food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington

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Chapter 12 Wine and Cheese: A Natural Affinity?
Table 12.3 Soft Ripened Cheese Examples
Type
Boursault
(France)
Milk Used
and Color
Cow’s
Off-white
Brie (France) Cow’s or
goat’s
Pale yellow
with white
exterior
Brillat-
Savarin
(France)
Camembert
(France)
Limburger
(German)
Pavé Affinois
(France)
Pont
l’Evêque
(France)
Saint-André
(France)
Cow’s
Gray-white
exterior and
light yellow
interior
Cow’s or
goat’s
Pale yellow
with white
exterior
Cow’s
Brown exterior
with light
yellow interior
Cow’s
Pale yellow
interior, whitegray
exterior
Cow’s
Pale yellow
color with a
white-orange
rind
triple-cream has at least 75 percent. Soft ripened cheeses ripen quickly and are generally at
their peak for just a few days.
Many of the cheeses in this group originate in France. It is difficult to truly appreciate
the French passion for cheese. For the French, cheese is more than just a product—it also
represents a region’s geography, climate, history, culture, and cuisine. In discussing the difficulties
of governing France, the late President Charles de Gaulle expressed the regionalism
and diversity of the French culture when he stated, ‘‘Nobody can simply bring together a
country that has 265 cheeses.’’ 9
The soft ripened cheeses have a texture that is smooth and rich. The flavors can be
mild to intense depending on the aging process. Because of their sometimes gooey consis-
Cow’s
White exterior
with pale
yellow interior
Components, Texture,
and Flavor Wine Suggestions
Rich and very creamy. Triple-cream is
the consistency of thickened sour
cream, slight acidity. Buttery, sweet,
and slightly nutty flavor. Takes on the
aroma of mushrooms as it ages.
Sparkling wines, Muscat, Riesling, Syrah / Shiraz,
spicy Pinot Noir, ice wine.
Soft and smooth. Buttery to pungent. Blanc de Blancs Champagne, other sparkling
wines, unoaked California Chardonnay, sweet
Sherry, Merlot.
Triple-cream, rich. Champagne, other sparking wines, wines of
Bordeaux, Fronsac, Saint-Emilion, red Burgundy.
Soft and creamy, slightly tangy. A
slightly more robust flavor than Brie.
Soft, smooth, and waxy. A very strong
aroma, sharp, salty, and pungent.
Smooth with runny texture, doublecream;
slightly grassy finish.
Rich and soft cheese with full-bodied
flavor and intensity; slightly piquant.
Triple-cream, rich, smooth, and
buttery.
Rich aged Chardonnay, sparkling wines, Chenin
Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon.
Beer.
Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre.
Merlot with deep and dark fruit flavors, Pinot
Noir, reds from Pomerol or Saint-Emilion, lateharvest
Riesling, Sauternes.
Champagne, other sparkling wines.