Cheese, pear chutney and Jurançon

This might not have been the best match of the week - that honour goes to the turbot and orange wine pairing I experienced at Ellory which I’ve already written up here - but it’s the one that’s easiest to replicate at home.

It was at a swish new Bristol restaurant called Adelina Yard which does what must be one of the best fixed price lunch deals in the country. Three brilliant courses for just £15.

I went with my friend wine writer Susy Atkins so you’d think we’d have done some damage to the wine list but we virtuously decided to have a alcohol-free lunch. Until, that is, I tried the pear chutney that went with the cheese plate and decided it was crying out for a glass of sweet wine.

It’s one you might be unaware of - a sweet Jurançon* from south-west France called Symphonie de Novembre from Domaine Cauhapé, one of my favourite Jurançon producers. Although it was from the 2010 vintage it was still really fresh with lovely lush apricot and passionfruit flavours. A real treat. You can buy it from James Nicholson for £11.99 a half bottle and around £13 from WoodWinters and various other independents. The Wine Society has full-sized bottles of the 2012 for £19.

And the cheeses? I was afraid you were going to ask me that. I can’t remember to be honest, we were yammering so much. But they included (I think) a goats cheese, an Ubriaco, a Pecorino and a Shropshire Blue. But the chutney was the real inspiration**.

*Sweet Jurancon is just labelled Jurançon. If it’s a dry wine it’s referred to as Jurançon Sec.

** Note, it wasn't a very vinegary chutney which can be a bit brutal for wine. More like a pear compote.

Dessert wine pairing: ‘Sweet Thai Green Curry’ with Lapeyre Jurancon

This wine pairing may sound difficult to get your head round - let’s face it, it is! - but it was a very clever dessert at the 3 star De Librije in Zwolle, Holland last week

Basically it was a fruit salad with Thai seasoning - mango, pineapple, sweet basil, galangal, wasabi meringues and green curry ice-cream according to my hastily scrawled notes with what tasted like a light but fiery ginger beer syrup. Served very cold on an ice pack in case you’re wondering what that is in the picture.

It paired perfectly with a light lush Jurancon from Clos Lapeyre - the 2009 ‘La Magendia’, a blend of Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Courbu. You can buy it in the UK from Ellis Wharton (it's currently on offer for £11.75 a half bottle), £14 from Bottle Apostle or £21.17 a full bottle from Wine Bear amongst others (see wine-searcher.com for other stockists).

Obviously this is a dish you’re not going to be easily able to replicate - unless you’re a three star chef - but it suggests that a tropical fruit salad with ginger or chilli might well work with the same type of wine.