Vouvray “Le Bouchet” 1997 – Domaine des Aubuisières (Bernard Fouquet) – Alc. 12.5% - served with “Poulet Vallée d’Auge” (chicken in a rich sauce of mushrooms, cream and cider finished off with a dash of calvados).
The gastronomic use of sweeter wine has always proved a problem for me, much as I love good ones. However, the pairing of this dish with a demi-sec Vouvray is one that has proved successful in the past, particular with those of Foreau or Huet. This Vouvray turned out to be sweeter than I expected; more like a moelleux from Coteaux du Layon than a Vouvray demi-sec; this is probably a function of the vintage. (I cannot blame Fouquet for actively misleading information because he is one of those growers, like most in Alsace, who irritatingly refuses to provide sweetness/dryness indications on the label; I had written “demi-sec” there no doubt following the seller’s advice.)
I still thought that the combination worked, although a real demi-sec would have been even better. However, my other half complained; indeed on her prompting I had put aside a Huet moelleux from 1985 which might have proved subjectively less sweet.
C: Quite deep amber.
N: Burnished apple, pear and quince pie.
P: Rich, full and deliciously sweet with notes of apricot in addition to the aromas from the nose and seemingly some botrytis (though I believe there was none in ’97) and good length but with less acidity and minerality than is usual in Vouvray though there was enough to avoid cloying; 16.5/20.
There was some cider left after the cooking so here was an opportunity to try its pairing with Pont l’Évêque cheese as recommended by the cheese-makers.
Sidre Brut – Cidre Brut Pétillant Naturel – Éric Bordelet – Alc. 5.5%
Éric Bordelet is getting an excellent, and IMO, deserved reputation for his cider and perry
http://www.ericbordelet.com/ (sorry French only).
Burgeoning lively fruit with touches of wet leather, surprising depth and a touch of bitterness supporting the finish which was perfected absorbed by the cheese; rather sweeter than my conception of “brut” but there is a lot of “brut” Champagne like that too. A delicious drink which almost overwhelmed the cheese which was still restrained in flavour being somewhat under-ripe, though excellent.
(In another thread, I expressed doubt about Pont-l'Évêque with red Burgundy, but this young one was so restrained that it might have worked.)