On Cloud Nine with local cheese and wine

Chèvre is a versatile cheese to pair with food and wine including a fruity rosé for the Thanksgiving table; citrusy notes found in a Reustle Prayer Rock Grüner Veltliner; and, the most classic pairing, a Pouilly Fumé from the Loire Valley. Viki Eierdam

Pairing wine with cheese is sometimes viewed as a mystery but, frankly, what’s not fun about sipping several wines with a selection of cheeses to see what works best together? I can certainly think of worse fates on a Saturday night.

I have a weakness for goat cheese (aka chèvre). It has fewer calories than cow cheese, pairs beautifully with my favorite summer wine (sauvignon blanc) and tastes wonderful alongside many other food flavors that I’m a fan of.

So, I was pretty stoked to find out that Clark County is now home to its own goat cheese farm! Cloud Nine Farm produces goat milk and two cheeses from their happy herd in Ridgefield, Wa. Their milk and cheese can be purchased on their farm (call ahead) or at Chuck’s Produce and, most recently, Zupan’s on Burnside in Portland.

Owned by Mark and Pandora Milligan, Cloud Nine Farm is the culmination of an eight year love affair with cheese making. From their home in NE Portland, they would venture into the ‘Couve for their WSU Extension classes.

“We spent nearly every weekend for two years looking for a farm,” Pandora said. “We started looking north and fell in love with the Ridgefield area. Things were afoot that we had no control over that put us here and we decided it was meant to be.”

The spiciness in syrah—such as this Confluence Winery 2014 Syrah—is a beautiful opportunity to pair it with a peppery arugula salad topped with Cloud Nine Cumulus. Viki Eierdam

It is true that goats raised in clean surroundings make all the difference in the flavor of the milk and creaminess of the cheese. At the Field to Vase dinner this past Sunday, I heard guest after guest remark on the fresh flavor as it was paired with passed appetizers and the slightly peppery arugula salad.

Aside from the Field to Vase Dinner held at Holland America Flowers in Woodland, Cloud Nine was also featured on a field greens salad at the inaugural City of Ridgefield Farm to Fork dinner in August. Current offerings are their Cloud Nine Cumulus (the names says it all; soft, fluffy, mild) and Pandora’s Pink Peppercorn— a berry that’s slightly peppery.

Chèvre is a versatile cheese to pair with food and wine. Again, sauvignon blanc is the most classic pairing like a Pouilly Fumé from the Loire Valley. But the crisp acidity concept can be carried to other whites such as the citrusy notes found in a grüner veltliner. If you’re going that route, why not pick up a bottle of Reustle Prayer Rock—the first winery to produce grüner in the U.S. that just so happens to be located in Southern Oregon.

Shopping for just the right wine for the Thanksgiving table? A fruity rosé is also an excellent turkey and cranberry match as well as a mild goat cheese.

The spiciness in syrah makes it an appropriate suggestion for Cloud Nine’s pink peppercorn. Up the anty by stuffing beef tenderloin with the cheese, pairing this simple and elegant entrée with a glass of syrah and you have a winner a new family favorite.

Goat cheese loves eggs and eggs love bubbles. Try a classic brut style wine with scrambled eggs and dollops of goat cheese for a tastefully simple Sunday brunch.

Other food combinations include fig jam, basil, garden fresh tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, honey and a dollop of goat cheese in your bowl of corn chowder.

**If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button or follow Corks & Forks  on Facebook or Twitter @WACorksandForks.

 

Umpqua upset at Australia’s Six Nations Wine Challenge

Stephen Reustle, owner and winemaker at Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards, and his wife, Gloria, held their first media luncheon ever at The Bent Brick in NW Portland recently to celebrate their Six Nations Wine Challenge win with their 2012 Syrah Masada Bloc. Viki Eierdam

After October’s Six Nations Wine Challenge upset, I’m already imagining Steve Carell cast as Stephen M. Reustle and Charlotte Ayanna as his beautiful wife, Gloria, in an upcoming wine flick entitled A Heavenly Vintage detailing their road to winning Best Syrah of the New World much like Bill Pullman as Jim Barrett in the fabulously entertaining 2008 Bottle Shock.

