The end of the year may be fast approaching but there is still plenty of time to arrange a last minute winter break, and is there anything better than apres ski?
Whilst I am not wrapped up on a snowy mountain in the Alps enjoying copious amounts of cheese, Jet2 kindly invited me to their recreation of alpine apres ski fun at Friends of Ham in Leeds a few weeks ago so I thought I would share with you some of the cheesy delights you could be enjoying.
We started the pairing with a beautifully light Pet Nat from Bergerac. The Tour des Gendres has a light sherbet style on the palate and is super refreshing! Paired with Vacherin Mont d’Or, which is only available in Autumn and Winter months, the oozy mild cheese is just a lovely start to an evening.
An unexpected pairing was the Tre Monti Albana Orange wine with Lardo di Colonnata. The wine has soft tannins with flavours of honeysuckle and stone fruits. A slightly heavier wine that stands up strong against the fatty lardo. The wine really cuts through the fat, highlighting the garlic, herbs and spices it has been aged in.
A sweet wine has a special place in my heart and the Clos Lapeyre Jurancon Molleux from the Pyrenees is no different. Lots of honey sweetness that is balanced with herbal notes on the finish. I enjoyed it paired with a Gorgonzola Dolce, where the richness of the cheese helped those herbal notes of the wine shine.
After lots of wine, cheese and raclette (something I really am dreadful at serving!), I got my creative juices going by creating my own Christmas door wreath. A fun event that you can recreate ahead of your own alpine adventure.
