Membrillo wine pairing

So a friend's parents grow quince, and we left a Halloween gathering with a little over five pounds. Never had any before. Made membrillo, with three pounds of quince, sugar, water, lemon juice and a little vanilla extract.

We were quite happy with the membrillo, but...

The membrillo and manchego went well together, but did not work (especially the membrillo) with the 2020 Starborough Marlborough SV blanc, which showed pineapple and lemon.

After reading a bit on the internet, I'm leaning towards a Cava with some residual sugar for the next time.

Please post any pairing opinions, especially on wines available in Portland.

[Jenise]

Visited friends in Gaston over the weekend whose new-to-them property has quince trees on it. They're unfamiliar with the fruit and I mentioned that once she has the fruit she'll recognize quince notes in white wines--"you'll have another option besides apples, pears and lemons". I had the same experience, and often run into it in fuller bodied Italian whites like arneis. I would list it as a component in the Phelps Creek Vineyards (the Gorge, Hood River) Corduroy Pinot Noir Blanc we had this weekend, too. (Btw, inarguably the best PNB I've ever had--great acidity, no RS, deep flavors.)

...once she has the fruit she'll recognize quince notes in white wines--"you'll have another option besides apples, pears and lemons"...

What about apricots and peaches!

I actually find those more common than quince, which is a tricky fruit because it's so rarely eaten raw. Plus, cooked quince is usually combined with enormous amounts of sugar (membrillo), which changes things completely.

Quince is a big thing here in Germany, so I've been buying it at the market and cooking with it for the first time. I try to limit the amount of sweeteners, but by the time I cook it and add a bit of sugar, maybe some different spices, it's always tasty, but not that much different from cooked apples!

[Jenise]

And pineapple, which I think quince rings closest to. I've never cooked with it. They grow well in the Pacific Northwest so we occasionally see them fresh at the Co-op, and quince cider is heavenly.

[David M. Bueker]

Visited friends in Gaston over the weekend whose new-to-them property has quince trees on it. They're unfamiliar with the fruit and I mentioned that once she has the fruit she'll recognize quince notes in white wines--"you'll have another option besides apples, pears and lemons". I had the same experience, and often run into it in fuller bodied Italian whites like arneis. I would list it as a component in the Phelps Creek Vineyards (the Gorge, Hood River) Corduroy Pinot Noir Blanc we had this weekend, too. (Btw, inarguably the best PNB I've ever had--great acidity, no RS, deep flavors.)

Pinot Blanc? Might try Vincent from Oregon. Delicious Pinot Blanc.

[Jenise]

Pinot Blanc? Might try Vincent from Oregon. Delicious Pinot Blanc.

I wouldn't know. I bought several 2017s and both were cloudy and fizzy with off flavors. I complained to Vince about it and he gave me a refund. Five months later when a second bottle was off I brought that to his attention and he said he had no idea how that could happen, it hadn't happened to anyone else. No refund or replacement offered. Meanwhile, on CT, I discovered a lot of complaints from others about the same thing so I'm sorry but no way he didn't know about it. Loved his pinots and red pinot gris, but never bought from him again because of this incident.

Anyway, the wine I mentioned above wasn't a Pinot Blanc, but a Pinot Noir Blanc.

And pineapple...

Yes! Another classic white wine descriptor. I suppose mango too. All depends on whatever local fruits one has as the frame of reference.

I could see quince cider being delicious, a bit more bite than most apples. I've been buying quince/apple juice from the farmers market and it has great flavor.