1997 Oso de Oro – Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese with caramelized local pears

1997 Oso de Oro — White Dessert Wine

A mistake created a masterpiece (or so we’ve been told).This dessert wine started as a 1997 Chardonnay. When bottled, the corks did not make a good seal and the wine oxidized. We opened 3000 bottles (by hand) and poured them back into a tank. We took ½ the tank to Brandy Peak (a distillery on the coast) and distilled it into brandy. We added the brandy to the remaining Chardonnay and baked it in oak barrels in the sun for 3 months. The result — a rich, butterscotch and roasted nut dessert wine. Perfect for a simple cheese and pear dessert.

Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese with caramelized local pears
½ pear per person (Bosc or other firm pear)
½ tablespoon butter per pear
½ tablespoon sugar per pear
½ teaspoon lemon zest per pear
small wedge of blue cheese per person
Melt butter in saucepan over medium

When hot add sliced (or diced) peeled pears to butter

Add sugar over pears

Sauté and let caramelize(approx 7–10 minutes)

Add lemon zest

Pour sauce and pears over blue cheese

Serve
Note: toasted nuts (hazelnuts) would be a nice garnish