07 Feb 2024
Last week’s feature on natural wines sparked some lively debate on my Instagram account and prompted a message from Ed at Fleetville Larder, asking me to pop in to try a natural wine that “tastes like rain on a hot day”. So, I decided to make my monthly visit to the Larder with natural wine and cheese pairing in mind.
First up is the cheese, and its Gruyere, a hard Swiss cheese that originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne in Switzerland. It is named after the town of Gruyères.
It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming more assertive, earthy, and complex as it matures.
When fully aged (five months to a year), it tends to have small cracks that impart a slightly grainy texture. Although complex, Gruyere cheese goes with a whole variety of wines, but you should really go for a light fruity wine. Earthy and rich wines may be a bit too much for the creaminess of the cheese and may lead to bitterness and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Ed had the most perfectly, super clean, fresh and fruity Chardonnay to pair with the cheese. The Unfiltered Dog, ‘SAMURAI’ Chardonnay 2022 (£11.50 a bottle) is a simple, natural wine from Australia. It’s produced by Free Run Juice, a wine company with access to some of the best and premium vineyards across Australia and makes the best use of the local winegrowing talent of the country. They allow small vineyards access to the facilities and expertise they need to make and distribute their wine, with a focus on quality and consistency.
Here they’ve produced a classic unoaked Chardonnay with flavours of fresh peach and ripe honeydew melon, with a rich mouthfeel which pairs well with the nutty and slightly sweet tastes of the Gruyere cheese. The fresh balanced acidity of the Chardonnay also prevents the pairing from becoming too heavy.
If you’re looking for even more wine recommendations, then please follow me on Instagram @dmc_uncorked. And if you are a wine retailer or a drinks PR company who would like me to feature your range of wines, then please contact me via mccabetwe@gmail.com
