A Very British Pairing, Cheese & Wine for English Wine Week
19 June, 2024Meet Georgina, our very own Jermyn Street Cheesemonger and resident wine expert, read as she pairs our favourite Paxton's English Sparkling with three delicious cheese pairings, celebrating English Wine Week.
Let's raise a glass (whilst undoubtedly scoffing some cheese) to English Wine Week, celebrating England's wines and their winemakers.
Whilst ‘Le Français’ may snigger at us 'Stiff-Upper Lip'd', it is worth a reminder that the reputed Champagne house, Taittinger, in 2015 acquired a vineyard in Kent, recognising England as both a current and future producer of premium wines.
The regions in England making wine, lie predominantly in the South and South-East, notably Hampshire, Kent and Sussex; the latter of which we'll be focusing on.
In the South Downs, the soil and cool climate of Champagne are mirrored. The chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters strikingly portray the band of chalk that stretches through Champagne into Paris, under the English Channel and into the South of England. The grape varieties also reflect those used in Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc – with the addition of Bacchus.
In 2021, Paxton and Whitfield collaborated with boutique winery, Fox & Fox Mayfield, to produce our own Paxton's branded traditional method sparkling wine (also known as ‘Méthode Champenoise’, where the wine is made bubbly through a second fermentation that takes place inside the bottle is it later sold). Fox & Fox Mayfield reside in East Sussex with their vines growing atop the ancient village of Mayfield.
Founders Jonika and Gerard Fox (winemaking since 2009) follow principles of minimal intervention, allowing the 'terroir' (the ‘sense of place’) to express itself. Using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the 2015 Brut is charmingly rich, with flavours of baked apple, white peach and biscuits.
The Pairings
Raw Goat's Milk
Vegetarian Rennet
Golden Cross is an ash-coated goat's cheese made by Kevin & Alison Blunt in East Sussex. Their 230+ goats are milked throughout the year, and the cheese, prior to maturing, are dusted in charcoal, and a bloomy rind (Pencillium Candidum) develops, creating a striking appearance when cut. The paste is velvety and the flavour both delicate and complex with notes of hazelnut, Greek yoghurt and aromatic herbs.
The Golden Cross proves a perfect match for our 2015 Brut. The baked apple and biscuity notes combine to create a boozy crumble!
Watch Georgina's video here on Golden Cross.
Pasteurised Cow's Milk
Traditional Rennet
Our "Cheese of the Month" for June, Pevensey Blue is a piquant and melt-in-the-mouth blue, made by Martin & Hazel Tkalez in Pevensey, Sussex. Martin worked in Neal's Yard Dairy before moving to the countryside to pursue the cheesemakers life! Through self-teaching and perseverance, both he and Hazel, inspired by Gorgonzola, set about making their own piccante blue from the milk of Friesian and Ayrshire cows, farmed by David and Marian of neighbouring Court Lodge Farm.
The apple compote palate of our Brut 2015 accentuates the sweetness of the Pevensey Blue and tames the piquancy. Though not too much. The sharpness still shines through, made even more irresistible by the slightly crystalline texture.
Watch Georgina's video here on Pevancy Blue.
Raw Cow's Milk
Traditional Rennet
Inspired by the French St. Marcellin, St. Jude is a farmy little cow's milk cheese, made by Julie Cheyney in Suffolk. Sold at around 2-3 weeks, Jude delights with yoghurty, lactic notes when young to farmy and hay-like with a whiff of fresh manure when more mature.
I couldn’t resist this wildcard. The velvety creaminess of St. Jude perfectly matches the sophisticated mousse of our 2015 Brut.
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