Is cider more food-friendly than wine?

Susanna Forbes of Drink Britain reports on a vigorously fought contest over dinner at The Thatchers Arms near Colchester last month

"As one of the organisers, along with our host, the affable landlord Mitch Adams, I was confident that cider could hold its own against even the most tastiest of dishes. But even I didn’t think it could win 4: 1, particularly once I saw the big guns our wine champions were recruiting to their cause.

But first a little background. Mitch loves all drinks. A host with the most, he is a beer’n’food matcher extraordinaire. He organised a lively Beer vs Wine charity dinner back in 2011, with telly’s Tim Atkin MW squaring up against writer and beer expert, Adrian Tierney-Jones.

So The Thatchers Arms seemed the perfect home for this, the first contest between wine and cider. Eighth-generation Aspall cidermaker Henry Chevallier-Guild joined Beer Writer of the Year Pete Brown who was in the midst of finalising the first major global book on cider, World’s Best Cider, to champion cider, while Harper’s Best Sommelier of the Year, Emily O’Hare of the River Café, teamed up with Dan Probert, manager of Adnams’ Holt Cellar & Kitchen store in the wine camp.

The scene was set. Before dinner, guests enjoyed a glass of Aspall Cuvée Chevallier, an elegant, light sparkling cider made in the methode traditionelle. Once seated, a show of hands revealed that only a handful of people had ever tried cider with food. Even fewer felt it could win the evening’s match.

Following a few introductory words, the gloves were off, and battle commenced.

Broccoli & Parmesan Soup with Homemade Chilli Foccaccia

Vallobera Rioja Blanco 2011, Spain; £7.99, Adnams
El Gaitero, Spain, 5.5%; £1.55 33cl; Slurp.co.uk, Waitrose

Cider hits home first – 44:17

A creamy broccoli soup given a salty tang with Parmesan, was won by El Gaitero, from Asturias, northern Spain, where the cidermaking tradition goes back centuries. Production is ‘very strictly controlled’, said Pete, before explaining that El Gaitero was chosen for its slight pepperiness. The Vallobera Rioja Blanco 2011 had been aged in oak, giving it a pleasant creamy weight. To my mind, the soup stripped the wine’s aromatics, deadening the match, whereas the light, baked apple notes of El Gaitero with its sparkle provided a good balance to both soup and foccaccia.

Mackerel Fillet with a Fennel, Mint & Parsley Salsa & a Pont Neuf Potato

Gouguenheim Torrentés 2011, Mendoza, Argentina; £6.99, Adnams
Aspall Premier Cru, Suffolk; £2.59/50cl; Aspall, Adnams

Wine strikes back – 43:18

An exceptional dish a with vast array of flavours, demanded complexity in the glass. This was achieved with both Aspall’s Premier Cru, with its elegant, balanced tannins, and the Gouguenheim Torrontes, with its expressive aromatics. Floral notes on a backbone of gentle but textured acidity provided a fine counterpoint to the dish’s uplifting green notes.

Slow Roast Blythburgh Pork Belly with a Homemade Duck, Pork & Sage Sausage & Tomato & Mixed Bean Cassoulet

Quinto do Crasto, Crasto Tinto 2010, Douro Valley, Portugal; £9.49; Adnams
Henney's Vintage 2011, Herefordshire; £2.09/50cl; BeersofEurope.co.uk

Crunchtime – Cider pulls it off – by just one point – 31:30

As arms went up with the Red (for wine) and Green (for cider) cards – we’d gone all Ready, Steady, Cook – table by table, the room silenced. Two recounts later, cider took the course, by just one point. Created by former-Bulmers cidermaker, Mike Henneys, his Vintage 2011 presented a three-pronged attack: a solid but balanced tannic backbone to match the strength of flavours on our plate, a pleasing cider apple sweetness to complement the sweetness of the pork, and a good astringency to partner the tricky, but tasty, bean cassoulet.

Quinta do Crasto’s Douro red 2010 was no slouch, as the score indicates. Its time in oak gave it a good texture and depth, while its pure fruit flavours sang alongside the pork. Perhaps a little young for this match, in my view it was overwhelmed by the cassoulet.

Eddy’s Sour Cherry Cheesecake

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV Champagne, France; £52.99; Berry Bros & Rudd, selected independents
Aspall Imperial Cyder, Suffolk; £3.08/50cl; aspall.co.uk; BeersofEurope.co.uk

Wine fails to break back, losing 21: 32

Perhaps the trickiest match, pastry chef Eddy is renowned for his cheesecake. One bite and we could see why. A light cream mousse is set off beautifully by sour cherries. The Billecart-Salmon Rosé showed class, with sprightly connotations of red berries, and an elegant but persistent sparkle. It seduced many of us, including Mitch and myself, and our two Cider advocates.

