Change of pace with bleu cheese

[wondersofwine]

Attended a wine and cheese seminar over a year ago at the Nantucket Wine Festival. We know about port with Stilton cheese but here's a surprising combination I wouldn't have figured out on my own--Sauvignon Blanc with bleu cheese. We had an Australian Four Sisters Sauvignon Blanc (with some semillion in the mix to add a little sweetness) and it paired nicely with Hubbardston Blue Cheese from Westfield Farms, Hubbardston, MA. This is 100% goat's milk cheese with an edible blue mold rind. Unique because the blue does not vein inside the cheese. Sharp, creamy contrast of textures and flavors. As the presenter explained, the sauvignon blanc acidity makes bleu cheese taste less salty. Another suggestion was to try red burgundies with bleu cheeses.
For more on the cheeses check out www.newenglandcheese.com (Vermont, NH, Massachusetts, CT) They are described as artisan New England cheeses.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 09-25-2001).]

[Bucko]

It is a good match, just like Gewurztraminer and Muenster...... love the stuff!

[mrdutton]

English cheddar and Stilton went very nicely the other day with a Viognier from Washington State.

[cpurvis]

wonders, nice to have a pleasant pairing surprise. Another bleu cheeses story: I'm not a big fan of David Bruce wines (IMO poor QPR), but tagged along to the winery w/ friends earlier in the year. Tasted the Central Coast Pinot Noir...initial taste was the familiar Calif. throw-it-in-the-wood-stove flavor. However, someone insisted on buying a bottle. As we sat outside munching bleu cheese, etc., decided to taste it again. Voila!...real wine flavors! Wouldn't have expected bleu cheese to salvage a pinot, but it did.

cp

[wondersofwine]

cpurvis,
Just got back to this thread. I found your comments interesting and worth an experiment sometime.

[wondersofwine]

cpurvis,
Well I did it. I found David Bruce Pinot Noir at the local wine store for $22.99 and tried it with hamburgers and then with bleu cheese. It was more food friendly with the bleu cheese, so the second night I had it with hamburgers topped with sauteed onions and melted bleu cheese. Now to get away from hamburgers and have some pasta! I rated the David Bruce Pinot Noir as a very good wine with the right food complement.