there are in the world.  Obviously, this holiday centers on romantic love, or eros, but there are many other types of love to celebrate.  There is agape love, or unconditional love, usually applied to parents’ love for their children.  Another important type of love is philia love, or brotherly love seen in friendships.  I am not sure what category of love my affection for wine would fall under, but as I reminisced about the wines I have truly adored drinking this year, I realized that each one was somehow related to a person for which I care deeply.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Here are the wines I have truly enjoyed this past year and the special people I love who shared the wines with me.

            Vueve Clicquot Brut:  Purchased in a split, this was the bottle my husband and I enjoyed last year on Valentine’s Day.  We were actually staying in a hotel; however, not in a romantic endeavor for the lover’s holiday, but because we were on a two-day road trip for our son’s basketball team.  We tucked away two bottles of wine to enjoy when we were finished watching basketball, and this Clicquot was one of them.  Acidic and yeasty with lots of orange citrus on the palate, we toasted each other, our children, and our love of twenty-five years.

            King Estate Pinot Noir 2006:  After our bubbly toast, we moved on to one of my favorite grapes from one of my favorite regions, a Pinot Noir from Oregon.  I love the paradox of the delicate wine with a robust flavor.  Light bodied but filled with black and red fruits, a hint of eucalyptus mint, and perfect acid, the aromas seemed to last forever, and so did the finish.  We drank a glass of this by itself, but it would be a wonderful food-pairing wine for multiple foods.  Always better in great stemware, my spouse and I routinely carry stemless Riedel glasses on our travels for moments just like this.

            GH Mumm Champagne:  I love sparkling wines for all occasions, true Champagnes included.  However, special occasions scream for a quality Champagne, and this event was one such time:  our daughter’s college graduation.  As very young parents, the culmination of twenty-two years of dreams for our child was very special…for child and parents. I didn’t take any formal tasting notes on this wine; I just watched as the server uncorked the bottle and poured the beautiful bubbles into flutes.  Then I enjoyed every last sip, toasting the graduate, her BFF and fellow graduate, our family, and her friends.  An extraordinary moment, it was commemorated with a lovely glass of bubbles. 

            Le Cigare Volant 2009:  The next special wine relates to our youngest child, a senior in high school.  My hubby and I have spent years following our son’s sports career and have enjoyed every second of it.  In November, this athlete played in his last football game, a tough loss in the state semi-finals.  Though he wasn’t involved in the drinking of the Bonny Doon bottle, his father and I poured ourselves a glass when we returned home from the game.  We sipped together, mourning the loss in our own way, which was really about mourning the passing of time on our parenting.  For a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre) blend, it was robust without being overpowering, fruity without being sweet, and tannic without being bitter.  A balanced wine, we enjoyed it when we sipped before purchasing from the tasting room outside of Santa Cruz and enjoyed it again after this parenting moment. 

            Cartograph Mariah Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012:  I’ve already stated that Pinot Noir is my personal favorite grape…especially when made into special wines.  This summer, my family visited Cartograph Winery in Healdsburg, California, including meeting winemakers Alan and Serena.  I joined the wine club after tasting their amazing wines and seeing some grapes were sourced from Mariah Vineyards, spelled just like my only sister’s name.  I opened this bottle to pair with the annual murder mystery dinner a group of friends and I have made our New Year’s tradition.  Strawberry and cherry with earth and a bright chokecherry color, it was the perfect pairing for a slightly spicy jambalaya as main course.  It was an even better pairing with wonderful friends with whom I love to spend time!

            Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011:  Another winery my family visited this summer, the facility is awe-inspiring, to say the least.  I bought several bottles, some to cellar and some to enjoy on special occasions.  My forty-first birthday seemed like a good enough reason to break out this bottle, sourced from the also prestigious Hirsch Vineyard in northern Sonoma, an absolutely beautiful wine in color, smell, and flavor.  It was another wine I merely enjoyed, instead of formally evaluating, while eating a steak and shrimp supper with my husband and son, basking in the blessings that aging has given me.

            Williams Selyem Heintz Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2010:  I wish I could claim ownership of this William Selyem wine, but I actually stumbled upon this by accident.  A friend of mine was given it from her father-in-law and almost gave it to her child’s teacher as a Christmas gift.  I selfishly told her to save it for herself, me, and a Chardonnay-loving friend.  We opened it to relish a sip on a random day while we enjoyed each other’s company, three girls giggling and laughing over a glass of vino!  Just a hint of butter on both the nose and the palate, this wine was packed with fruit flavor and perfect acid.  Truly, the best California chard I have experienced, made even better by the company shared while sipping it.

            Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2013: A fairly simple bottle of dry Riesling, I grew an emotional attachment to this wine region when I visited after the death of my father.  I enjoyed the area and the visit to this important and beautiful Finger Lakes winery.  After making the bottles of wine I brought home and got from a short-term wine club last over a year, I was so surprised to find this wine at a small-town liquor store in Wyoming (read about that lucky break here); I have returned to that store on several occasions to keep a bottle on hand.  I have a great appreciation for the Riesling grape, especially quality, dry Rieslings.  This reasonably priced wine smells of fruit and flowers, with a hint of stone.  On the palate it is a perfect representation of the flavor of a Riesling, just without the sugar that often overpowers these nuances in American examples. 

            Though it is incredibly difficult to categorize my feelings for wine, it was not challenging to choose my favorite wines of the past year.  They were all outstanding wines, but they were all also paired with great people—special people—at significant places during important occasions.  Being with the people I love while drinking these wines made the wines that much more extraordinary, that much more meaningful.  I loved these wines, each in unique and different ways, for both the wines themselves and those sharing with me.  That is love…of children, of spouses, of friends, of memories…of wine. 

Coast vs. Coast

The Patriots versus the Seahawks…a Super Bowl match-up that will now live in infamy.  Water cooler talk today, the day after the big game, probably centers on the controversial coaching call in the final minutes of the game or the brawl that broke out not long after this call.  Some who cared less about the game itself might be commenting on the half-time show or the commercials throughout the event.  However, as I sipped on my glass of wine during the festivities, I starting thinking about New England wine versus Washington wine—a Super Bowl of its own, so to speak.  Unfortunately, this match-up is not nearly as close as last night’s 24-28 final. 

            Introducing, from the east coast, the New England wine-making community!  Coming in with a maritime climate, this opponent is at a bit of a disadvantage compared to its western adversary.  Though Massachusetts is actually five degrees further south in latitude (at 42 degrees), it is much colder with harsher winters.  Temps in January and February fall well below freezing, into the twenties and below.  Snow is a major problem here as well, getting, on average, over ten or twelve inches in these same cold months.  Nearer to the coast, the Atlantic keeps conditions somewhat less extreme, but as witnessed last week, Boston weather can be a serious issue.  Further into the state, temps and snow fall can even be more punishing, depending on the year.  This weather makes it more difficult to grow grapes for traditional wine making. 

New England weather--not always the most conducive for grape growing.

            The state falls behind in the number of AVAs (American Viticultural Areas—recognized legal, designated growing areas) as well.  The two areas Massachusetts boasts are Martha’s Vineyard and Southeastern New England (shared with Rhode Island and Connecticut) AVAs.  Martha’s Vineyard sounds as if it would be a fabulous place to grow grapes, but it is actually better known as a summer colony for the wealthy.  Grapes do grow on these islands (which are a little warmer due to the surrounding ocean), but the AVA caused controversy when it was established in 1985 because California is also home to a Martha’s Vineyard.  Southeastern New England AVA has been a growing area since 1984; both AVAs grow Vinifera and French Hybrid grapes—hybrid grapes grow well in the colder climate.

Martha's Vineyard does have some real vineyards!

             Not only does Massachusetts have fewer AVAs, the overall number of wineries is much smaller here than in Washington State.  In total, just over forty wineries call Massachusetts home.  Their locations range from Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod on the ocean to Balderdash Cellars near the western border of the state.  Many of these wineries make wines from fruit other than grapes, such as apples, blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries.  Grapes used here range from hybrids like Seyval Blanc to Vinefera like Chardonnay and Merlot.  Some wineries that make wine also source grapes from other areas of the country. 

Truro Vineyard, a winery on Cape Cod.

           Though the state is limited in the sheer number of wineries, the still-growing wine region has quality producers.  Westport Rivers on the south coast makes award winning sparkling wines, both in traditional brut styles and Prosecco styles.  Turtle Creek makes impressive selections from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while Still River makes a very unique Massachusetts apple ice wine.  In addition to wines, cheese is a hot commodity in Massachusetts.  Wine and cheese trails have sprouted up in all corners of the state, so when stopping at Truro on the Cape, cheese could also be purchased at Grey Barn and Farm.  When at Balderdash, make sure to get some classic blue cheese at Berkshire Blue, also on the western border of the state.

Pair some Massachusetts wine with Massachusetts cheese!

 Make way for competitor number two—Washington State!  Second in introductions today, but more impressively, the state is second in overall wine production out of all U.S. states, just behind California.  This total volume is proof of a climate that lends itself to grape growing.  Sitting just off the warm Pacific Ocean, even though Washington is a quite northerly state—and more north than Massachusetts—the ocean currents keep the weather stable throughout the year.  December and January can get cooler, but highs will still be in the 40s and back in the 50s by February.  Lows at nights may reach the teens, but the majority of months finds the state in the 60s and 70s.  Extremes are few, and this includes snowfall.  Outside of the mountains, snow is a rarity, especially close to the coast. Though Seattle is much more known for its rainy days and gloomy weather, Mother Nature definitely gifted the rest of the state (on the other side of the Cascade Mountains) with the climate jackpot as far as wine is concerned.   

