WTN: Domesticity

[Jenise]

2017 Bevan Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dry Stack Bennett Valley
Initially aggressively acidic, but the fruit bloomed a bit with time. Still, better with food than without--heaven with a newly opened can of 10 year old Cougar Gold cheese.

2014 Idiot's Grace Dolcetto Idiot's Grace Vineyard Columbia Gorge
Lightly fizzy. Not undrinkable but flawed and this is not the wine I know it to be.

2018 Stolpman Sauvignon Blanc Ballard Canyon
Excellent SB. Aromatic nose with opulent white grapefruit and lemongrass on the palate and a clean, refreshing finish.

2006 Calera Pinot Noir Mount Harlan Cuvée
Much better than January's bottle, happy to report. Still at the end of its life but more fruit, more structure, and no iodine or prune notes.

2014 Chad Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District
Stronger, more forceful than expected based on our last bottle about six months ago. Better the second day when it presented more balance.

[David M. Bueker]

A can of goat cheese?

I was curious too. Cow, apparently. (That question was answered on the WSU Creamery FAQ, directly AFTER the answer to the question “can I take my cheese with me when I go sailing?”)

[Jenise]

Yes, cow cheese. A very amazing product of my home state and made, as Patchen learned, by students at Wash State University. Each can is imprinted with the name of the student who made it, and dated. This one was made by Naomi in 2011 and purchased when I was at the U every day with our tux cat Tammy Faye who was undergoing radiation at the vet school there. The process of making cheese in a can was invented at the U during WW II when the US gov asked for help creating a stable protein product to send to troops overseas. They've been making it ever since. Sounds like a novelty but it's serious stuff, and with this kind of age on it--wow.

That’s really cool, Jenise — and I would say that even if I didn’t work at a university with its own Livestock Pavilion and Ruminant Center, not to mention a Dairy Bar.

Since their website says, on the one hand, that unopened cans are supposed to be stored under refrigeration, and, on the other hand, that this is about maintaining quality by keeping a constant temperature, not about safety or spoilage, did you store this for 10 years in the fridge? Or do you just keep it in your wine cellar? I’m kind of curious to try it, and might order some!

[Jenise]

Patchen, I have a garage fridge so was no problem to keep these all this time. IIRC I brought home seven. I'm surprised to realize then that we've gone through five. I probably gave some away--this is the first one I've opened in years. It's really good stuff, I have Canadian friends who pick up cans every time they're in Seattle. Like I said, sounds like a novelty but it's serious stuff.

Too bad about the Idiots Grace wine. Gabe introduced me to their Riesling and Cab Franc many years ago and I loved them!

Hope all is well during these crazy times!

[Jenise]

Too bad about the Idiots Grace wine. Gabe introduced me to their Riesling and Cab Franc many years ago and I loved them!

Hope all is well during these crazy times!

Ditto here, back when the winery had the Native American name Memaloose. I've been to the tasting room on the Gorge and liked everything they made. This Dolcetto really wowed me (notable, as no Dolcetto ever had before--from anywhere), and it was aging so well. Normally I would call the winery and ask for a replacement bottle but in these times I don't have the heart to. Good news: I still have five bottles of their CF, which I think is their masterwork.

Not sure if this will be a record zombie thread resurrection, but I just wanted to tell Jenise that I finally got to try some Cougar Gold, brought to a family event by a visiting cousin from the northwest. This can (signed by "Kristie") was from 2022, so not super-elderly. My sister-in-law, who was hosting the event, was understandably skeptical, but I was enthusiastic; she opened the can, tried to get the cheese out by inverting the can, cake-pan-style, over a plate, and when that didn't work, she left me to figure it out. (Insert knife vertically into the center of the cheese, like putting Excalibur back into a rock, and lift the whole thing by the knife-handle.) Anyhow, I thought it was great, and so did everyone else, sister-in-law included. The perfect degree of sharpness, great texture. Like Jenise said: serious stuff!

[David M. Bueker]

That’s the can-do attitude!

[Jenise]

Oh what a fun follow-up. So glad you finally got a chance to try it. It really is special stuff.

Funny note: I once gave a can to my brother. I apparently failed to explain it carefully because after awhile he sent me a note apologizing for not having opened the can yet but he hadn't yet had the opportunity to make a huge batch of chili-con-queso. All by himself he surmised that if it came in a can it had to be for cooking.