Saint Paulin
A cousin to Port-Salut with a milder flavor, this tasty washed rind cheese was originally made by Trappist monks at Saint Paulin in Brittany. The rind has a touch of anatto to give it a distinctive orange tint and spends three weeks in a ripening chamber. It is a subtle cheese, with a hint of sweetness. Creamy and buttery, it is an excellent melting cheese with a taste of slightly acidulated fresh milk.
Jambon de Bayonne
Located in the heart of the Bayonne Ham PGI region in southwest France, the Salaisons de l’Adour Company has been processing and curing Bayonne Ham for three generations. The company works closely with local pig breeders, and follows a strict selection process, choosing fresh hams that meet specifications on fat thickness, meat color, weight, and texture. All of their Bayonne hams are salted with local rock-salt, stored in dryers influenced by the Atlantic Ocean’s humid winds, and cured for a minimum of 12 months. This process allows the ham to develop its aroma, well-balanced texture, and delicious flavor. Slightly salty and sweet with flavors of hazelnut.
Try Jambon de Bayonne in sandwiches! We recommend slicing country bread or baguette, spreading it with amora mustard, adding slices of Jambon de Bayonne, layering with Saint Paulin cheese and grilling!
Three New Wines
2015 Domaine Le Vissoux Beaujolais $15.99
Consistently producing some of the best vintages in the Beaujolais over the past two decades, Domaine Le Vissoux were ahead of their time as far as applying organic, natural, and biodynamic wine-making practices; their vines have naturally low yields of extremely high quality, ripe Gamay fruit. The wines are non-chaptilized, with extended fermentation in oak foudre, using only natural yeasts found on the grapes, and no use of sulfur–the wines are lightly fined and completely unfiltered. Violet-blue in color and slightly cloudy in the glass, with aromas of fresh raspberry. This Beaujolais from the Chermette Family is rich and fresh on the palate with gobs of delicious, ripe fruit, and a great mix of minerals and acidity. This is a fresh, delicious Beaujolais that harkens back to the Beaujolais of yesteryear–as authentic as Beaujolais gets!
Bodegas Muga “Flor de Muga” Rosé 2016 $27.99
The Flor de Muga Rosé is a brand new, special bottling made from very old Garnacha vines (70-90 years old) from plots from two distinctly different terroris that are roughly 2,000-2,500 feet above sea level. The Flor de Muga is made from free-run juice, with a short maceration time (only 50% is used to make the wine), which accounts for the stunningly beautiful, pale pink color. On the nose, you’ll find an elegant, fresh, very delicate wine, with notes of tart raspbeery and peach, as well as rose blossoms. On the palate, the wine is surprisingly full-bodied, with a wonderful minerality and complexity that is unusual in a Garnacha-based rosé, which normally tend towards fruitiness and high alcohol. Decidedly worth the price.
2016 Adegas Morgadio Legado del Conde Albariño, Rias Baixas $14.99
An Albariño from Adegas Morgadio, the easternmost inland estate in Rias Baixas, located in the subdistirct of Condado de Tea. This wine is fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks that allow the purity and freshness of the Albariño grape to shine. A serious, full-bodied Albariño with notes of melon, nectarines and orange zest. Vivacious, with a long minerally finish, with pear and meyer lemon notes. Pairs fabulously with any shellfish dish.