Italian Intensive with Mario Scanu from Winebow Imports

On Monday, April 5th Mario Scanu from Winebow Imports presented our second Sit-Down Wine Intensive...wine lovers and locals contemplated and enjoyed great wines and great conversation while learning from one of the wine industry's most effusive educators. The topic...La Dolce Vita: The Italian Renaissance of the Vine!

Mario spoke of viticulture, native varietals and how wines are not "paired" with foods in Italy...they are simply the wines they drink with their regional cuisine. Local wines, local foods. In Breckenridge, Colorado we have no vines, nor native foods...so we, as wine and food lovers seek out complementary flavors and "perfect" pairings. And perfect pairings we had! A carefully articulated Anti-Pastini was paired with each wine...

#1 Argiolas “Costamolino” 2008 DOC: Vermentino di Sardegna

with a mini Caprese Salad: mozzarella, basil, grape tomato, cracker

*Isle of Capri...Isle of Sardegna...why not?

#2 Morgante Nero d’Avola 2007 IGT: Sicilia

with Robiola Bosina, Castelvetrano olive, cracker

*Sicilian olives with Sicilian wine!

#3Prunotto “Mompertone” 2006 DOC: Monferrato
with Pecorino al Tartufo, Prosciutto on a breadstick

*Truffles are famous in Piemonte!

#4 Maiana “Leone de Castris” 2006 DOC: Salice Salentino

w/ Ciabatta crostini smothered with Cannellini bean, chunky tomato, olive, spinach "minestrone" topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and drizzled with gorgeous Tuscan EVOO.

*Because rustic Italian wine calls for rustic Italian fare!

#5 Allegrini “Palazzo Della Torre” 2006 IGT: Veronese

w/ herb salame, Mountain Gorgonzola, blueberry and thyme compote, cracker

*Big wines call for BIG flavors!

#6 Coppo “Moncalvina” 2007 DOC: Moscato d’Asti
w/ Aldo's Almond Biscotti dipped in white chocolate, fresh strawberry

*Refreshingly delicious and lightly sweet... Moscato's tiny bubbles paired amazingly with authentic Italian biscotti dipped in white chocolate...and fresh fruit! DELISH.

What we learned:

In recent decades Italy has seen a rapid improvement in quality as well as a revival of wines in classical regions and classical varietals.

Fearless Italian winemakers have made it their mission to improve quality (while respecting Italian heritage) and have adopted new techniques of vinification and ageing. It has been a veritable "Renaissance of the Vine." Regions such as Sicily, Piedmont, Collio, Sardegna and Umbria now flourish with wines that can stand along side the world's finest! Italy is vast landscape with a variety of microclimates and an abundance of unique and indigenous varietals. Today, there is a wealth of producers, modern and traditional, making a fascinating range of ancient and contemporary wines!

We tasted some amazing Italian Cheeses, Salumi andCrostini...and drank some interesting and wonderful Italian wines! We learned about varietals many had never heard of...which transformed the perception of Italian wines! We went on an Italian journey right here in Breckenridge!

Mario Scanu from Winebow Inc (wine importing company) was a wealth of wine knowledge. He waxed poetically about the inherent pleasures of Italian wines... and all things Italian! Thank you Mario! Viva Italia! Viva la Vino!

See you at the next Wine Intensive!

Bunnies Galore!

Bunnies have arrived at Breckenridge Cheese & Chocolate in all shapes and forms!!
We get excited for Easter to come around every year! It gets us jazzed for spring and warmer weather and of course give us chocolate lovers another reason to indulge!

Come check out our amazing selection of Easter treats!

Classic favorites from Lake Champlain Chocolates...solid bunnies in milk, dark and white chocolate plus mini bunnies and colorful filled egg boxes!

To Charles Chocolate's beautiful, mouthwatering, Fleur de Sel Caramels decorated with whimsical bunnies and ducks...

To Vosges Bacon & Eggs!

Yes! I said Bacon & Eggs!! A whole new translation...Bacon is the hottest thing going in chocolate right now...a heightened experience of the "salt & chocolate" trend. (We sell the Vosges Bacon Bar in milk and in dark and CAN NOT keep them in the shop.)

And...sooo much more!!!
We are are filled to the brim with good ol' classics...to exceptional, super fun delights to make your Easter the best yet!

See you soon!

February 1, 2010 Winery Intensive.

The Wines of Ehren Jordan: Turley and Failla.

Two Seatings: 5:30pm and 7pm Sold Out!

