Suggested appetizers for sparkling rose' wines

I'm planning a wine tasting that will include Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Rose' and Bugey Cerdon. It will be in October so fresh strawberries may not be available. What would be a couple simple appetizers to go with these wines? (With a sweeter sparkling rose' like Brachetto I like chocolate-dipped strawberries and I may be able to get them from a chocolatier in downtown Fayetteville but I want some backup choices maybe less sweet.)

Also, what hard cheeses do you suggest with Pinot Noir, red Burgundy or Beaujolais Cru?

[James Roscoe]

Popcorn with truffles - seriously!

James, now that I'm getting through to WLDG I can't find my notes from the offline in DC! I think the Barolo was a '97 or '98 from Mascarello. Maybe your friend who brought it can supply specifics. I brought the Bugey Cerdon from Elie and Alain Renardat-Fache (methode ancestrale or traditional method), demi-sec (half dry) 7.5% abv. 100% Gamay grapes or possibly Gamay and Poulsard grapes. You purchased a very nice Verdechhio and I purchased a Tassi Rosso di Montalcino. My memory of what Jon Peterson brought is failing--if he sees this maybe he can chime in. Connie had a bottle in the car but I told her not to get it since we were paying corkage and had plenty of bottles. Did we have a sweet white wine at the end? Again my memory is failing me.

Glad you liked the truffled popcorn. I will have to get more from Susan Rice before the October wine tasting--probably a few bags to open up in a big bowl and put on the table.

Just so you're aware the Bugey is demi-sec.

For the cremant, which I assume is dry, this recipe for trout mousse is a great match with brut or brut rose Champagne, should work:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_subm ... 51274.html

Thanks, Dale. That recipe does sound very good. I printed it out.

JC, Hi.....

Among my own choices with brut rose Champagne as an aperitif: bite-sized blinis with creme fraiche and caviar (to be eaten with the fingers)m sweet Gorgonzola on croutons, gravad lax (gravlax if you prefer) and smoked sturgeon on toast points.

Away from rose Champagne to "regular" Champagne, good Cava or other good sparkling wines:
Any of the above plus vitello tonato, seafood filled dim sum, escargots Bourguignon, oysters (raw, dammit, raw, with nothing but a light sprinkling of lemon) and jumbo shrimps in the Greek style (deep fried, with their shells intact, served whole with nothing but a bit of lemon to sprinkle over.

With still wines, several of my rules of thumb are:

Especially full bodied and powerful whites or reds:
Blue cheeses such as French and Danish blue, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Stilton; soft goats’ milk cheese

Medium to full bodied reds or whites:
Brie and Camembert, Gorgonzola, Parmesan

Medium bodied redsd or whites:
Munster, Edam, Port Salut, Emmenthal

Fruity and light reds or whites:
Cantal, cream cheeses

Light dry reds and whites:
Goats’ and sheeps’ milk cheeses, young Cheddar, cooked cheese dishes

Robust and full bodied white wines:
Gruyere and Cheddar

Rose and medium bodied whites:
Gouda, Port Salut, Herbed Cheeses

Sweet dessert wines:
Parmesan, sweet Gorgonzola, Cheddar,hard or soft goats’ milk cheeses

An idiosyncratic list perhaps but for me at least any of the above is to know that God is in Her heaven and all's well on earth.

Best
Rogov

Thanks for the many excellent suggestions, Daniel.

Smoked salmon w/a mayonnaise, horse radish, lemon juice, and capers and red onions garnish makes a perfect foil for the fuller bodied rose'.
The Lucien Albrecht is a classic rose' and a good value. Let us know what you serve & how it works.