With Kathleen Powers Erickson
Today we feature two cheeses that are both quintessential representatives of their place of origin, Stilton from Colston Bassett Dairy in Nottinghamshire, England and Beemester Classic Gouda, from the canal-lined pastures of the Beemster “poulder” in northern Holland. They have as much “terroir” and complexity as any fine wine. The farmland from which Beemster Gouda originates, locally known as “polders” is situated 20 feet below sea level. Rich in alluvial soil with the finest of Dutch pastures, it is world-renowned for its high-quality milk. No cheese is more “British” than Stilton. “Stilton” is a trademark name, and can only be produced in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottingham. Colston Basset, one of the smallest Stilton dairies in Great Britain, was founded in 1913 and produces the most traditional-style cheese. The cheese-makers of Colston Basset hand-ladle the curd, preserving the structure, which results in a distinctly luscious, creamy texture when the cheese matures. Wine Choices
With the Beemester Classic Gouda, the traditional match is a deep, earthy Bordeaux blend, which the British refer to as “claret.” Claret became popular in England when Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine divorced her French husband, Louis VII to marry Henry II of England, brining with her Aquitaine’s most famous export, Bordeaux wine, and ushering in the 100 years war. You may wonder why the British refer to Bordeaux wines as "clarets." Apparently, they adopted the French term for a lighter version of what we know as traditional Bordeaux, "Clairet." (Pronounced “clare-ray," the British Anglicized the term to "claret." However, claret is also a reference to the color of the wine, which is the deep ruby known as claret red. In fact, an old English slang expression for giving someone a bloody nose is "tapping the claret," in which "claret" refers to blood. By the 19th century, claret had become the most fashionable beverage of the grand estates and manors of the English countryside, and remains so today. This American claret, from Stelzner, ($19.99) is a blend made from Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc grapes, some from Napa’s famous Stag’s Leap district. It is the perfect match for the “big” flavors of the Dutch cheese. A big wine itself, Stelzner claret bursts with intense notes of dried Bing cherry, cinnamon, clove, and vanilla (from the oak),with a hint of the traditional “cedar” of a Bordeaux.
A less traditional but equally successful match is “Dark lady of the Labyrinth” ($21.99) from Doloof estate in South Africa. Pinotage, which is the national red grape of South Africa, is one of the best kept secrets in the wine world, as it almost always works beautifully with hard cheeses, like Gouda, Cheddar, and Gruyère. It is often quite inexpensive, but the lower-priced versions can be inconsistent, often throwing an unpleasant taste of burnt rubber on the finish. Yet when paired with almost any hard cheese, it seems to come to life. “Dark Lady of the Labyrinth” is 100 percent Pinotage of very high quality. Black cherry, melted liquorice, and spicy cloves wrap around a core of dark chocolate and rich coffee. While a lesser Pinotage works well with a mild cheddar or Swiss, it takes a full-bodied Pinotage like “Dark :Lady” to stand up to the intense flavors of a powerful cheese like the Beemster Classic.
Stilton cheese and tawny port is one of the great traditional matches in the wine world, but I prefer Cossart-Gordon 15 yr. Madeira. ($42.99) Founded in 1745, Cossart-Gordon is the oldest producer of Madeira. Their 15 yr. Bual (made from the Bual Grape) is oak-aged in the traditional fashion of Medeira, in which casks of the wine are transferred over time from the warm top floors of the aging lodge to the cool ground floor, resulting in a wine of great richness and complexity. Its powerful, sweet taste of dried fig, toffee, and almonds, balanced by solid acidity, provides a satisfying contrast to the salty tang of the Colston Basset Stilton. Once the weather turns and the first chill of autumn arrives, I turn to beautifully aged Madeira as one of the best of all wines for dessert. Served with a slice of Stilton and a handful of velvety Marcona almonds, it makes a simple, memorable end to a meal. It is also the best match for coffee and tea. But, it truly shines when paired with dark chocolate. I enjoy it most with a simple chocolate crème brûèe, made from French Valrhona or Belgian Callebaut.
