Pairings for August 29 at Cure Organic Farm:
White
Domaine Maestracci 2014 E Prove—This is one of the more interesting wines I've tried in awhile. The grape here is Vermentino, a Mediterranean grape variety that originated in Northern Italy. Today it is the most important grape on the French Island of Corsica. The proximity to the ocean and the extreme daily temperature variations make ideal growing conditions for Vermentino, producing intensely flavorful wines. Domaine Maestracci is located high in the foothills of the Mont Grossu Mountains on a unique granite plateau known as “U vino di E Prove” or “the wine of the Prove”. It is here that some of the most aromatic wines of Corsica are produced. With a steely citrus note, aromas of fresh peaches, a crisp acidic backbone, the “E Prove” Blanc, makes an ideal partner for many different foods. There is a salty, briny character and a slight nutty tone that linger on the rich finish. $25.98
Goisot 2012 St. Bris Corps de Garde—Burgundy is a region I love and hate. I love the wines, the expressions of the simple Chardonny and Pinot Noir grapes. I hate the ever increasing prices. In search of better bargains, look to the outskirts of the region. This wine is from St. Bris, which is located near Chablis. Interestingly enough, wines from St. Bris are only allowed to use the Sauvignon Blanc grape, in stark contrast to the rest of Burgundy. The Goisot family is practising biodynamic, and I have found all of their wines to offer great value. This wine comes from two small plots of the ancient Fié Gris grape, an ancestor to the modern Sauvignon. After hand harvesting, the grapes are pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel at cooler temperatures. Aging occurs in tank. Look for the signature aromas of Sauvignon in yellow fruits, citrus, and mineral. On the palate, look for a richness of extraction and a medium body, with citrus, herbs, and mineralty. If you like Sancerre or Pouilly Fume, this is similar yet different at the same time. $37.98
Occhipinti 2014 SP68 Bianco—Arianna Occhipinti is one of the leaders of the natural wine making movement. Vineyards are cultivated organically, fermentation occurs only with indigenous yeasts, long periods of skin contact are used, and only minimal doses of sulfur are added along the way. What this makes for in the end is a fun, individualistic, interesting, and most of all delicious bottle of wine! Hailing from Siciliy, this white blend of the native Albanello and Zibibo (aka Muscat of Alexandria), was harvested early enough to maintain high natural acidity and fermented bone-dry, all steel aged and bottled young. This wine is rich on the nose and palate, with bold spring wild flower aromatics. The palate starts off almost like a White Burgundy, with buttery honeysuckle and excellent viscosity. A touch of nuttiness on the finish lingers on the finish, along with the indefinable element of skin contact. Such a good food wine! Like many of my favorites, this wine speaks of both a place and bears the mark of the maker: it is distinctively both Sicily and Occhipinti. $44.98
Red
Bellus 2013 Frappato 'Scopello’—Bellus means “beautiful” in Latin. Not long ago Jordan Salcito, then a sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, started looking for wines to recommend to friends that embodied her values and weren’t prohibitively expensive or impossible to find. This made her start taking a critical look at wines available in the market place. She realized there were no wines that met all the criteria she and her friends were looking for in a bottle. So she created Bellus. All grapes used in the wines are organically grown with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture. In the glass find the wine a bright ruby red with an inviting nose of red berries, cherries, and roses. On the palate, find a medium body with a lithe structure, tart red fruit, and a touch of earthiness and light tannin. Like many Sicilian wines, it is the structure, fruit, and acid that make this a great food friendly wine. $36.98
