By Bob Sacks
That late spring food and wine trip to France, a mecca for culinary indulgences of wretched excess, is off the calendar this year, thanks to international travel being a huge challenge, so, to console myself, I decided to try and replicate the experience as best as possible without leaving the Two River area.
Happily, my research revealed that Bottles by Sickles in Red Bank has an extensive selection of interesting French wines from various regions, with attractive pricing. With help from Julio Lavarra, the shop manager, I was able to purchase a nice assortment of four whites and four reds, which would help me fantasize I was vacationing in France for the week. A big bonus to buying my wines there was that just a few steps across the lobby was the entrance to Sickles Market Red Bank, complete with their famous broad selection of cheeses; happily, many of them were French, allowing me to pair my wines with appropriate cheeses all in one stop. I left there with my palate tingling, already planning what combos I wanted to try first – such fun! What follows is a list of the wines I drank, and the cheese(s) I paired with them, in no particular order.
WHITES
2018 FAMILLE VINCENT POUILLY-FUISSE MARIE ANTOINETTE ($26.99) From Burgundy, this light-yellow chardonnay-based wine had aromas of lemon, melons, peaches and other summer fruits, all balanced by an enjoyable minerality, and a hint of well-integrated oak. If you like your chardonnays on the elegant side, this is a very good choice. Paired with Bonde de Antan, a creamy, nutty, goat cheese from Loire, was a delicious combination.
2017 HUGEL RIESLING ($15.99) From Alsace and the highly respected Hugel family, this is their entry-level Riesling, which certainly holds its own against their far more costly vineyard designated bottlings. Mostly riesling, with some Muscat and pinot gris blended in to create complexity. Viscous mouthfeel, but with no trace of sweetness; hints of green apple and flowers. Very enjoyable with some Comte Marcel Petit, a Gruyere-like cheese, as well as Petit Billy, a soft goat cheese.
2019 LA FLEUR DU ROI BORDEAUX BLANC ($14.99) White wines from the Bordeaux area are often eclipsed by the very popular reds of that region, so they, for the most part are a great value. My favorite white; a blend of Semillon and sauvignon blanc, this offers a refreshing alternative to chardonnay-based wine, and has lots of refreshing acidity to balance the fruit. The Comte cheese paired very well, but I really liked the decadent brie with truffles combination…delish!
2018 DOMAINE VOCORET & FILS CHABLIS ($23.99) Another entry level wine from an iconic producer who is known for his delicious (and costly) premier and grand cru Chablis, so this is a bargain. Flavors of apples, lemons, and sea salt with crisp acidity, this had a medium finish and good viscosity. My favorite cheeses with this were the soft, creamy, Chaource, and the Camembert.
REDS
2019 LA PIERRE BEAUJOLAIS MORGON (39.99) If you have not yet experienced Cru Beaujolais, this is a great introduction. Forget Beaujolais Nouveau or Beaujolais Village, these Crus are in a class by themselves. Gamay grape, with lots of lively dark berry fruits and cherries, soft tannins, and bright acidity. That savory, aged Comte was the ideal cheese pairing.
2016 CH. CLOS MOULIN PONTET ($13.99)
A blend of cabernet sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals; designated as Bordeaux Supérieur, a cut above simple Bordeaux, this was my favorite red; priced gently, it offered lots of red fruits, soft tannins, a backbone of minerality, and a reasonably long finish. Drink now or hold. Easy to drink, with far less alcohol and oak than the typical Cali Cab, it paired well with the brie, Comte, and Bonde d’Antan.
2018 CHARLES JOGUET CHINON CUVEE TER- RIOR ($22.99) From a distinguished producer in the Loire Valley, this cabernet Franc-based wine, had a classic flavors of green bell pepper, as well as red cherries, plums, and olives. Ready now, but can age a few years. Bold, but not overwhelming, it was a good pairing for the Camembert and Petit Billy.
2019 DOMAINE LA REME JEANNE MONT LUNE COTES DU RHONE ($13.99) From the southern Rhone region, this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre ,was fruit driven with a fair amount of richness held in check by acidity. Ready to drink now, but will easily hold for a couple of years. I enjoyed the brie, Camembert and Bonde with this wine.
It was a great “getaway.” I confess that simply driving to Red Bank to find all the French wines and tasty cheeses I needed in one location, and bringing them home in under an hour, while not as scenic as being in the Loire Valley, was far safer and less stressful than dealing with travel during COVID times. I did notice a nice selection of boutique West Coast wines and small-producer domestic cheeses on that foraging visit to Sickles, so my next “trip” might be to California and Oregon.
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, reviews restaurants in this column, which he will resume when COVID-19 safety guidelines allow. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
The article originally appeared in the April 8 – 14, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
