Hybrid Wine, Capriole Fresh Goat Cheese, and Cosmic Olive Oil

I've discovered a fantastic new wine in the affordable range! (Hooray to mama, who picked it out): Hybrid Petite Sirah (2007). It's exactly the kind of red I like, dry and full enough, earthy, but not too bitter or headachey, the usual downfall of bottles<$10. FYI, it's technically 75% p.s., 15% Sirah, and 10% Viognier and is a California wine.

I had it with bread that I toasted with fresh Capriole goat cheese, and then topped with black and red pepper and a drizzle of my Blood Orange Olive Oil.

This brings me to two important points for Bloomington foodies. 1) Did you know that Monroe County is home to an unbelievably awesome local gourmet goat cheese dairy? www.capriolegoatcheese.com. I've been there to one of their annual open houses. It's beautiful and the operation is clearly humane. As to quality, it costs an arm and a leg, but I've never regretted losing the limbs when I treated myself to an aged goat cheese. I've generally been too ecstatic to really have any concern about my financial future at that point. And the stuff is sold around the country, so it's got a decent rep.

2) Did you know that we now have a gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting store, The Olive Leaf? www.theoliveleafinc.com, and on FB. At $15 for a bottle that will last you several months of judicious use, it's actually a fantastic deal. Plus you can go tasting there, dipping little pieces of bread in, or just sipping straight up if you're a purist (I actually prefer that, but the bread is fun also). I spent 45 min. just sampling and losing my mind over what to get as a gift. I went with a Wild Mushroom and Sage Oil--pungent, powerful, a few drops over your bruschetta, roast, casserole, etc. will add a whole new dimension of flavor. Other favorites I was most tempted by included the Juniperberry Vinegar and the Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar. Believe me, I am not usually a fan of chocolatizing random things--tried and hated chocolate wine. But this is...it WORKS. It's hard to describe it. It's as though, as the taste develops on your palette, you are introduced to an ancient elision of meaning between two words in our language, one you hadn't ever realized existed, but suddenly you know it beyond a doubt. It's as though you must have tasted this before, and can never yet have been on the planet where it exists. At the same time. I could drink the stuff. Suspect a more reasonable use would be with raspberries and creme-brulee. Ah well, this experiment will have to wait. Meantime, I implore you: go find your nearest store and go tasting!