Having some friends over for dinner tonight. What wine should I pair with:

1- Cheeses - Morbier, Gouda (Goat) and St. Andre

2- Pork Roast w/ Broccoli Rabe, Sweet Sausage and Roasted Pears.

Thanks for the help. I need to decide by 6:30 EST.

jb

jb, using any kind of sauce on the pork roast and sausage? Some type of gravy?

Pinot for the cheese, zinfandel for the pork (taking the sausage into consideration).

The rendered juice from roasting the pears, tossed in balsamic vinegar, honey, tarragon and mustard seeds, in addition to apple juice and butter. That is the accompaniment to the pork.

Eric, I have no zin in the house (shameful I know). I just bought some '00 Girardin Maranges Clos Des Loreyes. I have some Melville, lots of NZ SB's, plenty of Shiraz, Cabs, White Burgs, A few Rhones, an Amarone, some other stuff I can't think of right now.

jb

No Zin in the house??? The horror! Ok then, an nice ripe Shiraz gets my vote.

Thanks, I think I will open the Girardin and an MP Shiraz. Do you think a white would be better with those cheeses though?

jb

Yes.

I think a white would work fine, but my preference would still be for the PN.

I'm thinking NZ SB for the cheeses or maybe the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier. I also have the '01 German Rieslings I picked up this morning, but I don't know anything about them, so I'm leery on opening one tonight.

Just tasted the Girardin, not bad for $18.

jb

Sounds Great JB! I'll be over in about an hour....

So, JB - the results? What were your choices? How did it go?

Well, because my guests showed up late (and they were bringing one key ingredient that held up the cooking process) we did things a little out of order. The cheeses were served after dinner w/ seedles red grapes. The first wine served was '02 Selaks Marl. SB Prem. Selection. Very tasty. We had just a small glass as the tree trimming began. With the dinner, we had the '00 V. Girardin Maranges Clos Des Loyeres. Good quaffer, no barn burner, but went well with the Pork roast. I continued with the Girardin with the cheeses and one guest went back to the Selaks. I think she just liked that wine better (so do I for that matter). Everyone had a great time, especially my 4 yr old. Xmas is unreal for kids that age. So excited.

Thanks for the help.

jb

JB- That Pork sounds awesome-- care to share the recipe??
I have been into roast pork lately, since I cant eat Chicken/Turkey.

Allergy to chicken/turkey?

Here is the recipe, but I substituted bartlett pears for the peaches because of the season.

http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,17910,00.html

jb

Yes, sounds strange, as I have been eating Chicken and Turkey all my life but was having stomach problems over past 2 yrs and have det.Chicken and Turkey to be at the top of my list of problem foods- but for some reason, Pork does not bother me!
Thanks, JB!!