Join us for a focused, sit down winery intensive. These are epic, handcrafted wines with an outstanding reputation and quality level reaching cult-like status. This is an amazing opportunity to sit down with them, contemplate them, discuss them, enjoy them. Ehren Jordan, the winemaker at Turley Wine Cellars and Failla, is a self proclaimed "omnivore of wines." His voluptuous and powerful Zins at Turley put him on the charts...but his elegant, cool climate syrahs and pinots have won over hearts with their finesse, delicacy and purity.

Come for an enchanted wine focused evening. Step back from your whirlwind pace...pontificate great wine with fellow wine lovers. Discuss nuance and power, cherries and plums, stewed fruit and violets, pepper and grace.

Cathy Cohn of Synergy Fine Wines will be on hand to provide insight, history and winemaking techniques as well as add anecdotes about the winemaker.

In 1995 Ehren Jordan took over the helm and became winemaker at Turley Wine Cellars. These wines are unmistakable. Intense and layered with concentration, yet also distinct with their minerality and lively acidity. Power and gumption in a glass. These are the Big Boys of wine...teeth staining, memory making.

Yet, Ehren is also winemaker/ owner of Failla Wines...the opposite end of the wine spectrum. Established in 1998, these are cool climate, European-styled jems. Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. The Failla wines embody artistry, subtlety and grace. The pinots are sourced from small parcels in the Sonoma Coast appellation... the wines are Burgundian in sensibility, but with a California fruit profile all their own. Native yeasts, natural fermentations...as raw, real and glorious as wine comes.

Ehren is a multifaceted winemaker as interesting as his wines. Between Turley and Failla, his obligations may seem staggering. Yes, he has roots as an east coast boy with a storied past, but it's his unwavering focus and masterful touch that sets him apart. Each wine he creates has its own sense of place and unique profile.

"Winemaker of the Year" -San Francisco Chronicle 2008
"#1 Wine of the Year" -Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines for 2008

5 Wines will be presented:
1)Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2007
2)Failla Occidental Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007
3)Failla Phoenix Ranch Syrah Napa Valley 2007
4)Turley Pesenti Vineyard Zinfandel 2007
5)Turley Ueberroth Vineyard Zinfandel 2007

As this is a seated tasting, spots are extremely limited.
2 seatings: 5:30pm and 7pm

Call Ridge Street Wine (970 453 7212) to RSVP.

$25 per person.

Jan 2010 San Francisco Trip to Fancy Food Show and Napa.

Whirlwind trip filled with amazing food and wine! In the Napa Valley,visited with Steltzner, Blackbird Vineyards, Palmaz Vineyards and Failla.

7 memorable meals/ moments on the trip:

1) A16 Funghi Pizza w/ wild arugula, proscuitto & egg w/ shared bottle of Montefalco Rosso 2) Michael Chiarello's (Bottega) Ribollita w/ the culinary legend in the house 3) Raj Parr's (RN74) pairing of Free Range Chicken Croquettes w/ Domaine de Montille Saint Aubin 1er Cru Bourgogne Blanc 4) Alli's (hostess w/ the most-ess) veggie frittata w/ coffee 5) Bar Tartine's charcuterie board w/ old friends 6) Palmaz Winery's array of masterful wines w/ a carefully articulated plate of amuse bouche 7) Roger's Collections "world of difference" comparision of Iberico ham and Prosciutto di Parma.

Cupcakes and Vino/ Wine in the Pines

These pictures are from last weekend...Obviously, as we are currently in the midst of a BLIZZARD!

Nonetheless...

What better way to spend the afternoon? Cupcake Weekends continue at Breckenridge Cheese & Chocolate! Minis are our specialty...little bites of bliss on a snowy afternoon. Paired with the perfect wine...how can one resist?

Yes...it is a SNOWY afternoon (yes, I am repeating myself for effect!) Not too many people milling the streets. Thus I have time to chat...

I was on wine patrol for Wine in the Pines last night, one of the few occasions to get dressed up in the county. I poured for Synergy Fine Wines (my part time job) who donated wine for the event that benefits Cerebral Palsy of Colorado. A familiar cast of characters dressed up and mingled...wine reps from Summit County and locals just out for some good wine and good times. I found my perch, directly across from the outstanding Chocolate Fantasy Table (a creation of Ned Archibald from Vail Resorts). Ned never ceases to amaze. Chocolate Fantasy...an in insane assortment of gorgeous delights! The whole room wafted of intoxicating chocolate.

I arrived early to chill down the whites, open the reds and make sure all were tasting up to snuff (i.e. no corked bottles...whew) and used the time to brush up on the wines and winemakers I was representing. Turns out I chose some pretty cool stuff and my table was revisited often!