However the room disagreed, voting for Henry’s grandfather’s recipe, Aspall Imperial Cyder, with its mix of bittersweet and dessert apples plus a dash of muscovado sugar. Its medium nature and good depth matched the sour cherry while the fine sparkle cut through the creaminess of the pud.

Suffolk Gold & Binham Blue Cheeses with chutney & biscuits

Gonzales Byass 'Vina AB' Amontillado, Jerez, Spain; £13.59; Adnams
Once Upon a Tree Blenheim Superb 2011; Herefordshire; £16/37.5cl; Once Upon a Tree

Match of the day – 58: 3

Cider now had an unassaible lead, but could Wine redeem itself on the cheese course? Err… no. 58: 3 to cider

Rather than play safe and opt for Sauternes or Port, the Wine team went out on a limb, choosing a solera-aged sherry, replete with nuts and dried peel. The only trouble was, it was way too dry for the two local cheeses.

Instead Once Upon a Tree’s dessert cider, the Dragon Tree Blenhim Superb, ran away with the Match of the Day tankard. The honeyed sweetness and depth of cooked apple plus the ripe mandarin and peach flavours complemented both the salty tang of the Binham Blue and cutting through the creamy texture of Suffolk Gold, a semi-hard farmhouse cheese. No wonder they call this sort of ice cider the apple world’s equivalent of Sauternes.

I’d like to thank…

Thanks go to all involved, including Aspall, Adnams, Billecart-Salmon, our cider and wine champions plus the marvellous crew, both front of house and in the kitchen, at The Thatchers Arms.

DrinkBritain.com champions all British drinks, specialising in artisanal producers, and those who offer a warm welcome to visitors. To keep in touch with drinks news, events such as the above, and great places to visit, subscribe to its newsletter, or get in touch via Twitter (@DrinkBritain) and Facebook.

Dominic and Ashley, student members of the Offshoot Films Club, captured the evening on film. You can watch it here on YouTube.

Other retail stockists for the wines can be found on winesearcher.com

Susanna Forbes is editor of Drink Britain website.

 

 

German wine and Scandi food - natural born partners

Scandinavian food is becoming increasingly popular but what type of wine should you drink with it? Lucy Bridgers reports on how German wine fares.

With their clean, pure, precise flavours and geographical proximity, German wine and Scandinavian cuisine sounds like an obvious partnership, but until recently, one I hadn’t had the chance to try. That was until earlier this week when I was invited to do just that by Wines of Germany at their Scandinavian supperclub led by cook, food anthropologist and author Signe Johansen of Scandilicious.

We kicked off the evening with some tasty canapés: spiced Norwegian veal and lamb meatballs, mini toast Skagen topped with prawns, caviar and lemon mayonnaise and with goats cheese, pomegranate and vanilla salt. Two Mosel Rieslings and a Pfalz Pinot Noir were served with these: Dr Loosen Urziger Würzgarten Kabinett 2011, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling Trocken 2011 and Palataia 2011.

The versatile Von Kesselstatt worked with all the canapés, especially the mini toasts and made a mouthwateringly fresh, zesty aperitif. The Urziger Würzgarten (‘Spice Garden’) was more fleshy, spicy and honeyed which chimed nicely with the sweetness of the prawns. The Palataia Pinot Noir selected to accompany the meatballs was a good match, but lacked the appetizing zip of the Rieslings at this stage of the meal.

The starter of cured salmon with wild dill pollen, Peter’s Yard sourdough crispbread, Scandinavian pickles and horseradish crème fraîche was served with Weingut Winter Riesling Trocken 2009 (Rheinhessen) and Balthasar Ress Hattenheimer Schutzenhaus Riesling Kabinett 2011 (Rheingau). The Rheinhessen, deeply coloured with lush peachy fruit, yet dry, stood up magnificently to the spicy horseradish and pickles and had enough weight on the palate to balance the richly textured sashimi-grade fish (the ABV was a full-strength 13%). In contrast, the lighter and more traditional Rheingau (10% ABV) was overwhelmed by the dish.

The main course, a wintery spread of braised finnbiff (Norwegian venison) with mushrooms and pearled spelt, salt-baked celeriac, beetroot salad with fruit vinegar and seasonal greens was served with two Pinot Noirs, Peter & Peter 2011 (Pfalz) from Zimmermann-Graeff & Muller and Meyer-Näkel Spätburgunder Blauschiefer 2010 (Ahr). Both showed well with the earthy flavours of the dish, but the complex, Burgundian Meyer-Näkel was a more memorable partner than the easy-drinking and juicy Peter & Peter.

