Our friends Lori Ann and Jim brought these beauties back from a fabulous holiday in Wisconsin. They are big food an wine lovers like us.
When they offered these up at a recent dinner at Uncle Moustache I was curious, skeptical, and then pleasantly surprised and eventually very impressed.
They are both from the majestic Door Peninsula in eastern Wisconsin that divides Lake Michigan and the southern part of Green Bay. The Peninsula is a unique combination of nature, history, great food and the arts that make it a very worthy destination.
When it comes to wine there is California, Oregon, Washington, New York and the other 48. Virginia is rising up, and New Jersey persists, but I don’t expect much from the others. These were a big surprise that we enjoyed a lot.
The Island Orchard Oak Aged Cider had a wonderful dry crisp flavor with smooth apple essences, not cloying as in many hard ciders I’ve tasted. The oak aging is not overpowering, gives a nice toast flavor. Went so well with our lentil soup and fatouche salad.
They say “We craft our Wisconsin Hard Apple Ciders in the Normandy tradition. Think: sparkling, dry apple champagne. Our Orchard on Washington Island provides the perfect rocky limestone soil and climate for our French and American cider apples.”
The red wine called Sinister from Door Peninsula Winery is an unusual but perfect blend of Tempranillo, Merlot & Cab Franc.
It was so nice with the lamb chops and a mousakka dish.
It has abundant well balanced flavor that just kept growing as the wine opened up. They call it “a deviant red wine” with “flavors are layered with strong herb, mint, leather and jam….a perfect match to robust meats or smoky BBQ.”
It looks like you can buy these wines on line, but better yet, go to Door County, we plan to.
There is so much to do there, it “is a four-season, outdoor recreation and pleasure lover's dream come true.” “Home to 11 lighthouses,” and an abundance of “performing arts, entertainment, music, boutiques, galleries and mouth-watering cuisine… gourmet to casual, formal to waterfront easy.” And don’t forget to taste the famous Wisconsin Cheese Curds. For lodging you can choose from “luxury resorts, historic inns, hotels, cabins, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals or even campgrounds.”
Sounds awfully good to me.
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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