Tomme de Savoie

By: Alice and Allison Spurrell

Cheese Dreams

This small round of cheese is made in the Savoie during periods of low milk yield. In the months of the greater milk production, large cheeses such as Beaufort are made. The production may be Fermier (made in mountain chalets), Artisanal or cooperative. This small, firm cheese is placed in specified caves for the first month of ripening. There it forms a grey moulded rind, which is characteristic of the Tomme de Savoie. When this stage of the ripening is complete the cheeses are moved to cellars to complete the ageing process. The finished cheese has a strong smell of the cave but the taste is surprisingly sweet and nutty. The many tomes of Savoie, and it is said they are as many as there are mountains and valleys in the area, are made according to the strict regulation of the Savoie region.

This small round of cheese is made in the Savoie during periods of low milk yield. In the months of the greater milk production, large cheeses such as Beaufort are made. The production may be Fermier (made in mountain chalets), Artisanal or cooperative.

This small, firm cheese is placed in specified caves for the first month of ripening. There it forms a grey moulded rind, which is characteristic of the Tomme de Savoie. When this stage of the ripening is complete the cheeses are moved to cellars to complete the ageing process.

The finished cheese has a strong smell of the cave but the taste is surprisingly sweet and nutty. The many tomes of Savoie, and it is said they are as many as there are mountains and valleys in the area, are made according to the strict regulation of the Savoie region.

CHEESE: Tomme de Savoie

ORIGIN: Savoyen, the Rhône-Alps area of France

PRODUCER: Cooperative or Fermier

INGREDIENTS: Raw cow's milk

TEXTURE: Semi-Hard

PRICE: $3.20 per 100 grams (Available exclusively at les amis du FROMAGE)

WEIGHT: Two to three kilos

PAIRING WITH WINE: Tomme de Savoie is well matched to white wines and syrah-based reds, especially Crozes-Hermitage

GISMONDI.COM WINE PICKS

88/100 Matariki Syrah Reserve 2000
Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand
Big resiny peppery nose streaked with cola and sweaty game undercurrents. The entry is rich and round with firm, dry, smoky, peppery fruit with resiny black cherry flavours and streaks of vanilla cola in the finish. Quite elegant in its demeanour but it lacks the extract that would justify its price in this market.
Tasted: 2003-05-04 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $49.95 Speculative - Vinterra Wine Merchants
UPC: 72338080755
Producer: Matariki Wines Limited
Distributor: Vinterra Wine Merchants

91/100 Craggy Range Syrah 2001
Big peppery, tarry, plum jam nose with streaks of smoky vanilla. Delicious textures and round, sweet, plum jam flavours with vanilla, spice and flecks of creamy cola. Warm but not out of synch. Impressive effort with plenty of extract and still some tannin to disperse. Dense plummy fruit finish. A cross between northern Rhone and Australian style. Perfect style for restaurants.
Tasted: 2003-05-04 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $45.95 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $51.90 Speculative - Winspeer
CSPC: 711032; UPC: 9421004550741
Producer: Craggy Range Vineyards Ltd.
Distributor: Winspeer International Group Ltd.

86/100 Los Cardos Syrah 2002
Mendoza, Argentina
Clean meaty sausage nose streaked with chocolate and licorice flavours. Black cherry jam and alcohol predominate on the palate. Rich and ripe but needs meat or cheese to cut through the alcohol.
Tasted: 2003-04-27 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $12.50; BC $13.95 Speculative - Winspeer
CSPC: 633644; UPC: 836950000032
Producer: Doña Paula Estate
Distributor: Winspeer International Group Ltd.

84/100 Santa Julia Syrah 2002
Mendoza, Argentina
Sweaty, licorice, meaty nose that is quite typical of Argentine syrah. The entry is soft and round but dry with chewy textures although there's some appealing ripe black plum fruit flavours beneath the core. This will have some appeal but it needs a fatty dish to tame the sweet and bitter aftertaste.
Tasted: 2003-04-21 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $12.90
CSPC: 615468; UPC: 7791728001013
Producer: Familia Zuccardi
Distributor: Academy Brands International Inc.

88/100 Domaine des Blagueurs Sir-Rah Syrah 1998
Vins de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, South of France, France
Typical French meaty sausage smoky blackberry cherry fruit nose. Super smooth and round throughout the palate. Dried licorice and earth with some black raspberry and tangerine skin. Fat powerful, full-bodied, dry red that needs drinking.
Tasted: 2003-03-20 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $19.75 Specialty
CSPC: 487363; UPC: 769434901269
Producer: Bonny Doon Vineyard
Distributor: Free House Wine & Spirits Ltd.