After a refreshing palate cleanser of blood orange sorbet, we were served a two-part dessert of rhubarb and almond torte and freshly baked citrus and nutmeg madeleines with Studert Prüm’s Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2009 (Mosel) and Schloss Johannisberger Riesling Spätlese 2011 (Rheingau). Neither wine was obviously sweet, but they worked brilliantly with the desserts which were far from sugary themselves. The vibrant, almost tropical Schloss Johannisberger was a particular treat with the torte, its tingling acidity beautifully highlighting the rhubarb.

With such a range of styles now being produced in Germany – drier whites and an increasing proportion of reds – it was fascinating to experience their renewed versatility with food. (Historically in the UK German wines were more highly prized than French).

And, as expected, there is a great synergy between Scandinavian cuisine and German wine. It’s perhaps not surprising that Germany’s most important export markets include Sweden and especially Norway where they are market leaders.

Lucy Bridgers attended the event as guest of Wines of Germany

 

20 top Australian Chardonnays

To celebrate Australia Day here's a feature I wrote a year ago on Australian chardonnay - not as out of date as you might think as many of the vintages will only just have worked through.

"As you can see from my Guardian article today, I’m a born-again Chardonnay lover since returning from Australia last month.

Did the sun go to my head? I don’t think so. Australia now produces some of the most gorgeous, seductive, beautifully balanced Chardonnays I’ve tasted. Not cheap, mind you, but in comparison to some of the white burgundies I’ve been tasting this week, great value.

The problem is that many of the best haven’t yet made it over here. Most of them were 2009s and ‘10s which haven’t yet arrived on our shelves. A few are from producers whose wines don’t get exported or are available in such tiny quantities that they’re almost impossible to get hold of. Something we want to watch in the UK. There are many other markets for Australian wine who will snap up bottles like these without worrying about the price. Some wines you can now buy more cheaply in the UK than Australia which can’t be right.

Anyway, here’s the pick of the wines I got to try, organised by region, I don’t do scores, though I obviously have personal preferences. They wouldn’t be in this list if I didn’t think they were good. Search wine-searcher.com for stockists."

MARGARET RIVER
Western Australia’s premium winegrowing region for Chardonnay (though there are some interesting wines being made further south)

Cherubino Margaret River Chardonnay 2010 (not available currently in UK. $49 in Australia)
A totally modern Australian Chardonnay from one of Western Australia’s star winemakers Larry Cherubino (named winemaker of the year by Australian wine critic James Halliday last year). Whole bunch pressing, no settling, no fining, naturally fermented. Incredible freshness and delicacy yet sensuously creamy. One to hunt down

Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2009 (£55-65, $95-99 in Australia)
The wine I think I currently like best of Vanya Cullen’s wines despite being a longstanding fan of the Semillon-Sauvignon blend. A rich, sumptuous serious chardonnay from one of Australia’s leading biodynamic estates. Eye-wateringly expensive, sadly - on a par with Yattarna (below)

Flametree Margaret River Chardonnay 2010 (this vintage is not yet available in UK, around $20 in Australia)
This was the vintage I tasted in Aus which was cracking but still had some way to go. You can buy the 2009 vintage I recommend in the Guardian for 20 from Aus Wine Online. Rich, opulent with some lovely fruit character - citrus, ripe pears, canteloupe melon. Both have good ageing potential

Fraser Gallop Winery Chardonnay 2011 (not yet available in UK, $221 by the case from the winery)
If you tasted this blind you’d be hard-pushed to locate it in Australia. Consciously made with more restrained oak in an almost Chablis-like style it’s a singingly pure, crisp, clean wine that would be hugely flexible with food. (They suggest oysters)

Vasse Felix Heytesbury Margaret River Chardonnay 2009 (about £24-26, $45 in Australia)
I’d have put this award-winning wine in my Guardian article but we’re only on the 2008 vintage in the UK. The 2010 has done even better but buy any one of them you can lay your hands on. 100% wild yeast fermented. Gloriously rich and textured but with a perfectly pitched acidity. Sexy stuff.

ADELAIDE HILLS
The premium area for chardonnay in south Australia.

First Drop Mere et Fils Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2010 (£14.99 www.thesecretcellar.co.uk, $25AD in Australia)
Classic creamy elegant Chardonnay from the irreverent First Drop boys “we have fun with the packaging but we’re deadly serious about the booze.” “Restrained sophisticated and best drunk in the shower” according to the website. No sulphur, wild yeasts. Great value.

