the new petro power paradigm - Diplomat Magazine

DELIGHTS|WINE
The art of pairing dairy and grapes
Pieter Van den Weghe
Wine and cheese: At first, the
pairing seems natural. Both are
beautiful examples of nature
and humanity working together. Both can
express a time and place from whence they
came, and both, perhaps a little less poetically,
are the result of controlled spoilage.
Unfortunately making the pairing pleasurable
is not a simple task. With two complex,
often intimidating histories and cultures,
and so many varieties to select from to combine,
the pairing of these two ancient forms
of drink and food can prove difficult. However,
with a little proper preparation, we can
68
say
so long
to brow
furrows
and
crows
feet
‘just for you’
experience a terrific wine and food pairing.
To set the stage, the cheese needs to play
its role properly. Stephen Whittaker, maitre
d’fromage at Beckta dining & wine, has
some insights on this.
“There are four basic things anybody can
do to ensure a fantastic cheese tasting,” said
the man who’s known to colleagues at the
Cheese Whiz.
“First off, your cheese needs to be great.”
But how do you know you’re getting the
right cheese? Mr. Whittaker suggests, “Get
to know your cheese monger and sample
cheeses before you buy. And stay away from
cheeses wrapped in plastic. There’s no way
to know how long they’ve been suffocating
like that.” As with purveyors of any fine
product, buy your cheeses from people who
care about what they sell.
Lesson two: Less is more. When tasting
and appreciating cheese, it should be conducted
as one would a wine tasting. “It’s
always better to try four great cheeses than
to overwhelm your palette with a dozen,”
Mr. Whittaker says.
The third item is to set a theme for the
cheese. Go for all goat milk cheeses, or
BOTOX
David Jordan
Medicine Professional Corporation
M.D., F.A.C.S., F.R.C.S.(C)
613-563-3800
301 O’Connor, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1V6
®
sheep. Old world vs. new world is always
fun, and all blue cheeses can be interesting.
The last point is the most critical. “Remember
to take your cheeses out of the
fridge an hour before serving so that they’re
properly tempered,” Mr. Whittaker advises.
Like wine, cheese has a temperature
at which it’s best served. Served too cool,
cheese will have less flavour and a less
pleasurable texture. Let it warm to room
temperature so the real joy can be had.
Now that we have our cheese arranged,
what wines should we serve? Though often
thought of as an ideal pairing with cheese,
red table wine can prove to be a difficult
and unpredictable match. Part of our belief
in red wine’s role with cheese is based on
Europeans historically pairing cheese with
mediocre red wines which have high levels
of rough tannins. Cheese softened the tannins
and made the wine more palatable. But,
cheese also has a tendency to dampen the
qualities of good red wines. On the palate,
such red wines can feel dissonant especially
when paired with a variety of cheeses.
There are some exceptions, though: A big
dense Shiraz with an aged Manchego or a
plush dark-fruited Zinfandel with a soft,
bloomy rind cheese for instance. However,
much more success and joy can found with
pairing cheese with white table, late harvest
and fortified wines.
For a more specific pairing, younger
cheeses made with goats’ milk shine when
served with Sauvignon Blanc. Soft cheeses
go well with Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer,
late harvest Riesling and Late Bottled Vintage
Port. Washed rind cheeses with a strong
sense of earthiness can be paired either a
Chenin Blanc with a touch of residual sugar
or Chardonnay with lots of rich, barrelfermented
character.
Hard cow and sheep’s milk cheeses are excellent
with dry and slightly off-dry Sherry and
Tawny Ports. As for blue cheese, botrytized
whites such as Sauternes and Tokaji Aszu, Recioto-style
Amarone, Vintage Port and Pedro
Ximenez Sherry are all great partners.
Every genre of art and pleasure has its
classic iconic combinations, and wine is no
different. Wine and cheese can be explored
by all those who enjoy wine and food pairings.
With a little preparation, a proper pairing
can deliver flavour both pleasant and
lingering.
Pieter Van den Weghe is the sommelier at
Beckta dining & wine.
FALL 2011 | OCT-NOV-DEC