war of the worlds 1 Print
Written by guest culinary writer, Chef David Stemmle   

Classic Food and Wine Pairings:
Sauvignon Blanc + Goat Cheese

stemmle_warFor years, I have been aware of several classic food and wine parings and have used them to my advantage on many occasions ("we have to open this syrah — we're eating lamb!"). I have also had some terrific experiences with amazing food and wine pairings in the past. This is something that restaurants can do very well, but at home, most great pairings were almost accidental — the result of a very successful guess or stroke of luck as opposed to premeditation and comprehensive knowledge.  So I set out to my favorite wine shop to talk shop (well, wine) with the experts.

We quickly settled on a concise list of the most classic pairings, then picked a few to start with.  The conversation ultimately turned to how wine on the dinner table evolved.  As with most great foodstuffs, wine became ubiquitous at the dinner table because it wouldn't kill you — and drinking water would.  So when the family sat down at the table for a meal, wine was the main beverage — even for the kids.  I find it particularly satisfying that wine evolved for the same reasons that cured, pickled, dehydrated, and smoked foods evolved: they all came about as natural preservation techniques used to keep us from poisoning ourselves with rotten food.

That is the way it was in the "Old World."  Nowadays, we consider the traditional European wine making styles to be "Old World," as we, the former territories of Old World imperial powers, forge our own New World identity.  Here, our wine traditions began following the European model but have changed as they have matured.  Now as the "global village" allows for Old and New World wines to sit side by side on the shelf, it makes sense to look at their stylistic contrasts as they pertain to classic food and wine pairings.

Back to the task at hand: exploring the classic pairing of Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese.  This makes the list of best all-time classic pairings because when you eat the creamy, tart cheese and take a citric, grassy sip, you are immediately aware that the result is greater than the sum of its parts.  The tartness of each match very well, and the acidity of the wine cuts the richness of the cheese for an amazing mouth feel, which is at once smooth and sharp.

We chose two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.  First was an "Old World" style: Guy Saget Pouilly Fume, 2007, Les Logeres (importer: The Country Vintner); next was a "New World" style: Hunter's Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough-Wairau (importer: Austrailian Wine Collection).  So we set out to enjoy the pairing and decide which worked better with the meal.  It was OLD vs. NEW.

In terms of food, I really wanted to load the dish with goat cheese, but not just as a pile of crumbled cheese on top — I needed layers of flavor.  So I looked around to see what I had on hand: some left over salmon and poblano peppers caught my eye.  Then I saw the grapefruit — I thought this would be the perfect addition to the dish since grapefruit is one of the most common flavors that come through in a Sauvignon Blanc.  Now I needed one more element - the starch: potatoes, rice, some kind of grain — I settled on stone ground grits, thinking they would be nice and creamy with some goat cheese stirred in.  So there it was — it all came together — a goat cheese extravaganza: poblano peppers stuffed with a salmon and goat cheese mousseline, served over goat-cheesy grits, a grapefruit juice and white wine reduction sauce finished with a little butter and salt, and a fresh salad of red onions, grapefruit, cilantro and of course, goat cheese! (see recipe and photo).  My friends popped the bottles and I got started on the dinner.

Cooking and drinking wine is always great fun, but having a "taste talk" makes it even more so.  We all sipped and took ntes.  First was the Hunter's.  We were all very pleased with it — everyone agreed on the strong notes of citrus (grapefruit in particular), and some detected green apple.  We all thought it was very fresh, assertive and fun to drink.  The average score was 8.5 (out of 10).  Next was the Pouilly Fume.  Someone said, "Stinky cheese!"  Another said, "It's not grassy, it's more like hay!" (I think she was implying a "barnyard flavor").  Everyone thought it was a little bitter, like the fruit just wasn't there, but it still managed a 4.75 average score.  A clear win for the New World.

Next was the meal.  The salmon mousseline was very cool and the goat cheese gave it a nice accent.  The grits still had some of their "grit," providing a nice textural contrast to the mousseline, which was very smooth and creamy.  The sauce had an intense flavor, rich and acidic, and we especially enjoyed the sourness of the reduced grapefruit juice.  Finally, the little salad tasted so fresh with the cilantro, grapefruit and red onion — it also provided a colorful accent on the plate.


After we had settled into the food, we started on the wines again.  The Pouilly Fume was quite different than before — the fruit and acidity really came through.  We all agreed that the bitterness was negligible, and that it was more assertive and almost spicy.  Average score: 7.5.  A drastic improvement… but what about the Hunter?  It had been the clear favorite before the meal, but now it seemed to be competing with the food — a little overblown.  The nuances we loved in the beginning now seemed busy with the complexities of the food.  Average score: 5.

Overall, the winner was still the Hunter with a better total score of 13.5 compared to 12.25 for the Guy Saget.  The Hunter was also the better value at $16.99 compared with $18.99.  But the Guy Saget represented the Old World very well.  It supported the idea that Old World wines taste better with food, and that food can be better with Old World wines.  Next time I plan a cocktail party, I'm going to reach for the Hunter; but at my next dinner party, it will have to be the Guy Saget.

Recipe

Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Salmon and Goat Cheese Mousseline

  • 7 oz cooked salmon
  • 3 oz goat cheese
  • 1/3 cup half and half
  • handful of cilantro
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper
  • ¼ tsp hot Hungarian paprika
  • 4 poblano peppers - cut around the stem on top and pull out the seeds

Puree mousseline in a food processor until smooth, then pipe into poblanos.  (I used a freezer bag and cut the corner, but an actual piping back will work too).  Roast peppers for about a half hour in a 350 degree oven to cook the egg whites and soften the peppers.

Goat Cheesy Grits

  • ¾ cup grits
  • 3 oz goat cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

I used stone ground grits, but instant grits will work too.  Follow instructions on the package.  I used about a cup of warm milk, and a cup of water to adjust to the consistency I wanted.  Season with salt and pepper, then stir in goat cheese once the grits are cooked.  Remember to taste it and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Grapefruit and White Wine Sauce

  • 4 oz butter
  • 1.5 cups dry white wine
  • 1 cup grapefruit juice (if you are using frozen, you can just add 2 tbs of the concentrate to the reduced wine - concentrated juices are an easy way to add a lot of flavor to your sauces quickly)

Reduce to about ¼ cup over low heat, whisk in butter a little at a time, until smooth. Remove from heat.  Remember that acid will curdle the milk fats in the butter, so low heat and lots of motion are very important to keep the sauce from breaking.  If it does, add a touch of cream off the heat and whisk it back together.

Cilantro, Red Onion, Grapefruit and Goat Cheese Salad

  • handful of cilantro
  • 1 grapefruit, supremed (cut the rind and pith away, the slice down each side of the membrane to cut loose segments of just fruit)
  • about 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
  • thinly sliced red onions — marinated in grapefruit juice for as long as possible before the meal, even overnight

David Stemmle is a chef and culinary writer based in Durham, North Carolina.  He is also CEO of Headstart Gourmet, producer of fine wine-reduced compound butters.  His pieces on wine and food pairing appear regularly on Vinterviews. v