DIJON: The mystery of food and wine pairings is revealed at the Cité de la Gastronomie
“The search for the taste agreement of a dish and a wine” is the subject of many comments. This Sunday, July 31, a group of Champenois attended the workshop of the School of Wines proposing to lift the veil on the possible culinary associations with the wines of Burgundy.
Among the subtleties of wine tasting, there is one that intimidates more than one person: which wine to serve with which dish? To accompany neophytes and amateurs alike, the School of Wines of the Burgundy wine industry offers an immersive workshop at the International City of Gastronomy and Wine.
In 60 minutes, five wines and five bites, the basics of the association of a dish and a wine are reviewed while being immersed in the culture of Burgundy thanks to the video mapping which punctuates the comments of the trainer (29 euros individually, 55 euros in duo).
This Sunday, July 31, 2022, a group of Champenois, coming from Épernay and the surrounding area, followed the explanations of Charlotte Fromont, a graduate in oenology and experienced mediator. Rather early in the morning, André, Brigitte, Sandrine and Manu provided sessions just for them.
“The search for the taste agreement of a dish and a wine”
At the École des Vins, the four visitors settle in without having any preconceptions about Burgundy wines, at most having some experience of tasting reds, which they designate as complementary to Champagne production.
The workshop begins with a presentation of the principle of tasting – “the search for the taste agreement of a dish and a wine” – and a brief history of the service of dishes at tables in France – the gastronomic meal such as we still know it today, with a succession of dishes presented by a menu, dating from the 19th century – Charlotte Fromont serves a Crémant de Bourgogne to accompany a gougère.
The four Champenois savor a Crémant de Bourgogne
From the outset, the people of Champagne are part of their appreciation of the quality of the sparkling wine selected – a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and aligoté – and its suitability with the cheese choux pastry.
A Crémant de Bourgogne that bluffs Champagne producers, this is explained by the blind selection presented by the tasters of the Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) on which the School of Wines depends.
Immersion works
Parsley ham, Charolais fillet snacked a la plancha, goat cheese and raspberry chocolate ganache follow one another. The sought-after bites from the merchants of the Gourmet Village of the City.
Whites and reds accompany them. The trainer brings her explanations, the videos plunge into the atmosphere of the vines as much as the kitchens. Immersion works. We already feel the goat in the mouth while it is still on the plate.
The tasting induces a great place for interaction, each participant questions the trainer. Each question, whether historical, viticultural or culinary, finds an answer. The thirst for discovery is quenched while alcohol consumption has been greatly reduced, a few centilitres sufficient for this sensory journey.
A weekend in Dijon to discover the City of Gastronomy
“We are 2.5 hours from Le Touquet and 2.5 hours from Beaune, but we prefer to come to Beaune”, explains André enthusiastically. The two couples produce champagne, respectively Alain Maximy champagnes and André Bergère champagnes, the latter being regularly present at the Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair.
The opening of the International City of Gastronomy and Wine encouraged them to come and spend a weekend in Dijon this time. After a night at the Grand Hôtel La Cloche, the four Sparnacians headed for the new tourist facility in Dijon, which enchanted them.
“We’ll be back, that’s for sure”
At the end of the tasting, the four visitors are delighted with the experience. “Our speaker was very effective in her explanations”, points out Sandrine, “we learned something”. “It’s not boring,” adds Manu. “It’s the master plan that is good,” according to André. “The wines were very well chosen,” emphasizes Brigitte.
“We’ll be back, that’s for sure,” slips Sandrine about the Cité internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin before the group heads to the Écailler shop to enjoy some seafood at lunch time. .
Jean-Christophe Tardivon