Yalumba FDW (7C) 2008 (available in the UK from February at around £18, $24-25 in Australia)
Another gorgeous creamy Chardonnay with an elegant lift, born from a realisation says winemaker Louisa Rose, that “none of us [in the winery] were taking Chardonnay home and drinking it”. You would this one. FDW? Stands for Fine Dry White.

McLAREN VALE
Not renowned for its Chardonnay though, as these wines show, there are some more than decent ones being made.

Battle of Bosworth Chardonnay 2010 (N/A in UK. About $25 in Australia)
Slightly funky Chardonnay in the natural wine mould though winemaker Joch Bosworth does employ sulphur as needed. Loads of creamy, leesy texture. More than a third of the first vintage of Penfold’s Yattarna came from the same now organically cultivated vineyard.

Paxton Thomas Block Chardonnay 2009 (N/A in UK About $20-30 in Australia)
Good Chardonnay doesn’t just come from the cooler regions in Oz as this beautifully crafted example from Paxton proves. Vines are subject to biodynamic treatments. The 2008 was spot on too.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA
One of the most expensive vineyard areas in Oz, hence the hefty prices.

Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2010 17 Wine Society £18.40 Theatre of Wine, £18.50 L’Art du Vin, Great Western Wine, £18.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants, about $25 in Australia.
Recommended in my Guardian piece today though I’ve added a couple of other stockists. Could easily be white burgundy. Really subtle, elegant, creamy, beautifully in balance. The Pinots, which I’ll be writing about, are lovely too. Great value.

Ocean Eight Verve Chardonnay 2010 23 Theatre of Wine, $37 in Australia
Classy, cool climate, citrussy Chardonnay from this boutique Mornington Peninsula estate. Subtle and restrained - and just 12.2% which is remarkable.

Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Chardonnay 2009 (£168.84 per case of six in bond with Bancroft Wines = approx £40 a bottle, $52 in Australia
The more mineral elegant of 10 Minutes two single vineyard Chardonnays though I liked the richer, lusher McCutcheon Vineyard 2009 better with food (especially rare tuna).

Yabby Lake Block 1 Chardonnay 2009 £46 swig.co.uk (which doesn’t look a bad price when you see it’s $83.33 from the winery)
Apparently only 748 bottles were made of Yabby Lake’s top end Chardonnay - and you can only buy a maximum of two. Worth it I’d say if you can run to it though the single vineyard Yabby Lake Chardonnay which is pretty gorgeous too is ‘only‘ 26.50. “We don’t want them to be better than our single vineyard wines” says winemaker Tom Carson “we want them to be different”. Collectors items.

YARRA VALLEY
If I had to pick one region for chardonnay in Australia this would be it.

De Bortoli Reserve Release Chardonnay 2008 £23.49 simplywinedirect.com, $40 in Australia
One of the most impressive things about the trip was that it wasn’t just small boutique operations that were making great Chardonnay. Large companies are too as De Bortoli proves with this beautifully balanced wine. "We are paranoid about making fat Chardonnays” says winemaker Steve Webber.

Chandon Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010 (not available in UK), $19-25 in Australia
This tends to be eclipsed by producer Domaine Chandon’s sparkling wines but I reckon it’s the best wine of the range - quintessential Yarra Valley Chardonnay. Confusingly it’s still marketed as Green Point in the UK and only available in older vintages which doesn’t help. Good value in Oz though.

Giant Steps Arthur’s Creek Chardonnay 2010 (currently on offer at £25 from thegoodwineshop.co.uk. About $40 In Australia
I mentioned the Sexton Vineyard in my Guardian feature and the cheaper Innocent Bystander Willing Participant Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010 which is excellent value but my own favourite of Phil Sexton’s single vineyard bottlings was the Arthur’s Creek which is apparently the coolest of the sites. It has incredible purity and persistence.

Oakridge Lieu-Dit Chardonnay 2010 (not available in UK. About $44 in Australia)
Winemaker David Bicknell is apparently known as Mr Chardonnay a well-deserved accolade judging by this near-perfect bottling. Oakridge was also nominated Winery of the Year in this year’s The Age and Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine guide. Minimal intervention - no malo no acidification, natural yeasts, It’s lush - goodness it’s gorgeous - but still manages to be refreshingly crisp.

