Melo Villareal
Paris Wine and Cheese Tasting Experience with KKDAY.com
As a traveler who explores the world partly for food, I have witnessed how certain types of dishes transcend place, culture, and time.
Consider cheese and wine. Cheese has been on people’s tables during different eras and different countries, as a topping, as an ingredient for a side dish, or even a meal in itself. The same goes for wine, which has been in production since as early as 4100 BC.
I realized this more when I was recently invited for a wine and cheese tasting experience at La Vache dans les Vignes, a famous wine, and cheese shop in Quai de Jemmapes, Paris, right in front of St. Martin Canal.
In the shop, wine and cheese are delicacies. The goal of our tasting activity was to gain a deeper understanding of which flavors go well with each other, and how these combinations have been appreciated not just by the locals, but across all wine- and cheese lovers in the world.
We sampled four types of wine and five types of cheese. They also served us bread to go with everything.
Cheese
Cabécou de Rocamadour is one sample that we had. The cheese is named after a village and has had an appellation d’origine controlee (AOC) certification from the government since 1996. The cheese had a rich, velvety feel with a nutty taste, and went so good with the toast served to us. It takes about two weeks to produce the cheese, but we were told that other local producers store it longer to attain a stronger flavor that goes well with light, red wine.
Another cheese named after a place in France is the Crottin de Chavignol. Made from the raw milk of alpine goats, my slice of Crottin had a very distinct flavor, paired with a very creamy texture. In fact, crottin is a rare type of cheese that develops a different flavor and texture with varied maturing processes. After 1.5 months, the cheese will have a dryer and brittle exterior with a stronger taste, unlike the younger Crottin that we sampled.
The Gruyère de Comté is the next one on our plates. It is exclusively produced in the eastern Jura Massif region of the country, where unpasteurized cow milk is stored and matured in a special type of cave for four months and up to two years! Because of this, Comte has a very uniquely pale yellow color, a hard texture, and a taste that combines both sweet and strong.
Next, we had Napoleón Commingeois, which is made from ewe’s milk. It had a surprisingly smooth and chewy texture that contrasted greatly to the tangy taste. This cheese is produced in Pyrénées, a set of mountain ranges that border between France and the neighboring Spain.
Lastly, we had Herve, which is produced in an ancient town with the same name. This is one of the varieties of cheese that go well with dark bread because it has a very strong flavor. It is very firm yet oily and glossy.
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Wines
The first wine that we sampled is the Rollier de la Martinette, which is produced from a combination of grapefruit, tropical fruits, white fruits, and various citrus fruits. It has a very refreshing taste, reminiscent of summer.
We also had Menetou-Salon: Domaine Jean Teiller 2015. Like the previous one, it had a really fruity taste but on a lighter note. It is one of the most exuberant wines in our activity and goes well with anything grilled.
Côté Sioule was our next drink. Made from Merlot and Petite Sirah grapes. The latter is a rare type of grape that has the flavors of blueberry, plums, and even chocolate combined. It was an honor tasting the drink.
Lastly, we had Nouveau 2016: Beaujolais Villages. It is named after a wine-producing province in Burgundy that is internationally renowned. The aroma of this wine was simply amazing, much more the luxurious taste, which I savored until the last drop.
Aside from being satiated, I felt that I gained a deeper appreciation of both wine and cheese, despite coming from a culture that used other types of food for delicacies. It was a great pleasure.
We thank KKDay.com for our very informative and flavorful afternoon. You can book your own Wine and Cheese Tasting experience from the same website for only USD 48 per head. Visit https://www.kkday.com/en/product/1180 for more details.
*Some Photos courtesy of Yen Dreyfus
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