Beautiful Washington vineyards.

Washington boasts thirteen AVAS throughout the state:  Puget Sound, Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Lake Chelan, Ancient Lakes, and Naches Heights.  Puget Sound is the AVA closest to Seattle, but it only produces a small amount of wine.  The rest of the state definitely makes up for this!  Overall, more than 750 wineries make wine from over 43,000 acres of vineyards in the state.  Though some hybrids are grown here, most of the vines are from Vinifera species; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Gruner Veltiner, and Sauvignon Blanc are just the short list. 

Washington's thirteen AVAs.

 Some of these wineries are large and very well-known with wine sold all over the country.  Located near the wine town of Woodinville, Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of these types of wineries.  It has vineyard acres all over the state and produces over two million cases of wine annually.  Best known for its Rieslings (like many wineries in Washington) and its beautiful chateau-style tasting room, this is by far the most famous Washington winery.  Additional producers known to many are Columbia Crest, Hogue Cellars, Pacific Rim, and Milbrandt Vineyards.  

Chateau Ste. Michelle Rieslings...delicious examples of a Washington wines.

 Other excellent wineries also make wine, only on a slightly smaller scale when compared to Chateau Ste. Michelle.  One of my favorites is Gramercy Cellars.  Started by sommelier Greg Harrington and his wife Pam, Gramercy makes wines that sommeliers, servers, chefs, and fans love.  My Facebook connection—and Washington wine “expert”—Duane Pemberton gave me a list of his highly-respected wines.  Urban winery Bartholomew in Seattle sources from multiple areas around the state, including Horse Heaven Hills AVA.  Pemberton also recommends Efeste in Woodinville and Pepper Ridge in Walla Walla.  These were definitely not the least of his favorites; Bryan Carter, Mark Ryan, Corvus Cellars, Fidelitas Wines, and Long Shadow also made his list. 

Gramercy Cellars--one of my favorite Washington producers.

Today the Patriots are basking in the glory of their spectacular and dramatic win over the Seahawks. Most people are probably discussing the coaching decision that changed the tide of the game or the fight that occurred just after this big play.  Maybe others are discussing Katie Perry’s halftime show wardrobe.  On the other hand, I am trying to figure out how to get some Washington wine in my glass tonight! Though it may not console Seattle fans, in the coast versus coast battle of wine, Washington State wins, hands down.  No offense meant to New England and Massachusetts, but in the world of wine, it just can’t stand up to Seattle’s home state.

Where Everyone Knows Your Name--Tally's Silver Spoon

Nestled on a corner of downtown Rapid City and tucked behind the statue of a younger President Ronald Reagan, the neon “Open” sign of Tally’s Silver Spoon glows as a welcoming beacon to all who are walking the busy historic streets.  Chef Benjamin Klinkel has found the perfect blend of the homey environment of a traditional diner and the chic food of a modern eatery. One almost expects people to yell, “Norm!” when walking in the doors, which was the chef’s goal when he purchased the traditional diner Tally’s and paid homage to Rapid’s venerable café--first opened in 1930--by keeping Tally in the name.  Though delicacies such as foi gras and mussles can be ordered, this definitely does feel like a restaurant where everyone knows your name.

With Ronald Reagan and the neon sign, Tally's has invited customers in since 1930.

Tally’s Silver Spoon is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is the perfect spot for each meal.  Breakfast is served all morning and until 2:00 p.m., so whether an early meal or a true brunch is desired, the food here meets all needs.  Using fresh and local ingredients, the pancakes, eggs, breakfast burritos, and omelets are all great traditional choices.  I personally loved the eggs Benedict and a signature mimosa—my truly perfect brunch.  However, if a more unusual or unique breakfast is what is craved, the lox plate or the duck confit can be ordered. 

Mimosas...the most important part of brunch!

So good...so gone!

For lunch, the traditional burgers are great choices, coming in both the smaller size—Rosie, quarter pound—and the larger size—Dick, half pound—to cover all appetites.  Onions, peppers, blue cheese, cheddar, ham, swiss, etc. can be added.  A buffalo burger is also an option.  There are, of course, other sandwiches and salads as well, but what customers won’t see on the table is a ketchup or mustard bottle.  This is where the “silver spoon” part of the name comes in; condiments are brought out separately and individually in small ramekins at customers’ requests.  House-made, fresh pastas are also available for the lunch and dinner crowds.

