I get to share my passion for food and wine pairing from France in celebrating Thanksgiving. It was the perfect excuse to visit the shop to pair French cheeses, wine, and traditional American dishes.
It’s Food and Wine month and I was able to kick it off deliciously with a visit to the Alain Hess Fromager cheese shop in Bourgogne. Along with being Food and Wine Month, November is also the month of the American holiday of Thanksgiving, which I am celebrating in France, so what better excuse to visit Alain Hess Fromager to explore the perfect cheeses to pair with wine and traditional American dishes for the holiday.
The Alain Hess Fromager cheese shop is in the heart of Bourgogne in Beaune’s center ville. The shop has a rich history of development and fine quality for more than 30 years. In 1997, Founder and proprietor, Alain Hess was promoted to Maître Fromager “Master Cheesemaker” and is the creator of the famous “Delice de Pommard,” as well as several other award-winning cheeses. The shop is located just a stone’s throw away from my apartment on Place Carnot.
I have tasked myself recently in learning more about regional cheese. Because of my work as a sommelier in Paris, I know the basics, but have always wanted to go a little deeper. Cheese, just like wine, is woven into the fabric of tradition and heritage especially in Bourgogne. Moving to Beaune has given me the perfect excuse to start my “voyage du fromage” and there is no better place to begin than at Alain Hess. I did a fun short presentation with Valentin Detroy, responsable magasin.
I wanted to begin with just three and suggest wine pairings for you to try too.
Three Regional Traditional Cheeses
Comté
Comté is truly the “classic” French cheese. Go for the aged 18-months. The prolonged ripening allows the development of small salty grains and more spicy aromas, which gives it a strong character. Keep in line with tradition, pair with whites from Meursault or Pernand-Vergelesses.
Wine Pairing: 2019 Rollin Père et Fils Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru ‘Sous Frétille’ (Find it Here) This Premier Cru develops a nose at the same time rich, generous and complex. On the palate, aromas of white peaches and some exotic notes give it a lovely balance of power and finesse.
l’Epoisses
Epoisses a strong stinky cheese made from raw cow’s milk, with a soft paste and washed rind, finished through rubbed marc de Bourgogne. Ask a local and they will tell you to pair aged Corton, but I mixed it up and went with a Cornas. Both were fantastic.
Wine Pairing: 2018 François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru ‘Gouttes d’Or’ (Find it Here) Over time in the glass, this wine will release a plethora of aromas: honey, exotic fruits, butter, hazelnut, grilled almonds, yellow fruit and toasted caramel.
The Royal Truffé
The Royal Truffé is a tasty variation of a triple cream flavored with truffle (3% tuber aestivum vitt). Take this creamy and fragrant cheese to another level by pairing it with Blanc du Noir Champagne. It took me back to my weekend spent in the Haute-Marne foraging for truffles and discovering new producers in the Aube. Check out that post here
Wine Pairing: PIERRE GERBAIS Brut Nature L’Audace (find it here) Expressive aromas of preserved orange, yellow plum, lemon curd. The palate is creamy and medium-bodied as a Pinot noir Champagne should be.
Last but not least, I kicked off Food and Wine month with a fun video at Alain Hess. I would like to thank the staff and particularly, Valentin, for his time and for sharing his knowledge. Link to Video Interview
Serving Tip: Take the cheese out of the fridge 1-hour before serving to ensure it has time to warm up. I like to call this “decanting the cheese”. Trust me it makes a big difference.
Travel Tip: Hess is on the top of the list of “must explore” in Beaune and it is a cultural institution quite frankly. If you are passing through the region make sure to carve out time to visit the shop.
We have so much more coming up during the food and wine pairing month of November. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss a thing!
