Fine cheese art in perfect harmony with wine
Wine with food is a real treat, especially when powerful blue cheese, sweet and spicy grape chutney and crispy sourdough crackers meet. Wine and food become a culinary harmony in this combination: the blue cheese convinces with a strong, piquant character, the fruity chutney made from ripe grapes brings a balance between sweetness and acidity, while the homemade sourdough crackers provide the matching, rustic mouthfeel. This dish is perfect as an appetizer for connoisseurs, as a sophisticated conclusion to a menu or as the highlight of an elegant cheese platter. If you love wine with your meal, you will find the ideal combination of classic French ingredients and modern culinary culture here – and experience how selected wines perfect the interaction.
Ideal wine pairing: Bourgogne Chardonnay Réserve (Burgundy, France)
The Chardonnay Réserve from Burgundy is the perfect accompaniment to this aromatic cheese dish. Its opulent creaminess, subtle wood tones and notes of yellow fruits, hazelnut and vanilla envelop the salty spice of blue cheese. The elegant acidity gives freshness, its length on the palate cushions the intense cheese aroma and powerfully rounds off the sweet and spicy fruit of the grape chutney.
The sensory harmony is exemplary: the creamy texture of the Chardonnay meets the melting of the cheese and softens its strong salty note. The fruit of the grape chutney is reflected in the slightly exotic components of the wine; a pleasantly lively, but not too dominant acidity provides balance. The wood, full of character and at the same time restrained, plays a fine echo of the crispy sourdough crust, while the ripe fruit sets elegant contrasts. A top food pairing that combines French enjoyment and new wine worlds.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Sauternes AOC (Bordeaux, France)
The noble sweet elegance of Sauternes with apricot, honey and raisin counters the salty power of blue cheese. At the same time, the luscious fruit sweetness blends harmoniously with the grape chutney – a classic, luxurious cheese-wine combination that balances sweetness and umami.
Gewürztraminer d’Alsace AOC (Alsace, France)
With its intense lychee and rose aromas as well as a strong structure, this white wine brings deep aromas to blue cheese. The spiciness and slight residual sweetness underline the peppery-nutty profile of the cheese; in addition, the fruitiness of the chutney harmonizes beautifully with exotic notes.
Riesling Spätlese QmP (Mosel, Germany)
A fine-dry Riesling with animating acidity, ripe stone fruit and floral hints shines with freshness and finesse. Its juicy acidity provides a clear contrast to the opulent texture of the cheese, absorbs the sweetness of the chutney and ensures a very balanced, lively pairing.
Port Wine – Ruby Reserve Porto DOC (Douro Valley, Portugal)
The powerful, fruity Ruby Port brings berry and cherry fruit, velvety structure and subtle fullness. Its sweetness plays around the hearty intensity of the blue cheese and complements the spice of the chutney – this results in a classically noble pleasure experience.
Chardonnay (Margaret River, Australia)
Australian Chardonnay offers tropical fruit, delicate butteriness and a distinct minerality. It brings international flair into play, enhancing the ripe fruit of the chutney and combining with the creaminess of the cheese. Ideal for friends of elegant white wines with a light body and great complexity.
The recipe:
Blue cheese with grape chutney & sourdough crackers
Cooking utensils
- 1 Backofen & Backblech
- 1 Backpapier
- 1 Kochtopf
- 1 Messer & Schneidebrett
- 1 Schüssel
- 1 Teigrolle
Ingredients
For the cheese platter
- 120 g Blue cheese e.g. Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert or Bleu d’Auvergne
- 80 g Bunches of grapes red or white, seedless
For the grape chutney
- 80 g Bunches of grapes halved
- 1 small red onion
- 40 g brown sugar
- 50 Ml Red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- Salt Pepper
For sourdough crackers
- 70 g Wheat flour
- 40 g Rye sourdough Starter or Rest
- 20 Ml Water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
For the garnish
- Fresh herbs e.g. thyme, rosemary
- Chopped walnuts optional
Preparation
Grape chutney
- Finely dice the onion, halve the grapes.
- Caramelize the onion in a small saucepan with sugar, add the grapes, deglaze with vinegar.
- Stir in the cinnamon, mustard seeds, salt and pepper, reduce for 10-15 minutes until the chutney is thick. Let cool.
Sourdough crackers
- Knead flour, sourdough, water, oil and salt into a smooth dough.
- Roll out the dough very thinly, cut into pieces. Lay out on baking paper and prick with a fork.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 10-12 minutes until crispy golden brown. Let cool.
Wreak
- Cut the blue cheese into slices, elegantly arrange with the grape chutney, crackers and herbs on a platter.
Recommended Accompaniments
- Fresh figs or pear slices
- Walnut bread
- Lamb’s lettuce with apple vinaigrette