Supper is when Tally’s really comes to life as an upscale bistro.  Yes, the burgers and sandwiches are still available, but many other interesting items are worth a look.  Begin with the curried mussels—the signature starter.  For the entrée, try the Black Cow, a coffee-encrusted steak recommended by the server to be cooked medium-rare (is there any other way it should be cooked?!) or the Autumn Oak Pheasant, on a bed chestnut stuffing and Brussel sprouts.  Both are great dishes worth trying.  If these options aren’t unique enough, try one of the pork options for which Tally’s is known.  Tuesdays are Pinot and Pork nights, with a different pork dish every week paired with Pinot Noir.  Tally’s chefs have won the South Dakota Pork Producers competition on several occasions, including being named restaurant of the year by the group again in 2015—they know their pigs!  Tally’s is the only place (or one of very, very, very few) in the Black Hills that has foi gras on the regular dinner menu—yes, silver spoon for sure!  There is also a chef’s tasting menu called the “Indecision Menu” that can be ordered with two, three, four, or five courses that can then be paired with wines. 

The Black Cow

Beautiful Autumn Oak Pheasant, with burning leaf on top--don't worry, that part isn't eaten!

Speaking of wines, Tally’s wine list is impressive for a small diner.  To start, there are fourteen white wines and twenty-one reds for by-the-glass options.  Port, late-harvest, and ice wines are choices for dessert.  Then there are many quality and unique whites, reds, sparklings, single-varietals, and blends for by-the-bottle purchases.  As I already mentioned, Pinot Noir has a special place in Chef Benjamin’s heart, and though the entire wine list is impressive, the list of quality Pinots impressed me…a real Pinot Noir lover. Of course, all wines are served in Riedel stemware, showing that this establishment takes its wine drinking very seriously. 

Whites and reds on the list, all served in beautiful Riedel stemware. Yes, I'm a wine glass snob!

No good meal would be complete without dessert, and Tally’s hits the mark here, too.  There are multiple options for sweets after the meal—if a diner has room to eat more!  The ‘Smores Pot de Crème was a rich, sweet treat; however, Date Night was over-the-top delicious!  Date cake, date ice cream, caramel sauce, and toffee bits (ALL house made) are served in a bowl with a purple salt rim (the salt is tinted purple so it is easily seen and added to each delicious bite taken).   Truly a sensation for all of the senses, I enjoyed every last bite of this. 

Date Night and 'Smores Pot de Creme

Get a bit of salt with every delicious bite!

Chef Benjamin has done a perfect job of pairing an inviting ambiance with contemporary, excellent food.  Keeping the familiar name Tally’s and the familiar feeling of friendliness, Tally’s Silver Spoon is a must-stop for all Black Hills area foodies.  Ronald Reagan and the neon sign welcome all to the historic Duhamel Corner, no matter what time of day.  For breakfast, lunch, supper, dessert, or drinks, Tally’s definitely feels like the place where everyone knows your name. From the Le Cordon Blue culinary institute to Rapid City, Chef Benjamin Klinkel—who also owns the currently-being-remodeled Delmonico Grill—has made his name known for excellent food!

In the Family Way--Prairie Berry Winery's Anna Pesa Wines

Walt Disney once said, “A man should never neglect his family for business.”  However, what if a woman spent her entire career attempting to honor her family?  That is exactly what Sandi Vojta of Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City, South Dakota has done.  She was the fifth generation wine maker when she joined her father Ralph in the commercial endeavor of making wine in the Midwest.  She started by primarily making fruit wines from the “berries of the prairie” like her ancestors.  Over the past ten years, Sandi has expanded not only her wine production but also the ways she honors her family in every aspect of her profession. 

Though Sandi has been using different Vitis Vinifera (traditional winemaking grapes) for several years in addition to the hybrid grape and fruit-based wines for which Prairie Berry is so well known, in 2012 she began production of the new line of Anna Pesa wines—a unique brand with a specific taste profile in mind, a taste that would honor Sandi’s goals and her family’s traditions. 

Anna Pesa was Sandi’s great-great-grandmother who immigrated to the Dakota Territory in 1876.  Before coming to the United States, Anna lived in Moravia, Czechoslovakia, where she made wines using traditional grape varieties found in that country.  Over one hundred years later, Sandi is using Riesling, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet to make a style of wine much like her Grandmother Anna would have. 

Because of South Dakota’s harsh winters and shorter growing seasons, most Vinifera grapes that Sandi’s grandmother would have had the ability to access don’t grow well here; hybrid grape species that didn’t even exist in the late 1800s weather the Midwest conditions best, so Sandi had to leave the state of South Dakota to source the grape varieties similar to what Anna might have fermented.  Much like Anna did, Sandi sought the best fruit possible to create the style of wine the Prairie Berry winemaker envisioned.  Sourced along the West Coast, Sandi has long-term contracts with many growers that she has worked with for several harvests already.  Because she is a South Dakota wine maker, her concern in choosing fruit is not about expressing the terroir of where the fruit was originally grown; instead she wants to express a specific style of wine after production—a style she believes her grandmother would have appreciated.

