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+--- Thread: Wine as a Gift (/thread-701.html)
- k-donn - 12-21-1999
I would like to give a gift of wine and cheese such as a Brie Cheese. Any suggestions?
- Jerry D Mead - 12-21-1999
Well, it sure isn't Brie...but I vote for a classic match-up...Port & Stilton.
Ficklin Port or Quady "Starboard" from California are both moderately price but excellent...and a good-sized hunk of Stilton won't set you back too much.
Yet on a cold winter's night with some warmed walnuts and a roaring fireplace...nothing's better.
- Randy Caparoso - 12-21-1999
Brie is a type of cheese with fresh milk(rather than strongly aged) qualities, a buttery/creamy texture, and lively, sharp acidity around the edges. The easiest match is a young Sauvignon Blanc based white wine with equally fresh, crisp yet silky qualities. It's hard to go wrong with a creamier style from California such as Duckhorn, Spottswoode, Babcock, Frog's Leap or Iron Horse, although Pouilly Fume (by Minet or de Ladoucette) and Sancerre (especially Reverdy's) from France are also good. Another good choice is one of the creamier textured, yet crisp edged, Pinot Gris from Oregon, such as the King Estate Reserve, the Rex Hill Reserve, and Chehalem.
In the past, I've also enjoyed a good, soft Brie with Savennieres (such as d'Epire's and Baumard's "Clos du Papillon) from France, which is a honeyed, yet zesty edge dry white from France. Dry style Rieslings from Alsace, France (such as Kuentz-Bas, Ostertag, and Trimbach) also have that combination of silky texture and zesty acidity that go great with Brie. For something unusual, look for Zind-Humbrecht's Pinot d'Alsace -- an unsually fine, zesty, silken rich blend of Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay -- or the Heger Pinot Gris from Baden in Germany.
Caveat: Avoid giving hard, bitter, thick red wines with Brie, since these types really do nothing for this type of cheese. But if you would like to give a red wine, the only type that can really handle the sharpness/creaminess of Brie is a good, velvety, not-too-heavy, and crisp edged Pinot Noir type from, say, Oregon (I recommend reserve bottlings by Chehalem, Rex Hill, Ponzi, Ken Wright, Archery Summit or Erath) or Burgundy, France (such as Volnay, Mercurey, or something very special like Chambolle Musigny).
Hope this helps!