Guglierame 2012 Ormeasco di Pornassio—The AA Guglierame Winery, currently run by brothers and sister, Raffaele, Agostino and Elisa Guglierame, comprises about 2.5 hectares of vineyards, passed down from generation to generation, by the Marquises of Clavesana. The cultivation of the Ormeasco vine was introduced in 1299 with the Statute of the Gestores Universitatis Pornaxi drafted by the Notary Gandalini. Ormeasco wine has received recognition by being accorded its own D.O.C status, called Ormeasco di Pornassio. Ormeasco wine has a dry, slightly bitter taste which, combined with its aroma, makes it extremely pleasant. It is still today produced in the ancient wine cellars of the Mediaeval Castle of Pornassio, using traditional methods and aged in oak barrels of medium capacity to improve its quality, which is optimised with ageing. With a ruby red colour, vinous aroma and dry, pleasant and slightly bitter flavour, fairly full-bodied, it is a wine that goes well, served at room temperature, with game, roasts and meat in general. $46.98
Domaine Hauvette 2007 "Cornaline”—Sometimes a warm place keeps you there. In Dominique Hauvette's case, a month-long vacation in Provence somehow turned into 30 years and counting! As for wine, it wasn't exactly a first calling. After working odd jobs in Provence through her 20's, Dominique decided it was time to move on; the plan was to move to Paris and go back to school, but things quickly took a turn for the unexpected. Around this time, Dominique's father had retired and purchased a house in Provence to be closer to his daughter. Another property became available, and included 2.5 hectares of vines. He proposed this land to Dominique, and though she had no viticultural or oenological training whatsoever, the opportunity seemed too good to pass up. The early years were marked by trial and error; defeated but unwilling to give up, Dominique realized that she would need to go to viti/vini school to make things work, and subsequently got her degree over four years of studies in Montpellier. Dominique has worked organically from day one, a decision she attributes more to being a "late blooming hippie" than an actual work philosophy. Today, biodynamic practices are followed in the vineyard, where Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Roussanne, Marsanne and Clairette are grown on 17 hectares that fall under the Baux-de-Provence AOC. In the cellar, the wine is made in utmost respect of its terroir. Spontaneous fermentations are the norm, and if everything goes smoothly, a minimal amount of sulfur is added only at bottling. The Roucas and Canalie cuvées are aged in old oak barrels, but the majority of Dominique's wines ferment and age in concrete, a method she prefers due to cement's neutrality in affecting flavor. This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet. Plum, oak, cooked cherry, herbs, tobacco-anise; cocoa, bitter chocolate, cigar, cherry kirsch, blackberry and cassis; soft tannins, lifting acidity, powerful but balanced; I love the fruit and herbs aspect of this, and a nice underlying mineral streak with underbrush. A great Provence red. $73.98
Andy Rose of the Boulder Wine Merchant has chosen wines to accompany our menu. There is more than one wine available for each course to allow you to choose the wine or wines that best suit your taste and budget. These wines are available for purchase from the Boulder Wine Merchant, and will be delivered to you at the table. Wine purchases are limited to one bottle per guest in the party. A small delivery and handling fee has been added to the retail price of the bottle.
For insurance reasons, guests may not bring their own alcoholic beverages to a farm dinner.
The deadline for purchasing wine for the Cure Organic
Farm Dinner is
8 PM on Friday, August 28.
Rosé
Domaine Saint Aix 2014 'AIX' Rosé—We all buy wines by the look of the label. I am more than happy to admit that I do so, and have heard the same from many customers. This has been one of our best selling rosés three years running now! The label certainly helps it stand out on the shelf, with clean and modern graphic design, but this is one of those bottles whose contents also deliver. Upon opening, look for very pretty aromatics of strawberry, lilac, and lavender. The palate is refreshing and juicy, with a good amount of weight but a fair amount of acidity to balance. Find a touch of minerality and some ripe red cherry on the palate. This is a great summer thirst quencher that pairs well with food or nothing at all, and a great example of what Provencal rosés are all about. $23.98
Beer
Brasserie Dupont "Vieille Provision" Saison, Belgium—This historic ale is one of the oldest farmhouse breweries in Belgium. Created from the harvest’s leftover grain, this beer is strong enough to age in the bottle until the following season. Floral and elegant with a hint of bready richness, the Dupont makes a wonderful introduction to the evening’s meal. 750mL. $13.98