Cultivating relationships with the growers is the first step in the process of making these wines for which Sandi proudly exclaims Prairie Berry has “pulled out all of the stops” to produce.  Getting the fruit is definitely a long-term, committed relationship, as it takes a year for growers to nurture the grapes to harvest before Sandi and crew then spend up to two years turning the fruit into wines that they hope leave a lasting impression on consumers.  Having multiple sources of fruit is actually a benefit Sandi has that many winemakers don’t.  She is not “putting her eggs in one basket” if one growing area has a vintage that doesn’t meet Sandi’s standards.  Though these grapes grow thousands of miles away, Sandi works with farmers at every step of the way.  She has input into choosing the yield (amount of grapes) per vine, pruning of the vines, thinning of the shoots, and even managing the canopy of leaves (covering the fruit).  These specific growing techniques lead to grapes with the particular sugar and acid content that Sandi wants for the style of drink honoring her grandmother’s wines from the old country.  Modern technology and shipping systems have also made cross-county grape growing easier for the South Dakota businesswoman, as juice samples can be sent to her at any time. 

After the fruit arrives at the winery outside of Hill City, Sandi begins the painstaking work of creating these labor-intensive wines.  The recent production expansion at Prairie Berry was finished specifically for Anna Pesa wines.  They are handled and fermented in smaller lots; then these two, three, or four smaller batches are blended to achieve the style and complexity of Sandi’s vision.  The wines receive old-fashioned production treatments from beginning to end:  battonage, stirring the lees (dead yeast cells) into the wine; delestage, racking the wine from one vessel to another; and punching down, stirring the cap of seeds, stems, and skins back into the wine.  Though these practices are very hands-on and time consuming, they enhance the structure, mouthfeel, complexity, aroma, and flavor of wines.  The additional production space has also allowed room to age these wines with barrels from different cooperages (barrel makers); the differences in oak also adds to the complexity of the final blended wine.  Sandi’s work with and passion about wine has definitely paid off in the end product that meet her stylistic goals, her family commitment, and her grandmother’s memory. 

Anna Pesa 2013 Riesling:  Listed as a semi-dry Riesling, this is a Riesling for those who believe Riesling is just a juice for novice drinkers of sweet wines.  This serious Riesling will renew faith in the grape.  On the nose, it smells of the traditional slight petrol, stone, and apple aromas.  On the palate the green apple and acid with minimal sweetness make it reminiscent of dry styles from Germany or New York State—some of my favorites!  So unique yet so Riesling, it would be a wonderful food-pairing wine.  This is a wine worth buying on multiple occasions.

Anna Pesa Riesling--a serious, dry Riesling. 

 Anna Pesa 2013 Chardonnay:  I enlisted my Chardonnay-loving friend to give me a more objective stance since Chard is not necessarily my favorite grape.  However, this is also an old-world style wine.  Buttery herbs are on the nose, yet the palate is very surprising with zippy acid and golden-delicious apple flavors.  Not an over-oaked California type and so much more complex all the way to the finish.  A Chardonnay that I didn’t need any help assessing—and my Chardonnay-loving friend gave rave reviews too! 

Anna Pesa Chardonnay--a Chard for those looking to escape the butter bomb style.

Anna Pesa 2012 Zinfandel:  Aged a year longer than the Anna Pesa whites, the Zinfandel was very spicy on the nose, with black pepper, dried herb, mushroom, and earth coming through.  A beautiful, deep garnet color, the spice carried through on the palate with great tannins.  No big, over-ripe Zin sweetness comes through, so if a big California wine is the expectation, that is not what will be experienced with this wine.  This has a light berry essence that is more pronounced on the finish.  Good balance between the tannin, acid, and fruit.

Anna Pesa Zinfandel--a more restrained, spicy Zin.

Anna Pesa 2012 Cabernet:  Ruby red, chokecherry in color, this wine is a more robust wine than the Zin but definitely more restrained than a bold California Cab.  Dried sage and boysenberry on the nose, its fruit is the first taste on the palate.  Then the strawberry and blueberry mellow out through even tannins to a slight white pepper on the finish.  It would be one of the easiest Cabernet Sauvignons to pair food with because of the balance between tannin and fruit.  When I first tried this line of wines, I liked the more reserved Zin better than the Cab.  This time, on the second tasting, I liked the more fruit-forward Cab.  This shows my appreciation of both wines. 

Anna Pesa Cabernet Sauvignon--the most robust of the Anna Pesa line, yet still old world style restraint.

Though the first vintage has only been released a few weeks, future vintages are already in the works, including these same four varietals in addition to a 2014 Anna Pesa Chenin Blanc currently fermenting.  In further attempts to emulate Grandmother Anna, Sandi would love to source a traditional Moravian grape like Blaufrankish to make a wine.  However, these varieties are very obscure and hard to find in this country since few Americans have heard of or tried this grape as a single varietal.  Even if she could find Blaufrankish grapes, Sandi would have to get special TTB approval to bottle it as a Blaufrankish (as it would have been called in Moravia) and not a Lemburger.  Then she would need to convert Merlot drinkers to Blaufrankish wine!