Wedgetail Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2009 (not available in UK. About $40 in Australia)
A classically Burgundian Chardonnay (if that’s not an insult to the Aussies) from owner/winemaker Guy Lamothe. From a cool dry hilly area in the north west of the valley. Elegant, pure, rich but restrained. Just 12.8%

Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2010 £23.90 slurp.co.uk $44 in Australia
My favourite of the two Mac Forbes single vineyard Chardonnays though the Hoddles Creek was also pretty impressive. Restrained use of oak (only 22% new) resulting in a beautifully integrated wine with a really fresh, citrussy finish.

And from no specific region . . .

Penfold’s Yattarna 2008 £48-77 in the UK (an extraordinary price range) Majestic has it for £55, $129.99 from the cellar door
Is Yattarna better than any of the above wines? Debatable. Is it worth twice as much as most of them? I’d say not. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a delicious Chardonnay but its role as ‘white Grange’ undoubtedly distorts its market value. A much better deal in the UK than Australia though which must be galling.

I didn’t visit Tasmania or New South Wales on this trip hence the absence of recommendations from the Hunter Valley, Orange, etc.

And if you want some ideas as to what to eat with these rather nice bottles you'll find some suggestions here.

 

Possibly the best truffle dinner ever

Did I want to go on a truffle trip to Spain at the end of January? Balmy Barbados seemed like a better option but since that wasn’t on the cards and the enquiry came from an old friend I said yes. The 2 day visit - the annual Viñas del Vero ‘Days of Wine and Truffles’ in Somontano would include an outdoor picnic in the foothills of the Pyrenees (eek), a truffle hunt and - the clincher - a multi-course truffle menu by one of the region’s most talented chefs followed by a gastronomic brunch. “Bring the Gaviscon”. my friend sagely advised.

I’ll be writing about the truffle hunting in due course so let’s concentrate on the dinner at Bodega Blecua which was the best truffle experience I’ve ever had. It kicked off in style with a selection of truffle-flavoured canaps including truffle flavoured macarons, parcels of truffle threads in lambs skein (sic), tartlets of pigs trotters and truffles (awesome) and best of all, truffle flavoured truffles of the satiny consistency of the best chocolate truffles. These were served with Tio Pepe (also owned by Viñas del Vero’s owner Gonzalez Byass) and V de V’s fragrant Gewürztraminer which I’m not sure I didn’t marginally prefer, to my surprise. (The 2009 is currently on offer at £6.49 at Majestic)

The first proper course was a glassful of truffles served with a hot broth which transformed it into truffle consommé followed by ‘Royal de Trufa with egg yolks and passion’. Fortunately this turned out not to be passion fruit as I had feared but a sumptous blend of truffles and pork fat of the consistency of creamy mash, scattered with yet more truffles. (I hadn’t thought of the combination of pork fat and truffles before but it’s a winner, let me tell you). With that we drank the 2010 Viñas del Vero Clarion, a rich, structured white about whose components they were curiously reticent but which seems to be Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Chenin Blanc.

That was followed by one of my favourite dishes of the meal, cardoons with oysters and almond sauce topped with a truffle shaving. Again a really imaginative and delicious combination of ingredients. This was served with a 2008 Clarion in magnum which suited the dish better than the younger fruitier vintage would have done.

They then brought on a potato ‘mushroom’ with ceps, a mound of fluffy truffle-infused mash moulded into a ... well, not a mushroom, more like a potato but fantastic anyway and a good match with the Blecua 2004 served in magnum.

Blecua is the flagship wine of Viñas del Vero - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Garnacha, and Tempranillo from seven different parcels and possibly one of the best wines you've never heard of. It has more warmth and generosity than many Bordeaux and more finesse and complexity than most Spanish reds. The '04 also went perfectly with the next course, a truffle infused risotto topped with an outrageous amount of truffles.

By this stage even I was almost truffled out but just about found room for a mouthful or two of veal shanks with truffle sauce and chestnut purée (particularly good with the richer, more complex Blecua 2005) and some local truffled cheese.

And I didn’t make much impact on either of the two interesting desserts - a semi-frozen cylinder of something faintly ice creamy with amaretti crumbs and ‘snow truffles’ on muscovado cream, a truffle-inspired but, to some relief, not truffle-flavoured finale.

The general conclusion? That truffle dinners could be a lot more inventive than they generally are, that Spanish cuisine, dare I say it, has a lot to teach the French and that truffles can take younger, fruitier wines than you might imagine. Quite an experience.

The event I went to was a private one but If you want to sample chef Carmelo Bosque’s cooking go to his restaurant La Taberna de Lillas Pastia it’s in Huesca. It specialises in truffles and has a Michelin star. Tel: +34 974 211 691.

I attended the dinner as a guest of Gonzalez Byass.