Wine, bun and cheese

Jason Clarke, Contributor

Easter is fast approaching, and walking through the supermarkets, the shelves are being stacked with bun, not to mention the good ol' tasty cheese. It certainly is a staple at this time of year and definitely could not be forgotten. But for the wine lovers like myself, what do you possibly have with bun and cheese? I know it may seem like an odd combination, the thought of wine with bun and cheese, but there is nothing that is clearly established for us wine drinkers for the Easter period.

Bun can vary from sweet to a combination of sweet and spicy. A good bun (not to play on words) will have some mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, prunes and raisins, and Dragon stout in addition to all the other ingredients. The flavour of bun is distinct and unusual and might be paired with wine, especially if it's sweeter. I have given it some thoughts and a few experiments and come up with a few wine, bun and cheese options.

1. Port

Ports are sweet, dark red and fortified wines. Fortified wines are wines that a distilled spirit like brandy has been added to stop the fermentation process before its natural end, thus resulting in a wine that has a higher sugar levels and alcohol. So if you think a moscato is sweet, Ports are SWEET! A Port is the perfect companion to the sweetness of a bun balanced by the cheese. A sweeter bun is the preferred option for a Port pairing. There are a few great Ports that one could consider for this option. Although a little more expensive than a lot of other wines you may see on the shelves, it is definitely worth it. Two of my favourites are Cockburn Port and Taylors, which are fruity and sweet and complement buns very well. The secret, though, is small portions to truly enjoy Port and bun.

2. Moscato

Every now and again the bubbly (Champagne) might call your name but not for bun. Anything that is sweet will make any dry sparkling almost insipid. Think more of a moscato - sweet and can do the tango with all the twirls with bun and cheese. For this experiment, I favoured the Woodbridge Moscato and the Sutter Home Moscato.

3. Sweet Reds

The trend for bun and cheese is, sweeter is key, and sweet red become the perfect complement, simply because it's easier on the pocket. Lamouthe Parrot and Yellow Tail Sweet Roo are incredible pairings. This makes for easy entertaining on a lazy Sunday. A few slices of bun, a little cheese, and either of these wines, just kicking it back and taking it easy as the idle banter of the conversations play out.

Try something different and try a wine, bun and cheese experiment of your own. Some things you may like, some things you may absolutely abhor, but wine is a lifestyle journey, so enjoy it.

Join me at bin 26 at Devon House for bun, cheese and wine experiment today after work.

I am not an expert, merely a wine enthusiast sharing my thoughts and experiences. Feel free to share your own experiences at wineenthusiastja@gmail.com/lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.