            Sandi has paid tribute to her family with every step over the past two years as she has loved these wines into the bottle.  Sip after sip, the old-world influence of these wines came through.  When drinking the end product, it is evident that European wine making was the inspiration, even if the grapes came from the U.S. West Coast.  Sandi Vojta has spent over a decade doing a great job of mixing family and business.  As the fifth generation to make wine, she has worked to honor her ancestry while meeting her own stylistic goals.  Her newest wines not only pay tribute to her great-great grandmother, they are reminiscent of an old-world style that make her Czechoslovakian roots very proud.  Anna Pesa and her other descendants are smiling down on Sandi…probably with a glass of Moravian wine in hand. 

The Cheese Stands Alone--Monte McIntyre

“The farmer in the dell.  The farmer in the dell.  Heigh-ho, the derry-o, the farmer in the dell!”  This children’s nursery rhyme and game tells of a long series of events, with the farmer taking a wife, the wife taking a child, the child taking a...well, everyone knows this popular chorus.  However, at the end, the cheese is standing alone.  This may be a bit of a stretch, but it really is what came to mind when I visited with twenty-five year cheese making veteran Monte McIntyre, who now lives in the Black Hills after retiring from his years of making sure cheese could stand on its own.

            Born and raised on a dairy and cattle ranch south of Gregory, South Dakota, it wasn’t necessarily a stretch that Monte was a professional cheese maker for twenty-five years.  However, the road Monte took to get to this profession was a lengthy one.  After high school graduation and attending the University of South Dakota for one year, Monte did not know what he wanted to do as a career, but he did know what he wanted to do as a hobby…and that was travel!  He went to Colorado but landed in Mexico for a period of time doing “mission work” (which is what I am sure he told his Catholic mother), but in all actuality, he had a lot of fun “bumming” around the beautiful, tropical country. 

Still unsure of a career path, Monte enlisted in the Army, which offered him many more opportunities for travel.  In the late 1960s, he ended up in Europe on an “extended vacation” and traveled through France, Spain, and Portugal, enjoying the excellent food, cheese, wine, and beer.  After the Army, Monte again enrolled in USD, this time choosing history teaching as his major.  After a teaching assistantship at the university, he decided that vocation wasn’t for him either.  He ended up with a business degree, working first for an electronics company, then in ag-related business.  The agriculture crash of 1983 devastated most of his rancher clients, and Monte’s business crashed at the same time. 

He was then divorced from his first wife and looking at starting over from scratch.  Yet there was something that had always in his life—the love of agriculture, food, wine, and cheese.  Monte met Beth (his current wife of nearly thirty years), who was the program director for the South Dakota Dairy Council.  Through her, Monte saw numerous “kids” in agricultural-based educational programs getting jobs left and right.  Monte decided his stint in construction (the job he was working at the time) was over and enrolled in South Dakota State University, graduating in 1990 with a degree in diary manufacturing—finally finding an occupation that blended all of his interests. 

Monte took his first job at Maytag Dairy Farms in Newton, Iowa, making Maytag Blue Cheese.  He enjoyed this job, but left after a decade to take on a new challenge: being the cheesemaker for a brand new company just getting started.  Monte—with Beth, of course—arrived in California on July 4, 2000, to begin making cheese at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company.  The first vat of cheese Monte made at Point Reyes was in August but was not quite ready for consumers.  In December of 2000, Point Reyes chees hit shelves, first at farmer’s markets in San Francisco, where the high-quality cheese sold out in less than two hours. 

A wonderful cheese plate, including some blue cheese.



In northern California, where artisan products were a way of life, cheese makers like Monte were almost treated like celebrities.  He would try to keep his job a secret when he and Beth went out to dine because if he was found out, restaurants would comp their entire meal!  This was an environment in which “people were interested where food came from,” and Point Reyes' cheeses did very well.  The cows milked for the cheese were right on the same farm where the cheese was produced.  Consumers loved this; it was part of the lifestyle where fresh oysters, artisan baked goods, and boutique wines were around every corner.  Though the days of a cheese maker were filled with long hours and hard work—often starting at 2:30 a.m. with actual cheese making, then a break for lunch before going back to the “office” to fill orders all afternoon—Monte and Beth loved the lifestyle and environment in which they lived.

