It is no secret that wine and cheese make a delicious pair.  Certain combinations, however, seem to work better than others, adding that extra dimension of “deliciousness” to an already tasty experience.  I discovered one such pairing last year when I had the good fortune to travel with a group from ABC to the Burgundy region of France.  The cheese: Epoisses.  The wine: white Burgundy.

Epoisses can most politely be described as a pungent cheese from a village of the same name located within Burgundy.  It is an unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese that is washed in Marc de Bourgogne (a brandy made in the region) and has a distinctive orange rind.  It’s packaged and sold in a circular wooden box. 

This cheese is not for the faint of heart.  It’s strong.  Its funky.  And in the words of my favorite cheese purveyor: “It smells like hell, but tastes like heaven.”   In terms of texture, it’s very similar to Brie.  When it warms to room temperature, it spreads easily on toasted bread.   Most importantly? It goes amazingly well with Burgundy! 

The bright, fresh acidity seen in good quality Burgundy is a perfect match with the rich, creamy texture of the cheese.  Don’t like strong cheeses?  Simply substitute a mild Brie or Camembert and you will get a similar experience.

Fast forward a little over a year.

Last week I visited a new grocery store that had just opened in my neighborhood.  After scoping out my competition in the wine department, I headed over to the cheese counter to see if they had anything unique or different.  There it was.  Epoisses!  Without hesitation I grabbed a wheel and headed for the checkout.  I was a happy wine guy!

Charles in his wine cellar

To celebrate the occasion, I served the Epoisses to a good friend and fellow cheese enthusiast and paired it with Charles Ballot’s 2009 Meursault.  Ballot is one of my favorite winemakers in Burgundy.  He produces his wines using only natural yeasts, and his hands-off approach results in racy, flavorful wines that are as good as some of his more famous neighbors whose bottles sell for twice the price. 

As you may have guessed, the pairing was amazing, and was every bit as delicious as I remembered having when visiting Burgundy.

ABC is currently stocking Ballot Millot’s 2010 Meursault, although the 2009 vintage may still be available in select stores.  The price for either vintage is $42.99, a bit of a splurge, but well worth it when you are looking for a top-quality Chardonnay.

Next time you are in your favorite ABC store, ask the resident wine expert what cheese they recommend with your selected bottle and enjoy the wonderful experience that is pairing wine and cheese!

Dave Malone, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Consultant in Tallahassee. Follow me on Twitter @abcwineDaveM