Boards & Wine
From the muse of City Center Wine District
Charcuterie boards, cheese platters, with accoutrements, have become popular fare at wineries. The items generally supplied, meats, cheeses, olives, fruits, nuts, bread/crackers, jam, mustard, and some kind of spread are standard, but quality and presentation can differ tremendously. Especially quality.
Quite honestly it’s pretty easy to throw together a board of meats, cheeses, etc. Go to the grocery store, grab some stuff, a few hot dog slices or salami slabs, a bit of Velveeta, pimento olives, any fruit, Saltines, and salted peanuts, place it on a wooden board or platter, voila. Nope, not the real thing. The real thing requires real thought, real food, real care, real planning and a lovely presentation.
The etymology of the term charcuterie comes from Middle French ‘chairculterie’ and as a current French term literally means ‘pork-butcher/cooked meat shop.’ Charcuterie means meat, just meat, the accoutrements are everything else. The quality of these items, for the board itself, are the most important, the second most important is how the flavors work together. The next, is how well the flavors work with the wines.
Charcuterie boards and cheese platters in wineries are popular for a reason. When done well, with quality foods, they tend to work with a wide selection of wines. So, for people that prefer a variety of wines, the different flavors on the boards will often work well with the varietals.
They are also great for us grazers. Nibbles & sips I like to call them. I love deciding which one I’m going to choose next, what flavor I want after that, and how I want them to mix with my chosen wine of the day. These boards, and their savory flavors, also work as wonderful appetizers for the next great meal. They really can’t be beat.
That may be why The Urban Cork was serving up these delectables years ago, before they could be found anywhere else in the valley. I think it’s likely Linda Donovan was a little ahead of the trend, as usual.
Her boards might contain Italian cheeses, Spanish olives and cheeses, berries, perfectly chewy dried fruit, caper berries (be still my heart), Italian salami, raw almonds, quince paste, a special mustard, bread, not crackers (2nd be still my heart), and more, including dried fava beans. Where else are you going to get crispy dried fava beans that are just so fun to pick up with two fingers and pop into your mouth? A huge part of the fun of these boards are - finger food!
The Urban Cork’s charcuterie and cheese boards might contain different foods as the supply chain, moods, seasons, and winds change. However, they will always be delicious.
And now for the wine.
Because Pallet Wine Company makes 100+ wines I haven’t tasted them all, yet. But one I tasted recently was a complete surprise. 2015 Belmont Syrah Rosé, grapes grown by Debbie Luethy, and made by Pallet. A 7 year old rosé: Deep, structured, complex - not the usual words for a rosé. On the nose - dried cherries, and aged, dry Sherry. The color, almandine garnet, deep brownish red but translucent. Amazing flavor profile for a rosé. Brandied cherries swept with cardamom, fresh woods and wet bark, undertones of aged Sherry, perfectly balanced, low tannins, savory notes will have you reaching for more. Most rosé is served chilled, not this one. Maybe, but very slightly, the complex flavors come out best when around 70 degrees. Limited quantity.
Bon Appétit!