However, as the cheesemaker at large companies, Monte’s housing was always provided.  When he and Beth moved to California, they never purchased and invested in a house of their own, so once it came time to think about retirement, they had no house to sell to reinvest wherever they were going to live out their golden years.  Then, in 2008, like so many others, the McIntyres’ 401ks took a hit and looked more like “101ks”--as Monte said--so returning to the Black Hills where he and Beth had already purchased a house for future retirement living was not yet an option.  Instead, after ten years at Point Reyes, he became the cheese maker at Swiss Valley Farms in Wisconsin.  The large operation made excellent cheese, some that can even be found in shops in the Black Hills.  Finally, after almost five years there, it was time to officially retire.  Monte and Beth (also a South Dakota native) arrived in Hill City the week after Atlas, the crazy blizzard of October 2013, dumped several feet of snow on their home. 

Retirement has been more of an adjustment than the weather, as Monte originally had thought to open up a commercial cheese production facility here in the Hills.  However, there is no dairy farm close enough to produce the amount of milk necessary for a large-scale business; also, the upfront capital needed to build a cheese factory was not in Monte’s retirement plans.  He does still make small amounts of cheese for his personal use…and some to give to family and friends.  (I can tell you from experience that Monte’s house-made blue is some of the best I have ever tried.  I was lucky enough to receive a chunk on two separate—very lucky—occasions.)  Beth also has gotten in on the at-home cheese making.  She often makes mozzarella, ricotta, and fromage blanc; she and Monte even taught a cheese making class at Someone’s in the Kitchen, Beth’s current employer. 

Chef Beth's quiche--with caramelized onion, bacon, and cheese (of course!).

A light lunch prepared by Beth, with cheese and a fresh baguette as a large part of the meal.

Testified by the fact that Monte still makes it, blue cheese has always been his favorite cheese to produce.  He also considers white cheddar and goat cheeses some of his preferred cheeses to make.  However, he loves to eat all sorts of cheeses.  He loves Affinois, a Brie from France; Vella dry jack and mezzo secco, from a Sonoma cheesemaker he personally knew; and Bellwether cheeses, made from sheep’s milk.  A true blue cheese connoisseur, he only likes blue cold, not warm or cooked in other recipes.   Beth, on the other hand, also loves blue cheese, but in any form!  She makes a wonderful blue cheese and honey crostini that used to sell out at her Maytag (appliances) cooking demonstrations.  Beth, the chef of the family, uses many different cheeses in a multitude of ways—in salads, soups, Italian-style pastas, homemade mac and cheeses, and (of course) grilled cheese sandwiches.  Still, both Beth and Monte love to let the cheese stand alone, with a great glass of wine, usually from their favorite producer—Mettler Family Vineyards (a winery in Lodi, California with a family connection to Beth’s ancestors).  In addition to Mettler wines, they both enjoy (mostly reds) from Kenwood, Coppola, Louis Martini, Brown Estate, and J Lohr (fellow South Dakota native), among many others they were able to experience while living in California.   

A small glass of Mettler Petit Sirah.

Monte and a block of his house-made blue--a wonderful cheese!

            Even in retirement, cheese has a major role in daily life for cheese maker Monte McIntyre and his wife Beth.  The road to cheese making was a long one, but this long road led to a lengthy career in a field which Monte found somewhat later in life.  He may have been born as the son of the farmer in the dell in Gregory, South Dakota, but retiring to the Black Hills after twenty-five years in cheese production is a very unique way to wrap up a lifetime of occupations related to agriculture.  Yes, for Monte McIntyre, the cheese truly does stand alone. 

How to Make Cheese…For Amateurs

I had Monte explain the basic process of how to make blue cheese.  I would say this was how to make cheese for dummies, but since I was the one asking…well, you know.  Anyway, Monte said that making cheese is all about ph and time, depending on the cheese and the cheese maker.  Here are the basic steps.

1.       Purchase all cultures, molds, milks, etc. before beginning. There are businesses that specialize in the selling of all things cheese making.

2.      Add starter cultures to milk. 

3.      Heat milk to a medium heat—around 95 degrees.

4.      According to those magical factors of ph and time, add blue cheese mold.

5.      According to ph levels, add coagulant. 

6.      Cut into various size cubes.

7.      Set for a certain amount of time, then stir.

8.      As curd firms, check ph.

9.      Draw out whey.

10.  Put in forms, usually of four to six pounds; cheese now in chunks.

11.  Turn the chunks for up to three days.

12.  Salt for three days.

13.  Pierce holes in the cheese to aerate so mold will grow.

14.  After mold develops, seal cheese in bags or wax.

15.  Put in long term storage, anywhere from three to eight months.

16.  Cut, serve, and enjoy!

*It is important to note that all of this is done by hand (by most artisan cheese makers, anyway), so it is a very labor-intensive process. 

Tradition!

This is my entry for the wonderful monthly wine writing challenge to which many self-abusing wine bloggers and writers subject themselves.  I have joined the fun on several times but had taken a bit of a hiatus.  Well...I'm back!  Click here for more information:  #mwwc14.

