WTN: Pairing sweet Vouvray/chicken and cider/P-l'Évêque

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.)

Suffering from a terrible cold, I can only lick my dry lips!! Nice.

Sounds like a fun meal. Do you regularly buy Aubuisières wines?

Sounds like a fun meal. Do you regularly buy Aubuisières wines?

I bought a few in the 90s but have none left except for some official moelleux, '96 Girardières I think. I enjoyed them all, particularly the '96s with their bright acidity and minerality.

I notice that my stand-by French guides have dropped this estate in the latest editions. I know not why.

Suffering from a terrible cold,

You have my sympathy, Bob. I always go through a phase of panic when I can taste nothing, fearing that this sense will never return. So far it always has, touch wood.

I always go through a phase of panic when I can taste nothing, fearing that this sense will never return..

Me too. Health can be so fragile!

Sounds delicious Tim. Would you mind sharing the outline of a recipe for that dish? I don't need the details, just the general idea.

Bob, the basic idea is to prepare chicken using the staples of Norman gastronomy, namely cream, apples, dry cider and calvados.

As with all recipes, people have their own additions and subtractions; some don't use mushrooms, others add onions and subtract the apples and so on. In fact I have found a very clear recipe http://www.ultimate-comms.co.uk/menu/TM ... 5-E001.pdf very like the one used by Germaine except that she did not add onion and flambé the Calvados but instead added it with more cream at the end; we did not put in apples either which with hindsight might have improved the match with the very sweet Vouvray.

A good firmly fleshed chicken also helps.

Merci bien.