In the past we have argued the respective merits of red and white wine with cheese. With dinner on successive evenings, we served the same goat cheeses, Sainte-Maure, Selles-sur-Cher and Crottin de Chavignol as well as a mature Beaufort after the main course, first with a mature red and then with a fine youngish white. It was interesting to observe how these different wine pairing worked with the same cheeses.
Saumur-Champigny Marginale 1996 – Domaine des Roches Neuves – Alc.13%. I have been reticent about opening these bottles because until about 2002 Thierry Germain was in a ripe fruit and lavish oaking phase. I am glad that I waited because the wine was lovely. Body was medium/full than but the shape was classical building up towards a long finish; the fruit was ripe and sweeter than with much S-C and showed some unusual rose petal aromas but the forestall green touches which I love were there discreetly as well as some forest floor. Acidity was lively and the tannins ripe and still firm enough for support. The new oak influence was by now a suavely integrated patina; 17/20++. Those are my observations with the blanquette de veau main course. However the goat cheeses dumbed down the wine’s flavour to varying degrees whereas the Beaufort was less obtrusive.
Jurançon sec Vitatge Vielh de Lapeyre 2007 – Clos Lapeyre, Larrieu – Alc.14% - (€14), made from Gros & Petit Manseng and Courbu organically grown. This is a lovely wine several notches about the basic dry Lapeyre. The nose was invigorating with complex notes including passion fruit, minerals and honey and could have presaged a sweeter wine. The long palate was dry, medium bodied with generosity and some roundness and gras and was infused with lively fruit, complex minerals and juicily crisp acidity. The high alcohol did not obtrude. It was excellent with fish but the goat cheeses brought out extra subtleties in its minerality whilst the Beaufort pairing was more neutral; 17/20+ QPR!!.