try a new partner
A fatty foie gras may seem like the perfect match for a sweet Bordeaux, but don't pigeon-hole this wine pairing. You can match these aromatic wines with everything from anchovies and lobster to sushi and Indian takeaway
Saturday November 07 2009
Our host produced a couple of bottles of Sauternes. "Foie gras," I said, with an air of anticipation. "No," he replied. "If you ask people in Sauternes what they eat with this, they would say poultry and white meat, not foie gras."
When it comes to food, the bracing, sweet white (golden, really) wines of Bordeaux tend to be seen as the perfect counterpoint to the fattiness of the aforementioned foie gras, or the saltiness of a blue cheese such as Roquefort. Now, the chefs in Bordeaux have ideas about taking these wines out of those food-pairing pigeonholes.
For sweet Bordeaux, don't think cloying because the essence of these wines is the knife-edge, palate-tingling tension between concentrated sugars and balancing acids.
Nor should sweet suggest fortified, as in dessert wines such as port. The alcohol levels in Bordeaux sweet wines, at about 13-14pc, are no higher than in many other bottles.
The secret to these sweeties is the beneficial fungus botrytis cinerea, known as noble rot. It is induced by autumn mists and shrivels the grapes -- notably Semillon -- concentrating all the essential taste and aroma elements.
Others in the mix may include Sauvignon Blanc and the exotic Muscadelle.
For the most intense -- Sauternes and others in that style, such as Barsac -- the grapes are picked individually, ensuring the selection of only those that have reached a botrytised state of candied perfection. That can take up to nine separate outings to the vineyards over two months. There are more mellow versions, such as under the Graves Supérieures label.
I digress! The Sauternes was poured and dinner arrived, starting with a salad of smoked duck, smoked salmon, prawns and melon, followed by cod with an Asian spice crust. The next day, it was Sauternes with a lunch of roast pork and artichokes.
Back to the Bordelais chefs, who have come up with loads of other food pairing suggestions, including anchovies, Serrano ham, tapas, lobster, sushi and Indian cuisine. As well as Roquefort, Comté cheese is a good match, as are fruit desserts.
And there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a good Sauternes on its own.
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email: weekendwine@independent.ie
- Katherine Donnelly
Irish Independent