Up against stiff competition from the rest of the United States, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia—where the epic event was held and the country that enjoys a world-renowned reputation for their Shiraz—Roseburg, Oregon’s own Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards won top honors with their 2012 Syrah Masada Bloc.

Up against stiff competition from six New World countries—including Australia which enjoys a world-renowned reputation for their Shiraz—Roseburg, Oregon’s own Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards won top honors with their 2012 Syrah Masada Bloc. Reustle – Prayer Rock

The impact of these recent events is predicted to bring the same flurry of interest to the Umpqua Valley as the historic 1976 blind Paris winetasting did to Napa Valley when Château Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay won the white wine section of this game-changing competition.

Already known as the first winery in the U.S. to produce grüner veltliner, Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards is no stranger to recognition in the wine world. This 8,000 case per year winery has racked up over 400 medals in the seven years it’s been entering competitions. Stephen’s all estate-grown grapes are a representation of 14 varietals planted on 40 acres of hillside.

The Bent Brick’s syrah-inspired rice pudding dessert with a chili-infused sauce took on apple pie characteristics with a vintage of Reustle’s decadent Riesling. Viki Eierdam

To celebrate what Stephen referred to as “an absolute highlight in my life,” he and his wife, Gloria, held their first media luncheon ever at The Bent Brick in NW Portland recently. Owner and chef, Scott Dolich, paired Reustle’s syrahs with beautifully fresh, tried and true ingredients that bring out the smoky characteristics of this varietal like earthy chanterelle mushrooms and peppery Belgian endive in the salad, chanterelles garnishing the tender hanger steak and semolina fried onions and even a smoked butter to spread atop Ken’s bread between bites. Interestingly, I noticed the bread was not as popular as it normally is because Reustle’s syrahs are not the high alcohol bombs of old. He intentionally keeps them at a food-friendly, under 14 percent range rather than the 16.5 percent 2013 Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz in one of our flights that made my eyes start watering before I even took a sip.

Stephen’s beautiful wife, Gloria, smiles as he describes Gloria’s Syrah, ‘masterfully both simple and complex, she captivates you with her vibrant color, seductive aroma, and exotic body,’ “and I’m talking about the wine,” he clarified. Viki Eierdam

There’s an elegance and complexity in Reustle – Prayer Rock’s wines that evolves as each glass is allowed to open up. The front of the palate is greeted with intense black fruit and as the wine makes its way from mid-palate to the back the pepper, licorice and baking spice characteristics introduce themselves and intensify with the warming of the wine to body temperature.

A special treat of the luncheon was the opportunity to taste their first U.S.-produced 2005 Grüner Veltliner which is a big white wine grown widely in Austria that has the acidity to stand up to long cellar aging. After 10 years, it presented luscious and full-bodied.

Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards is open for tastings from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. The sit-down wine tasting and appetizer pairing in their stunningly-created wine cave is a highlight of any visit.

**If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button or follow Corks & Forks on Facebook.

Malbec enjoying resurgence in Argentina

Malbec from the Northwest region of Argentina is not as inky in color as those found in the Mendoza region but their more peppery notes allow for slightly different food pairing options. Photo courtesy of Tanenhaus/Flickr.

Although malbec did not originate in Argentina, it is most widely found there over and above its beginnings in Bordeaux.

Through its introduction to Argentina, malbec found a rebirth as a 100 percent varietal and is that South American country’s claim to fame in the wine world. I personally think it’ll be the next hot thing after Spanish wines have had their due time in the sun, so to speak, but that’s just my humble opinion.

Argentina truly gave this varietal a second life after one of the grape’s inherent flaws (susceptibility to frost) wiped out three quarters of it in the Bordeaux region nearly 60 years ago. Not only is it thriving, it’s doing so at some unheard-of altitudes concentrated in the Mendoza region—we’re talking vineyards located at nearly 5,000 feet—which seems contrary to this grape’s preference of a hot growing climate.

