Wein am Limit - Folge 423 - Käse am Limit - Käsefrau Andrea, Meursault und Vin Jaune

Dear Wine Lovers, All cheese or what? Certainly not, because our guest list for the wine video show remains top-notch in 2020 and delivers the best content. Hamburg native Andrea Quentmeier and her husband Uwe have been running a first-class cheese shop right in our neighborhood for almost 20 years. Here's the link to the article on weinamlimit.de and the links to the wine: https://www.weinamlimit.de/kaese-am-l... She offers over 250 different raw milk cheeses from France, Italy, and Switzerland. Her passion for the product and its origin shines through in every conversation. I could listen to the stories behind each cheese for hours. Andrea is a quality-oriented specialist who is unparalleled in Hamburg. The 40-minute recording time flew by, and I recommend that anyone who has the opportunity visit this charming couple in person at their shop. An experience and the best proof of why we need more good independent retailers. Which wines go best with cheese? Even if advertising suggests otherwise, dry, rather full-bodied white wines are the best match for salty, spicy raw milk cheeses. It depends somewhat on the milk and the cheese's age. Sweet wines or fortified wines (Port, Madeira, etc.) are also usually a better choice because the salt and sugar enhance the flavor. Of course, there are also red wines, preferably not too tannic and with some age, that work well. This is where varieties like Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Grenache come into play. Of course, everyone can do as they like; we don't want to be killjoys, after all, but there's a reason why classic combinations have proven optimal over centuries. For me, it's another lesson that good, high-quality ingredients, expertly crafted, are in a different league than comparable products from the supermarket shelf. Everyone understands this when it comes to food, but when it comes to wine, there's still a widespread lack of discernment. Which wines did we choose? Two classics! Admittedly, there are cheaper wines, but if you're going to do it, do it right. And neither of them disappointed. The 2015 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru from Remoissenet comes from the high-altitude vineyards in this world-famous village, which, while it doesn't have a Grand Cru vineyard, embodies the essence of Burgundy for me. When a Meursault is good, it combines lightness, precision, and earthiness in an epic way. This one does, and it still has several years of aging ahead of it, even though it's already delicious after five years. The high altitudes of Blagny, between 300 and 350 meters, are particularly noteworthy for this wine's transparency, which encourages and enhances the urge to swallow. It doesn't always have to be cheese with this wine, but in this episode, it clearly demonstrates its class. The 2006 Vin Jaune, the yellow wine, from Château d’Arlay in the Jura region blows me away every time I have the chance to drink it. Its warm, lingering umami flavor and salty-yeasty aroma, with a complex bouquet of green olives, white mushrooms, and dried yellow fruits, make for a truly great wine experience. For most wine drinkers, such an encounter is a challenge, as this wine is outside the comfort zone of the ubiquitous "primary fruit bombs." Those who enjoy Manzanilla or Fino Sherry will find it easier to embrace this divine essence. A great wine embodying a wealth of tradition, experience, and a great deal of joie de vivre. It matures for at least six years in humid cellars under a thin layer of flor yeast, which protects the wine and nourishes it with aroma. Perfect with local Jura hard cheeses like Cantal, Salèrs, or Comté. That's all you need to be happy, and it doesn't get much more enjoyable than this. More cheese and wine fun in a glass, Yours, Hendrik.