The Wine
Woodenhead is a small volume producer, best known for super premium Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. They do not even list their Halfshell White on their website, so it may be tough to find. But if you like crisp whites with an affinity for shellfish (hence the name) and goat cheese, you need to seek out this one.

In the 50’s and 60’s, French Colombard was the biggest volume grape in California and was turned into the ubiquitous “Chablis” wines that dominated the market at the time. This Woodenhead wine has as much in common with those jug wines as a Rheingau Riesling has with Blue Nun. Made from Russian River Valley-grown French Colombard, this wine is spectacular. It is aromatically packed with citrus, pear, green apple and a hint of lychee on a bed of slate and mineral. This wine works so well with oysters, it is almost criminal. It is like the best of the Loire Valley balanced with a hint of “New World” fruit-forward ripeness. I am not a big white wine fan in general, yet even at $17.99 a bottle, I have already gone through almost a case. In two weeks!

The Extras
These two need very little accompaniment. The only thing I added besides bread was an awesome little fruit condiment form Italy called saba. Traditional saba is long-cooked grape must. They cook it for days until it looks like molasses. The version I recommend with this pair is made not from grapes, but from a special, apple-like quince. It comes in a little jar with a pinked edge parchment label that curls, scroll-like at either end. It is just called “Saba” with no obvious “brand.” The flavor is impossible to anticipate. It is one of the most complex tastes I have run into recently; mildly sweet, caramely, smoky, almost as strongly represented in the umami range as in the sweet. Like a true balsamico joined with unsulphured molasses. Saba is an excellent addition to that gourmet goodies shelf in your pantry. For the bread, I went with a baguette from Basque Boulangerie in downtown Sonoma. I love the diversity of bakeries we are blessed with in Sonoma County, but only the Basque Boulangerie makes the authentic French baguette that is ethereal when fresh, and croutons the next day.

 
Why it Works
This is probably the best example of the traditional “Loire Valley” pairing of ripened goat cheese and crisp white wine that I have achieved with American products. These two styles have been doing the culinary mambo for hundreds of years in France –one of a handful of truly “classic” wine and cheese pairings in the world. They share a tartness, but the earthiness of the cheese is balanced by the crisp fruit character in this superb wine. Just the two of them together is wonderful, but with just a drizzle of the saba, this pair really comes alive. The slightly chewy texture of cheese goes well with the chewy baguette. This is what summer was made for… a jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou, my little Pugs Leap Pavé. That was the quote, right?

Read about Mark Todd.

Created for Barbara Adams Beyond Wonderful by
Mark "The Cheese Dude" Todd.