Higher altitudes typically equate to cooler temperatures. To better understand Argentine vintners’ logic, one must consider their geographic quandary. Chile to the west, with the Andes Mountains separating these two countries, leaves the maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean out and, with over 600 miles between Argentina’s wine region and its Atlantic coastline, the cooling effects of this ocean’s breezes won’t be felt either.

No marine air to cool the vineyards as they experience 84-90 degree days from November-February (their summer is our winter) means vintners must employ another tactic. Conversely, wineries like Schmidt Family Vineyards in Southern Oregon and Reininger Winery in Walla Walla are enjoying great growing success at more traditional altitudes as a result of their proximities to the Pacific Ocean and Columbia River.

This wine tends to be full-bodied with high tannin levels which means, if you like a bottle today, you’re apt to appreciate its wonderful ageing characteristics a few years from now. Typical flavors are black fruit like blackberries and plum, baking spice notes like nutmeg, some mocha or chocolate on the finish and vanilla when oak ageing is introduced.

When considering food pairings for Malbec, keep in mind its higher alcohol content (13-14 percent on average) and beefy qualities. This wine can stand up to heavy sauces, stews and Spanish foods. Because of its baking spice characteristics, it works well with sweet sauces, too, like barbecue and baked ham.

Value without sacrificing quality is to be had by searching out Argentinian malbecs from the Mendoza region as well as other areas like the Northwest region and even Patagonia—a bit cooler but the higher acid levels of these wines are fun to experiment with alongside less traditional foods like fish and shellfish.

As mentioned earlier, estate-grown malbec is being found in increasing numbers locally from Southern Oregon and the Walla Walla Valley. I recently enjoyed a luscious high tannin Schmidt Family 2011 Malbec with pie cherry notes and a full-bodied Reustle Prayer Rock 2013 Malbec aged in American and French oak with violet notes, dark cherry and pepper.

**If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button or follow Corks & Forks on Facebook.

 

Field grafting aka How to dodge the heat from Hollywood

The south-facing slopes of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards’ Romancing Rock Vineyard is planted with a multitude of varietals including riesling, pinot gris, semillon, grüner veltliner, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, grenache, grüner veltliner, syrah noir, tempranillo, merlot, roussanne, viognier and syrah. Photo courtesy of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards.

For anyone who’s ever seen Sideways and wondered how wineries might have dealt with the fall out of merlot, allow me to introduce you to field grafting.

Stephen Reustle, owner, winemaker and viticulturist of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards located in Roseburg, Oregon, took some time to explain this fascinating vineyard practice.

There are a few different reasons for field grafting and one nods to a certain 2004 movie. A winemaker might plant root stock with no decision regarding varietals and clones and field graft the appropriate scion wood (vine typically containing two buds) to the root stock the following year or correct a vineyard error like cabernet sauvignon planted in a cool vineyard location that’s not reaching adequate heat units by grafting over to pinot noir or pinot gris, as Reustle explained it, or as prices fluctuate a vineyard may have a great deal of one grape planted “and after a certain movie came out merlot takes a hit and vineyard owners cut off merlot and regraft to pinot noir, for example.”

Another reason for grafting over is in the case of not knowing when bud break is. If a varietal sensitive to frost is planted in a “little hollow” of a vineyard, the winemaker might regraft with one that breaks bud two-three weeks later like this syrah bud. Photo courtesy of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards.

Grafting over is typically performed between late March through April and down time is not impacted by varietal. A successful graft over is generally defined by a 90 percent ‘take’ rate with no fruit expected that year.

Reustle said “Next year should (yield) 30 percent of a typical harvest. The following year, look toward full harvest.”

