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Truffle Chip-Crusted Goat Cheese Truffles + McBride Sisters Brut Rosé #WinePW

 

This month, Nicole of Somm's Table picked the topic of Celebrating BIPOC Winemakers & Winery Owners for our February Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group. I'll be honest: when I first saw her theme, I had no idea what that even meant. BIPOC. The acronym BIPOC refers to "black, indigenous, and people of color." So, I did some reading and ordered three different bottles from different winemakers. More on that in a second.

If you are reading this soon enough, feel free to join our live Twitter chat on Saturday, February 13th at 8am Pacific. Follow the hashtag #WinePW and be sure to add that to anything you tweet so we can see it. In the meantime, all of these posts should be live by chat time. Here's what the bloggers are sharing... 


When Nicole first shared the theme, I tracked down three different bottles to taste, test, and pair. The first was a complete disappointment. I don't often call wine 'swill', but I would in that case; so I won't be featuring that wine at all. 

Then I tried the second bottle - J. Moss 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley - and wrote Sweet Potato Risotto + J. Moss 2018 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley that posted yesterday. But I still had that third bottle. And since this event is just before Valentines' Day, I figured I'd open it up and pair it with one of my favorite fancy dinner starters: savory goat cheese truffles. 

First a bit about the wine and this duo of BIPOC winemakers who happen to be sisters. I'll be honest: I teared up when I watched this clip about their story. This is posted on their website, but I'll share it here as well.


And, if you don't want to watch the clip (it's only four minutes long!), here's the gist: two half-sisters, neither of whom really knew their shared biological father, were raised a world apart by their respective mothers. Robin McBride grew up in Monterey, California (my hometown!) while Andréa McBride grew up in Marlborough, New Zealand. Both were in the wine industry separately and, when they finally found each other, they decided to create The McBride Sisters Collection.

In the Glass

This non-vintage Brut Rosé is made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes that were grown sustainably from vineyards in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. 'Crisp' and 'fresh' were the first words that came to mind. To the eye, it has a lovely pale salmon hue. On the nose, the aromas were decidedly red with rose petals and red berries. Then we tasted...and the persistent tiny bubbles tickled the tongue. On the palate this wine was much more complex than I anticipated, much to my delight! The notes of red fruit from the aromas did carry through to the palate. But there was also some creaminess and yeasty complexity from its time on the lees.

On the Plate

Years ago a fellow blogger introduced me to savory cheese truffles and I have been making them ever since! But feel free to use whatever chips and herbs you have on-hand. 


I had some truffle potato chips in the cabinet and decided that would be a lovely coating for these truffles.

Ingredients makes approximately 12
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces goat cheese 
  • 2/3 cup crushed potato chips (I used  truffle potato chips)
  • 1/3 cup fresh herbs, washed and dried (I used parsley)
  • Also needed: hand-blender; scoop, optional but it makes portioning consistent

Procedure

Place cream cheese and goat cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand blender to combine the cheeses. If the cheese is too soft, you can refrigerate it until it reaches the consistency you prefer.


In a small mixing bowl, stir together the crushed chips and herbs. Use a scoop or a spoon to portion out the cheese.


Roll the cheese in the topping and set on a serving platter.


Enjoy!

That's a wrap for our Wine Pairing Weekend event celebrating BIPOC winemakers. We'll be back in March with a focus on the wines of the Yakima Valley in Washington state. Thanks to Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles for coordinating samples and hosting the event. I cannot wait to explore, test, pour, and pair. Stay tuned...

Comments

  1. Love the video and love their story. How heart touching is that? I will have to see if I can find their wine and support them. Love the truffles. I included a video in my post today too. Great minds Cam.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I hope you can find this wine. It was really good...and I love their story.

      Delete
  2. Loved the video! The story is so sweet. I want to find their wines to try! I think the truffles look amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you can get your hands on the wine. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  3. I love the McBride sisters story! I had learned of them a while ago, but had yet to find a bottle of their wines. Time to remedy that.
    Those truffles sound so delicious and simple! They will be on my list to try also!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you do! And I realize that I must be obsessed with these truffles because I have another version posting tomorrow night that's actually heart-shaped and pink. LOL.

      Delete
  4. OMG! My mouth and tummy did a little jump for joy at the mere thought of cheese truffles! The McBride sisters story is really amazing, and extra fun that there's a local connection for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember when I first heard the sisters' story, how amazed I was. But I love even more the work that they are doing for others. And I have to try these truffles!

    ReplyDelete
  6. The McBride Sisters' story is so inspiring. As for those truffles, I'm definitely trying that recipe - soon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I had seen the video but didn't watch it until just now. What amazing ladies. So impressive. I really liked the rose I tried and look forward to trying others with those truffle chips. Great recipe. Cheers to you Camilla.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! What a great story! I dig some NZ bubbles, so I bet I'd enjoy this one. Your truffle app looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete

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