87/100 R. H. Phillips Syrah 2000
Dunnigan Hills, Yolo County, California, United States
It would appear the addition of 15 petite sirah adds much to this syrah with its open peppery plum jam nose flecked with the scent of roasted coffee beans. Look for big black cherry fruit with a rich spicy finish. Fine palate presence and a well-stuffed finish make this red a winner.
Tasted: 2003-03-14 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $16.95 Specialty
CSPC: 576272; UPC: 087110320570
Producer: R. H. Phillips
Distributor: Atlas Wine Merchants

87/100 Casillero del Diablo Syrah 2000
Valle del Rapel, Region del Valle Central, Chile
Earthy, bell pepper and cassis aromas mark the nose with a touch of smoked leather underneath. Round, ripe, plush fruit textures on entry with lots of black plum and black berry fruit and plenty of pepper and licorice highlights. Great value here.
Tasted: 2003-03-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $12.95 Specialty
Producer: Vina Concha y Toro S.A.
Distributor: Select Wine Merchants

87/100 Caliterra Syrah 2000
Region del Valle Central, Chile
Open sweaty stinky gamey nose with blackberry and garrigue notes. Soft and round on entry with good fruit on the palate before the dry gamey finish kicks in. A gutsy little red for grill meats at a fair price. The fruit for the 2000 Caliterra Syrah comes both from Caliterra vineyards and long-term contract vineyards in Colchagua and Rapel. About 60 per cent of the is aged in French and American oak for eight months. Decant for air and have fun.
Tasted: 2003-03-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $13.95 Specialty
Producer: Vina Caliterra
Distributor: Maxxium Canada

88/100 Valdivieso Syrah Barrel Selection Reserve 2000
Region del Valle Central, Chile
Smoky leafy nose with intense, cassis jam and blackberry fruit. Almost sappy. Soft earthy, pepper fruit and smoky, shoe leather. Round and easy to drink with dark coffee, character and quite a peppery finish.
Tasted: 2003-03-01 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $16.95 Specialty
UPC: 7802180097633
Producer: Viña Valdivieso
Distributor: Marfful Consultants Limited

88/100 La Crema Syrah 2000
Sonoma County, California, United States
La Crema's syrah has a peppery resin and smoke edge to its nose with just a touch of sausage. The entry is soft and round with big black berry black cherry fruit flavours with a touch of spice underneath. A soft creamy vanilla and cola finish leaves you wanting more. An excellent effort for early days California syrah.
Tasted: 2003-02-28 by AG-ST
Prices:
UPC: 049331001430
Producer: La Crema
Distributor: Renaissance Wine Merchants

89/100 Cline Syrah 2000
California, United States
Look for a huge, fruit-driven (signature Cline) nose of black plum and cherries with a gamy/sausage meat aroma in the background. Big chunky flavours of earthy roasted tobacco and smoky bacon. Fine intensity, half-Rhone, half-California and touch rustic but all value.
Tasted: 2003-02-25 by AG
Prices: BC $19.99 Specialty
CSPC: 396481; UPC: 098652130022
Producer: Cline Cellars
Distributor: Free House Wine & Spirits Ltd.

89/100 Villa Arceno Syrah Il Boschetto 2000
Tuscany, Italy
Il Boschetto is a single vineyard syrah with an open spicy, peppery, blackberry jam and roasted game nose. Rich, round and quite supple with peppery, spicy, jammy, mocha vanilla flavours. Fresh and elegant, nicely integrated. Once again syrah seems to adapt perfectly to the terroir.
Tasted: 2003-02-18 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $35.95 Fine Wine Boutiques; BC $43.95 Speculative - Rennaisance
Producer: Tenuta di Arceno
Distributor: Renaissance Wine Merchants

88/100 Cambria Syrah Tepusquet 2000
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California, United States
The first bottle we tasted was suffering from cork taint the second was better but the style is definitely on the stinky/compost side. There is a big spicy, clove, vanilla, resiny, garrigue nose with meaty, blackberry jam notes. Dry, round and moderately elegant with some light, dry tannins. Quite spicy and peppery with resiny, black cherry and gamy flavours. The smoky finish is a bit too lean and tight - where's the fruit.
Tasted: 2003-02-17 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $35.95; BC $41.50 Speculative - Vinterra Wines
Producer: Cambria Winery & Vineyard
Distributor: Vinterra Wine Merchants

90/100 Matanzas Creek Syrah 2000
Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States
Spicy, peppery, sweaty saddle nose with blackberry, smoky cassis aromas streaked with game, tobacco and smoked pepper scents in the background. Rich, round and supple on entry with earthy, black pepper, black cherry flavours and a spicy, meaty, minty finish. Round and elegant, will be best in a year or two.
Tasted: 2003-02-17 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $56.50 Specialty
Producer: Matanzas Creek Winery
Distributor: Vinterra Wine Merchants

87/100 Casillero del Diablo Syrah 2001
Valle del Rapel, Region del Valle Central, Chile
The 2001 Casillero del Diablo Syrah has big shoes to fill given the success of its predecessors from both 1999 and 2000. The current edition is slightly more herbal on the nose with the streaks of meaty/sausage, blackberry jam, coffee grounds and vanilla. Chocolate and plum flavours with good acidity and spice make this a barbecue winner especially with pork ribs.
Tasted: 2003-02-11 by AG
Prices: AB $12.00; BC $12.95; MB $10.45; NF $12.25; ON $10.35; SK $12.95
CSPC: 568055; UPC: 7804320510170
Producer: Vina Concha y Toro S.A.
Distributor: Select Wine Merchants

Cheese info courtesy of Alice & Allison Spurrell, the mother and daughter owners of les amis du FROMAGE. The store regularly stocks more than 300 types of cheese for sale to both trade and consumers alike. Les Amis du FROMAGE is a recipient of a Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Award as Top Food Supplier to Vancouver Restaurants.

Store Location: 3655 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

Tel (604) 732-4218 Fax (604) 736-0460

www.buycheese.com

Store Hours: Mon. to Wed. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thurs. to Fri. 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Sun. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Written By:

Alice and Allison Spurrell