He went on to describe the most common type of field grafting—cleft grafting, using mature vines. The vine is cut off, a cold chisel is used to hammer the vine down and spread it apart, then the scion wood—about eight inches long with the two buds and shaved to resemble a wedge—is inserted into the chiseled root stock.

According to Reustle the root stock “has its own power to want to close back up.” Once it snaps itself around the scion wood, grafting compound—akin to asphalt—is applied to the stock and vine and “you’re off to the races.” Bud grafting can be used for younger vines but that is a rarer method.

Field grafting sounds tedious but is customarily performed by skilled laborers who make the process seem effortless.

Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, located in the Umpqua Valley, was the first to commercially produce grüner veltliner in the United States. Photo courtesy of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards.

While an entire vineyard of field grafting would be an extreme rarity—a vineyard owner would have to make a “colossal mistake” as Reustle put it—it’s not unheard of for one vineyard to graft over one acre and another vineyard to graft over one half an acre and so forth.

“If you do a 30-year average of weather stations you generally don’t make those kinds of mistakes,” Reustle said. “Now if you had a lot of merlot and the bottom falls out (I.e. Hollywood decides to produce Sideways 2 and paint syrah in a bad light), you could see what your loss is for a year, what it costs to graft over and then it becomes a numbers game.”

**If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button on the bottom right-hand corner or follow Corks & Forks on Facebook.

 

An exquisite wine cave in the heart of the Umpqua Valley

Our well-appointed, private tasting room in the cave of Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards in the Umpqua Valley

Sometimes a unique vineyard feature can make the stop seem almost touristy. That is not the case with Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards’ well-appointed wine cave located in the Umpqua Valley.

The entrance to the cave at Reustle Prayer Rock with a peek-a-boo look at the first of several passages from the Book of Romans

At the entrance to the expansive cave, imprinted on the stone floor, is the first of several scriptures from the book of Romans, a bold testament to the strong faith of the Reustle family. From there our tour guide, Kevin, shared the detail of the archangels, Michael and Gabriel, drawn on either end of the cave, the impressive molded columns, several private tasting rooms as well as the captivating event space inside the cave, elegant lighting and replica of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam.

This personalized and educational experience is included for each visitor to Reustle Prayer capped off by a four-wine tasting paired with palate-appropriate appetizers in a private to semi-private tasting room. Reustle Prayer is particularly recognized for their Grüner Veltliner, a white wine grape grown extensively in Austria. Also on their current tasting menu are their 2013 Pinot Gris (the flavors of which were set off nicely by a goat cheese-topped rice cracker), 2012 Tempranillo and 2011 Syrah.

Tidy little Semillon vines at Reustle Prayer Rock in Roseburg, Oregon

Of the four, I preferred the 2013 Grüner Veltliner for its spice and white pepper which paired perfectly with the pecorino drizzled with honey and a dash of pepper as well as the Tempranillo for its jammy, black pepper flavor profile. For someone who doesn’t care for spicy food, it’s curious that I love a little spice in my wine. Kevin shared that their wine is not released until it’s ready to be consumed but it’s evident that the smoke of this Tempranillo will only continue to evolve into a rich tobacco and leather in the next few years making it a beautiful red meat wine.

A replica of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam in the exquisite event space inside the wine cave of Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards

We discussed their Sauvignon Blanc which Kevin said is being made by Reustle Prayer in the New Zealand style and he agreed with my impression that the Marlborough region really is the premier area to showcase the complexity of this varietal. Sadly, they did not have any available to pour but a bottle of their Semillon had been opened and it was a lovely substitution. Another grape that does particularly well down under – Australia particularly – it was bright in the glass with a light floral nose and crisp, citrus flavors already leaning toward a bit of nut. A refreshing and palate-pleasing wine with a long finish.

More vines at Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards on a glorious fall day

A wine lover can be overwhelmed with wine club choices. I looked hard at each of Reustle Prayer’s three options and was told that many people choose to have their shipments held back and pick them up in person a couple times a year. What a terrific way to insure another peaceful and enlightening visit in the near future.