Cheese And Veuve Clicquot: The Perfect Pairing

Chef, activist, and Veuve Clicquot New Maker Sophia Roe has been busy creating some of the most mouth-watering food pairings that go with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. One of her recommendations is a winter salad: the rich and fatty tahini dressing paired with the crisp crunch of radicchio. Roe also suggests a caviar and French fry bar, and a cheese board. When it comes to cheese, the fine bubbles of Veuve Clicquot Champagne work wonders with soft, pressed, or bloomy rind cheese. A few examples of cheese that pairs well with Veuve Clicquot include Comté, Gouda, and Tomme de Montagne.

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Comté cheese

The Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a versatile champagne that can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, including cheese. When it comes to cheese pairing, the Yellow Label is an excellent choice, especially with Comté cheese.

Comté cheese, a staple on cheese platters, has a rich and creamy texture and develops a range of expressive aromas depending on its maturation process. When paired with the Yellow Label, the citrus, onion, seed, and dried fruit notes of Comté are enhanced by the champagne's stone fruit aromas. The small, lively bubbles of the Yellow Label also complement the full aromatic complexity of a long-aged Comté. The acidity of the champagne lightens the texture of the cheese, creating a refreshing and well-balanced pairing.

For the ideal pairing, opt for a young Comté cheese that is around 6 to 8 months old. This age range ensures the cheese retains its fruity character, which harmonizes beautifully with the Yellow Label's fruit nuances. The blend of several milks in Comté contributes to its depth of flavour, making it a perfect match for the complexity of the Yellow Label.

To fully appreciate this pairing, serve the Comté in small pieces or slices, allowing the taster to savour its texture and flavour. The combination of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and young Comté cheese is a delightful way to elevate any cheese board or aperitif spread.

While Comté is a superb pairing, the Yellow Label also pairs well with other cheeses, such as Dutch Gouda and Tomme de Montagne. Gouda's fruity flavours complement the Yellow Label, while Tomme de Montagne's creamy texture and subtle saltiness enhance the champagne's freshness.

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Gouda

The Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is the House's signature champagne, balancing freshness, strength, aromatic richness, and silkiness. It is characterized by a brilliant golden yellow colour and a persistent effervescence. The Yellow Label Brut's aroma is dominated by notes of white and yellow fruits like pear, apple, and peach, with hints of citrus fruits like mandarin and grapefruit, blending harmoniously with gourmand aromas of brioche.

When it comes to cheese, the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a versatile champagne that can be paired with a variety of options, including Dutch Gouda. The shared fruity freshness of the Yellow Label and Gouda makes for a delightful combination. Gouda is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and is known for its fruity and floral notes. To fully appreciate its texture and flavour, Gouda should be aged for two to three months and served in small pieces.

The Yellow Label's crisp acidity and hints of toast and biscuit from Wine Spectator's tasting notes also make it a great match for gouda's savoury, nutty finish. The cheese's creamy texture and mild flavour will complement the champagne's freshness and elegance.

For a festive celebration, such as New Year's Eve, Chef Sophia Roe recommends pairing the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label with a winter salad. The radicchio with tahini dressing creates a rich and fatty dish that pairs perfectly with the champagne's crispness and effervescence.

Additionally, the Yellow Label can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, such as caviar and French fries, herby and buttery popcorn, or a classic cheese board, all of which will enhance the champagne's versatility and flavour profile.

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Tomme de Montagne

When it comes to cheese, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a versatile champagne that pairs beautifully with a variety of options, particularly younger hard cheeses. One such pairing is with Tomme de Montagne, a French cheese made from the milk of mountain-grazed cows in the Savoie region.

Tomme de Montagne is a hard cheese with a short maturation period and a raw milk base. It stands out for its creamy, melting texture and aromatic, mild flavour with floral, herb, salty, and mineral notes. When paired with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, the cheese subtly enhances the champagne's saltiness, minerality, and herb nuances. The tiny bubbles of the champagne also gain an extra fresh punch from the creamy texture of the cheese.

To fully appreciate this pairing, it is recommended to serve Tomme de Montagne in small wedges or slices, as this helps to preserve its unique characteristics. This cheese is crafted according to an ancestral recipe, contributing to its distinctive flavour and texture.

The fruitiness of younger hard cheeses, such as Tomme de Montagne, makes them an ideal match for the fresh and floral effervescence of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. This contrast between the crisp champagne and the creamy cheese creates a delightful sensory experience. So, whether you're enjoying a celebratory toast or a quiet evening at home, consider pairing Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label with Tomme de Montagne for a truly exceptional culinary combination.

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old and truffled Brie

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old is a unique cuvée, with light effervescence and different aromas from other cuvées due to its lower-than-average pressure. It is made from a blend of the best crus of the Veuve Clicquot heritage, with the oldest dating back to 1988. This champagne is a bold and complex beverage with a powerful attack that remains intact in the presence of truffles.

When it comes to cheese, truffled Brie is an ideal pairing for Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old. Brie is a cow's milk cheese with a bloomy rind that originates between Paris and Nancy. It has a very creamy texture that gives it a taste of fresh milk and hazelnut when young, and as it matures, it develops fuller flavours. The truffle binds easily and pleasantly with the Brie, creating a balance between the lightness of fresh aromas and the aromatic power of the mushroom. The combination of truffled Brie and Extra Brut Extra Old results in a perfect match, with the champagne's powerful attack complementing the intensity of the cheese.

The key to enhancing the flavours of truffles is fat, which is why black truffles are often associated with cheeses or butters. The fat allows the truffle aromas to diffuse and when paired with champagne, these aromas are multiplied. The natural fatness of Brie, combined with its creamy texture and woody undernotes, creates a delicate and complex pairing with the Extra Brut Extra Old.

To serve, it is recommended to enjoy truffled Brie with seeded, wholemeal bread to preserve its fresh creaminess. This pairing showcases the unexpected harmony between champagne and cheese, elevating the experience beyond small talk and revealing the best sides of both the Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old and the truffled Brie.

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old and Parmesan

The Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old is a unique blend of six of Veuve Clicquot's most prestigious reserve wines: 1996, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014. This champagne is crafted exclusively from their reserve wine collection, expressing the ultimate creativity of their Cellar Master. The blend requires a low dosage of only 3 grams of sugar per litre, resulting in a structured and complex champagne with a strong, nutty flavour.

When it comes to cheese, the Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old strikes a chord with Parmesan. Parmesan is a hard cheese with a natural crust and a medium to long maturation period. It is made from whole milk and originates from Italy. The strength and nutty flavour of Parmesan cheese perfectly complement the depth of the Extra Brut Extra Old's reserve wines. The salty nut and dried fruit nuances of the cheese resonate with those in the champagne, creating a harmonious pairing.

To fully appreciate this pairing, it is recommended to serve the Parmesan in small pieces without bread. This allows the full flavours of both the cheese and the champagne to shine through. The complexity of the Extra Brut Extra Old, with its blend of reserve wines, finds a match in the intensity of the Parmesan's flavour.

The Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old is not just for aperitifs; its unexpected pairing with Parmesan cheese brings out the best in both. The shared complexity and intensity of the champagne and cheese create a surprising yet delightful harmony, showcasing the innovation of Veuve Clicquot's wine-food pairings.

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