Match of the week

Choucroute and Alsace riesling

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on February 14 2018 at 17:06

I do love a tried and tested terroir-based wine match and there’s nothing better to pair with a dish of choucroute (almost Alsace’s national dish*) than a glass of the local riesling

I didn’t come across it in Alsace though but at a wine evening last week at my favourite Bristol wine bar Bar Buvette. The guest winemaker was Marie Boesch of Leon Boesch, a family-owned producer I visited a couple of years ago and whose wines are imported by Vine Trail which is also Bristol-based.

Although they’re biodynamic they’re not at all funky, just incredibly pure, live and expressive. The 2016 Les Grandes LIgnes riesling which I’ve subsequently bought was my favourite but the sylvaner worked very well too.

The choucroute was also unusually good. It can be a bit of an acquired taste - quite sour and sharp from the fermented cabbage but this was a big hearty wholesome plate of food with a good dollop of mustard.

Bar Buvette also does a cracking tartiflette

* Yes, I do realise Alsace is not a country but it's a very different part of France that almost feels like an independent nation!

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