Cheese course pairing

I have been asked to find a wine to pair with tonight's cheese course which includes a white Stilton with apricots, a Danish Blue and an aged Gouda.

Help!

TIA

Jim, Hi...

As there are 600,000,000 people who make chicken soup, so there are 600,000,000 recipes that are said to be "the best". And so it is with matching cheeses and wines so you will get an abundance of responses to this one...

Considering especially the Danish Bleu and looking as well for balance with the other cheeses, I would suggest a full-bodied and concentrated red. My own choices might include a fine Bordeaux red, a Brunello di Montalcino, or a Barolo. If you should decide to be daring, think of a full-bodied white such a full bodied Chassagne Montrachet.

Best
Rogov

[David M. Bueker]

Just to prove Rogov's point I will go an entirely different direction and suggest German Riesling Auslese, notably to pair with the Stilton & the Gouda.

David, Hi...

Agreed with you but what about that damned bleu that's in there? That will kill the Riesling.

Best
Rogov

[David M. Bueker]

From a wine pairing standpoint it's a troublesome cheese plate. Port might work, but the apricots in the Stilton bother me.

If the auslese is rich enough then it might be able to work.

Almost any full bodied red Jim, but with the variety of cheeses would try to stay with a relatively inexpensive one so as not to spoil an expensive one.

The Stilton is a "no brainer", if you've never had Stilton (white or regular) with a white Burgundy (even a lowly Macon-Village) you have not experienced one of the best cheese/wine pairings out there. The Gouda, in my opinion, should be nice with either a nice Burgundy or at least an "05 Bordeaux, petite chateau, or a right banker. These would be my choice. Probably too late, but you can file this away. Please report back.

[David M. Bueker]

The white stilton with apricots is unlike any other stilton in the universe. It's really not friendly to anything but sweet white wine.

This was a "stump the wine geek" thing, wasn't it? I can see them sitting around rubbing their hands and saying "Nyah, ha, ha! I'll come up with a selection of cheeses that no one will be able to match!"

Personally I wouldn't put anything red (except maybe port?) up against those blue cheeses. The auslese is my favorite of the suggestions thus far.

Agree with Jay. Satan's cheese match. Actually, Satan would have thrown in a soft/ripe chevre.

But I would opt for port (not an expensive one, a decent ruby or LBV). Stilton and Port is a classic, can't imagine the apricots help,but that's why to drink a LBV rather than a VP. Danish blue isn't my fave, but cheap port can soldier through. Aged Gouda is great with most dry reds, but can't imagine it would be a bad match with port.

I was going to suggest Tokaji Aszu. The sweeter the better.

But I have to agree with Rogov regarding the Danish Bleu. Does it have to be *A* wine with the cheeses? If we could have two wines, we could have a fine Bordeaux/Brunello/Barolo to go with that blue cheese, and a fine sweet German or Tokay to go with the other cheeses.

Or maybe a Port?

-Paul W.

I'm jumping on the port wagon,tawny; especially if this cheese course will be served at the end of a meal.

JB

Don't mean to hijack this thread but for those of you in the Boston area that might have visited this place, Wasik Cheese Shop in Wellesley, Steven Wasik passed away two days ago. Sad news. i use to visit him all the time to do wine and cheese pairings. His wife and his children intend to continue his work.

This was a "stump the wine geek" thing, wasn't it? I can see them sitting around rubbing their hands and saying "Nyah, ha, ha! I'll come up with a selection of cheeses that no one will be able to match!"

Wow. It's December 22nd and I've finally found the funniest post of 2010. It's even funnier than David's crap soup.

I've been honest to God laughing out loud for the last five minutes. My children are concerned.

Easily amused?

Maybe it's lack of O2. I had recently returned from a 12 km run.

David's right about the stilton and apricot...need a little sweetness with that. Trust me: I have a friend who loves those stiltons with fruit, so I've sampled most.

Gewurztraminer---like a Goldert?

Muscat...either a sweetie Alsace or a Moscato d'Asti?

Sweet Bordeaux---not a Sauternes or Barsac, too heaby; but at Loupiac or Cadillac would be juuuuuust about right.

If you need to go red, one that would be spot on (but damned hard to find) would be a Maury from the Rhone (sorta Banyul-ish, but way lighter). Domaine Schistes makes a very good one. Otherwise, Banyuls. That's the port-iest I would go though.

If you're leaning that way, Lustau East India Sherry! Or the always popular Broadbent 5yo Reserve Madeira (made with Tinta Negra Mole, a red grape, and delicious---and would go with the bleu).

I'd avoid reds. I'd go sweet white with the white Stilton and the Danish Blue - perhaps even Loire Chenin.

Aged Gouda (and I mean an actual 2+ year old Dutch one) and (good) white Burgundy are a match made in heaven!

[James Roscoe]

Banyuls anyone? I suppose I am too late,

Seriously, why worry so much about "pairing"? Just drink good wine and eat good cheese! They go together like sunshine and the beach! You don't need to necessarily get wet or get tan to enjoy either.

The white stilton with apricots is unlike any other stilton in the universe. It's really not friendly to anything but sweet white wine.

That sort of cheese is an abomination if you want to pair it with wine. I suppose it is OK if you just want to eat it, but I'd prefer my fruit on the side, just like I prefer my cheese without honey drizzled over it (and have several times sent that back for some unadulterated cheese). Faced with that scenario I would have told my host that the cheese they had chosen was unsuitable for pairing with wine and would have declined to try unless they allowed you to tell everyone that one of the cheeses was not wine friendly and that they should not taste them together.

Some unlikley cheeses actually do go passably well with wines when you think they wouldn't (once had one with jalapeno in it that suprised me with a crisp sauv blanc), but generally fancified yuppie cheesefoods don't belong with good wine.

If it were normal Stilton, I think David's choice of an Auslese would work well as would a Port.

That sort of cheese is an abomination if you want to pair it with wine.

My thoughts exactly, even without the part about wine pairing.

fancified yuppie cheesefoods don't belong with good wine.

I don't think there is anything fancy about adding apricots or jalapenos to cheese. Quite the contrary.