Manifesto Sauvignon Blanc California, all stainless steel, crisp and clean was a predictable crowd pleaser. Manifesto is a Jamey Whetstone project. He also makes some killer small production Pinots under his namesake label Whetstone Wine Cellars. He started working a Turley Wine Cellars in 1998 (which becomes apparent when you take one look at the Whetstone labels...as they look very similar). He worked for a summer at Domaine Dujac (impressive and endearingly romantic in my book) in Burgundy where he furthered his understanding of life as a small production winemaker. Personally, this European, architypical, winemaking stint successfully furthers his mystique and cool as well. Jamey, with that laidback, suntanned, surfer-boy look, produces some outstanding Pinot, Syrah, Viognier and Chardonnay...you should check them out!

Foxglove Chardonnay also showed quite well last night. Many bon vivants returned for an encore...proclaiming that they don't normally like Chardonnay but that really enjoyed the Foxglove. They aren't alone. Robert Parker loves this wine, calling it an "absolute spectacular value" and gave it 91points. I concur that it is one of the top domestic Chardonnays under $20. The Foxglove line is a less expensive/ bigger production tier for Varner Family Vineyards. They source the fruit for this label...the Chardonnay from the Central Coast appellation. It sees no oak or malolactic fermentation, tho is remarkably rich from sur-lie aging and is definitely a Chardonnay to please even the most Chardonnay-phobic.

I poured some fun reds too...the BIG WOOP red (an Aussie Grenache, Shiraz, Petit Verdot blend in a funky/fashion forward 1ltr bottle), Crios Malbec from Susana Balbo (a member of the small sorority of great, female winemakers), and Volver (a rich and lusty Tempranillo from La Mancha, Spain). But the red that stood apart from the masses last night (much of the wine was unremarkable, as is generally the deal at large scale wine events...you've got to weed thru to find the token gem) was The Table California Cabernet. It hails from The Once label umbrella of wines. It stood apart for it's flavor profile...but mostly for it's story. It is the summation of ideas... a brainchild wine from the minds of a handful of high profile sommeliers (Raj Parr, Eric Lilavois COO of the Thomas Keller empire, Danny Meyer of Union Square Cafe, Mark Williamson of Willi's Wine Bar in Paris, Larry Stone of Rubicon, Daniel Johnnes of Daniel in NY and Bernie Sun of Jean-Georges NY). These taste makers/winemakers have come together with a united vision and have created The Once. They are propelled by a premise/a philosophy/ an ideal: "to blend their version of a perfect wine for their restaurant's specific cuisine." They are ringleaders of The New Renaissance Wine Movement (my moniker) to bring back lower alcohol, more food friendly wines of yesteryear. An impressive cast with a laudable mission! And thereby...a cool wine for the times...and I had it at my table.

Proud pourer of inspired vino!

Then, of course, I had to drive home thru the white, swirling blizzard to my much desired bed.

<a href="http://www.the350project.net" target="_blank"> <img src="http://www.the350project.net/supporter_graphics/350_project_web_panel.jpg" border="0"> </a>

I love this concept...and this movement. By supporting local businesses you help keep town character. Towns and townspeople benefit in so many ways if the dollars are spent in independently owned small businesses. What would we be with out a Main Street? Support the little guy...because afterall, life is dulled by shopping BigBox.

Cupcake Weekends!

The National Repertory Orchestra played in our courtyard last weekend! What a great spot to enjoy summer...drink some vino with a cheese plate and listen to some fabulous music from the young and inspired!


Cupcake Weekends!

Cupcake tower.

"Mountain Devil" AKA Triple Chocolate Threat.

"Mountain Bliss" Red Velvet/mini choc chip with a traditional creamcheese frosting.

encore "Mountain Devil"

Amazing weather has cloaked Breckenridge this July. It was a long, rainy/snowy spring...but summer has finally arrived with copious amounts of sunshine! We have brightened up our selections at Breckenridge Cheese & Chocolate...offering freshly baked cupcakes on the weekends.

This Saturday featured "Mountain Devil" Chocolate/Chocolate chip with chocolate, cream cheese frosting and "Mountain Monkey" Banana/chocolate chip with creamcheese frosting.

Sunday...(they were soooo popular on Saturday I decided to repeat) an encore of "Mountain Devil" and mixed it up with "Mountain Bliss" Red Velvet/chocolate chip with classic creamcheese frosting!

BTW...All of my cupcakes are adlibed from Cooking Light Magazine...AND I cut the Canola Oil or Butter in half from their recipes...adding applesauce to keep them moist/delicious and better for you than they could be :) A little bite of Bliss without the guilt!

I am blown away by the popularity of cupcakes! It has been a really fun addition...kids and adults immediately light-up with enthusiasm when they see cupcakes! Saturday night my last family of cupcake purchasers called out "Good night Cupcake!" as they skipped down the alley happily eating their cupcakes.