Wines & cheeses with Liz Wheadon

Our monthly Channel Wines and Cheeses columnist is Liz Wheadon, General Manager of Glengarry Wines. Initially interested in a career in the culinary area, whilst living for a year in the UK, Liz had the opportunity to attend a Cordon Bleu course in London. She found herself drawn to wine, which quickly became her passion and her career. Late in 1994, Liz started working for Glengarry Wines. Interestingly, her first role was as Retail Sales Assistant in the Glengarry Takapuna store. Whilst wine is a passion, and now the direction of her career, Liz is also a passionate foodie. Weekends are often spent first planning the event and then entertaining friends and family with magnificent food and wine experiences.

Understanding French Wine

The 14th of July each year is one of the most important national holidays in France, Bastille Day. This was the day in 1789 when the French prison of Bastille was stormed by the people, protesting at the incarceration of everyday people for disagreeing with the ruling Kings and Queens. This marked the start of the French Revolution.

Glengarry Wines import a large range of French wines for their stores, all direct from the suppliers to the shelves. Each July they celebrate Bastille Day with a four-day celebration starting on the 14th. Plus an all month long promotion with amazing prices on French wines.

But how do you know what you are buying and what it’ll taste like? Here’s a quick guide to French wine;

Chablis

Wines are not labelled with the grape variety on the label, all Chablis are white wine made from the Chardonnay grape.
Three levels of quality, in order AOC, Premieur Cru and Grand Cru being the top.
Recommended producers – Dauvissat, Laroche, Seguinot Bordet.

Alsace

Wines are labelled with the Grape variety - the most common being Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurtraminer, etc..
Two quality levels, AOC and Grand Cru wines.
Some wines are labelled with the single vineyard they are from.
Selection de Grain Noble are very sweet wines.
Recommended producers – Gisselbrecht, Louis Sipp, Josmeyer (their Pinot Gris is a must try).

Rhone

Northern Rhone wines are predominately (and in some instances 100%) made from Syrah.
Southern Rhone wines are predominately Grenache based.
Cote du Rhone’s are wines from anywhere in the Rhone valley and are usually a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouverdre – GSM.
Recommended producers – Jaboulet, Le Vins de Vienne, Yves Cuilleron.

Bordeaux

Home to Cabernet and Merlot.
Wines from the left bank of the region are predominately made from Cabernet – common appellations are Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Julien.
Wines from the right bank of the region are predominately made from Merlot, common appellations are Saint Estephe and Pomerol.
Quality levels in Bordeaux are a little tricky as there are many levels; the main classifications are AOC and then the classified growths – from 5th to the five famous 1st growths.
Recommended wines – Chateau Nicot and Chateau D’Archambeau are both great value Bordeaux to explore the region with.

Burgundy

Red wines in Burgundy are made from Pinot Noir, White wines are made from Chardonnay.
The quality levels start at the generic Bourgogne which can be made from anywhere in the region, then to ACO, Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
Knowing your producer is the key when purchasing Burgundy. Land changes hand many times in Burgundy as it’s passed down through the generations.
Recommended producers – Nicolas Potel, Domaine Gros Frere and Domaine Michel Gros.

Beaujolais

Located in the Southern Part of Burgundy
Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape variety.
One of the top producers in the area, referred to as the ‘King of Beaujolais’ is George Duboeuf.

The Loire Valley

There are three main areas of wine production in the Loire Valley. Sancerre, Vouvray and Pouilly Fume.
Sancerre and Pouilly Fume wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc.
Vouvray is made from Chenin Blanc.
Producers to watch out for – Pascal Jolivet and Bourillon.

Camembert and Brie

In New Zealand you could well be excused for thinking there was little difference between these two cheeses. Cheese Makers in New Zealand call these styles of cheeses as they wish. Unlike wine, where the use of terms like Champagne can not be applied to wines that do not come from the region of Champagne in France, the world of cheese is a little different and liberal with it’s names.

The ‘originals’ are in fact very different cheeses. Camembert came from the village of Camembert, in Normandy and is made from unpasteurised milk. Camembert are small rounds traditionally packaged in small round containers.

Brie cheeses are from the village of Brie, near Paris, and these cheeses are made in very large rounds from unpasteurised milk.

Both styles of cheese are imported into New Zealand, but are made from pasteurised milk for export, New Zealand regulations restrict unpasteurised imports.

Brie and Camembert fall into the category of soft, white – rind cheeses. They are also referred to as mould ripened cheeses. White-rind cheeses are made by first separating the curds and the whey, then putting the solid curds into moulds. The whey is drained until the desired moisture content is remaining. The cheeses are then moved onto straw mats and moulds are introduced and are allowed to form on the surface of the cheese. Eventually the cheese is completely covered, protecting the inside of the cheese. The inside of the cheese then starts developing. When young they are firm and chalky, when mature, the consistency is creamy and much stronger in flavour.

Tips for purchasing soft rind cheeses

The rind should be off white (not thick and fluffy)
Aromas of Mushrooms and yeast are a good sign
The cheese should be smooth, but not runny
Purchasing cheese cut off the whole wheel is the perfect way to purchase.
Select the amount required for that day or the next, it’s best to purchase as required and have your delicatessen look after the cheese.