Summing up this week’s pairing in three words: Unique…boutique…technique. Two favorites in need of some well-deserved attention!
This week’s cheese is one of our faves (surprise!), but I feel it is an oft overlooked member of our cheese case. Kaltbach Le Cremeux is a real treat of a cheese, unique in flavor profile & texture due mostly to it’s truly impressive aging process. Kaltbach is a beloved member of the Emmi Cheese family and spends its aging days in their 22-million (yes million) year-old cave in Switzerland. This cave has sandstone walls and a river actively flowing through – in fact, the word “kaltbach” means “cold river” in German- and both play a huge role in maintaining temperature and humidity all year round. This high humidity environment imparts a delectable creaminess to the cheeses within the walls. Kaltbach has a custard-like texture to it’s paste with a rich and almost sweet flavor profile. First impressions can be ever so lightly tangy & give way to warm walnuts toasted in butter. Vegetal herbs linger on the palate with this chill, but super flavorful cheese. It’s as perfect for snacking with crispy granny smith apples as it is melted on a sausage pizza or over some gherkins with a mustard dipping sauce.
We’re keeping things European in this pairing and sipping on a thirst quenching Beaujolais from dynamite winemaker Anne-Sophie Dubois. She grew up in Champagne and honed her wine making skills in Volnay and these experiences shine in her wines. She masters wines with more structure and finesse than one might find in a typical Beaujolais. Sans Detour is a blend of mostly Gamaret with a little kiss of Gamay in there as well. Gamaret itself is a Swiss cross between Gamay and Reinchensteiner known for its beautiful balance of acidity and tannin. In this bottle, Anne-Sophie demonstrates a glowing example of a Beaujolais- meets-Bordeaux stunner. Somewhat rugged around the edges but bursting with crisp red fruit, dark plums, and blackberries. Stem-y sage and deep minerality ground this bottle and effortlessly complement our Kaltbach. The floral fruit nose plays well with Kaltbach’s bright sweetness, while some tannic structure helps keep things balanced all the way through.