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I grew up in a very small, tight-knit family.  And when I say small, I mean small.  My dad had one sister; my mom had one brother.  In grand total, I had four first cousins, only three that I actually knew.  This family also lived very close together.  So close, I actually lived about thirty seconds walk from my grandma’s house on our family ranch. 

This time of the year, I often smile to think of what a wonderful childhood I had with this close family.  Though we had specific holiday customs, my family also had traditions all year around.  Sunday dinners at my grandma’s house.  Christmas Eve opening of presents.  Fires in the fireplace.  Hunting and cutting live Christmas trees.  Games after holiday dinners.  Hide and seek with the cousins.  The list goes on and on. 

One item missing from this list of traditions is noticeably wine.  My family was not a family of wine drinkers.  They really were not a family of drinkers at all.  Except for the “pork chop in a can” my dad would drink when he opened up his cheap beer, alcohol wasn’t a part of my family rituals.  Food, on the other hand, food was.  Not only was food there at all of the above instances, but food was usually the center of and focus for these occasions. 

My grandma was a fabulous cook, especially of homemade, traditional fare:  all items made from scratch, many items from recipes passed to her from her mother or grandmother, most items eventually committed to her memory not even requiring her to look at an actual list of ingredients as she cooked.  This was a very special trait about her, a trait she also passed on to my dad. 

Now that I have lost both of my parents and this food-loving grandma is in a nursing home with dementia, I have spent the past several years attempting to recreate or find recipes as close to those original ones as possible.  My grandma’s oyster stew and her egg noodles are dishes that I have either found a recipe close enough to pass as hers or have adapted what I know she used and got the taste as close to hers as possible.  The beef stew and dressing I still don’t have a written recipe for—they are both a dash of this and a pinch of that, even with me cooking.  I plan on writing these down before my memory begins to fade, so my kids will have something when they cook.  I indeed count myself lucky that the bread dough recipe for rolls I have just as Grandma used it, written down in the exact amounts of ingredients needed.  Of course, now that I am the head of a wine-loving family, each of these special, traditional foods has a wine custom linked to it.  

My well-used recipe and cook books of traditional recipes.

 

Homemade Bread

Scald 1 cup milk with 2 tbsp. butter; let cool to luke warm.
Stir 2 packages dry yeast into ½ cup warm water until dissolved.
Mix 1 egg, 6 tbsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. salt well.
When milk is cooled to lukewarm, mix the above ingredients together in a large bowl; add ½ c. cold water.
Add 4 cups sifted flour, two cups at a time. Using 1 cup additional flour, knead the dough into it on a flat surface.
Place dough in a greased or oiled bowl and let rise until double in size, about an hour.
Knead. Shape into loaves or rolls. Place in a greased pan. Let rise until double in size again.
Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes, until golden brown.

 These rolls are served at every Thanksgiving with turkey and dressing. I serve a dry Riesling and a bright Pinot Noir with the turkey dinner.

A wonderfully dry Riesling and bright California Pinot Noir, perfect with turkey dinner.

Egg Noodles

 2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. olive oil
In a large mixing bowl, mix flour and salt. Make a well in the center.
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, water, and oil.
Add egg mixture into the well and mix until combined.
Sprinkle kneading surface with extra flour and knead dough until elastic—8-10 times total.
Let dough rest for ten minutes.
Divide dough into fourths.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each fourth to about 1/16 inch thick.
Roll each quarter up, slice about 1/8 inch wide, and separate noodles.
Let noodles dry for up to four hours.  

Add to chicken stock for chicken and noodles.


Oyster Stew

2 cups whole milk
2 cups light cream
2 dozen oysters
2 tbsp. butter
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Celery salt to taste
Heat milk and cream together in kettle; do not boil.
Drain oysters; reserve all juice.
Place oysters in a sauce pan; add 2 tbsp. oyster liquor, butter, and Worcestershire.
Heat oysters until plump and edges begin to curl.
Bring remaining reserved oyster liquor to a boil; stir into cream mixture.
Add oysters; season with salt, pepper, and celery salt.
Serve immediately.

 The chicken noodles and oyster stew are our traditional Christmas Eve meal; I serve a Chardonnay with both, either buttery California style or more acidic Burgundy style. I will often mull a sweeter wine for the kids and non-wine drinkers.

A buttery Napa Chardonnay pairs well with both chicken noodles and oyster stew.

As the holidays wind down, I put away my cookbooks and clean my kitchen, yet again, after incorporating these traditional family recipes from my childhood into my adult celebrations.  I don’t use the term blessed lightly, but I truly do feel blessed when I think back on my close family.  My grandma was an excellent cook, and I like to think that I have gotten a little bit of this from her.  No, I hope I got a lot bit of that from her.  Though my family’s traditions today are quite different from when I was young, I hope my children look back on these years when they are adults and have the same fond feelings I do.  Yes, food will definitely be a part of their memories; however, I am guessing wine will also be a major part of their recollections as well!