Château d'Yquem and?

[webguide]

I am organizing a dinner with 6 course tasting menu, one of the wines is Château d'Yquem 1995

I need some advice…

Should I pair it with scallops sous vide with lime air, langoustine simmered in Riesling and sea water aspic?

Or should I pair it with a dessert of lime mousse, lemon mousse, Chevre (works well with lime mousse) and chocolate mousse?

My problem is that it works fairly well with both, so I want some views other than mine.

[jackal10]

Neither. It would fight with both, and the lime/lemon will do it no favours at all

Classic pairings include Foie Gras, or blue cheese or simple fruit dishes like an apple or apricot tart. Just possibly smoked fish.

Personally I would serve it with a nice stilton and some oatcakes.

Fait simple. Let it shine on its own, to be drunk in reverence

[muichoi]

Agreed-both would be terrible. I would serve it as the first wine with a foie gras terrine.

[webguide]

Agreed-both would be terrible. I would serve it as the first wine with a foie gras terrine.

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Sauternes is a perfect combination with seafood, but it is also a perfect combination with some desserts, therefore my question.

[jackal10]

My palate must be different.

I find Sauternes much to sweet for most seafood, even with the balancing acidity.

Some people drink Sauterne with steak, but I would not.

Something like smoked salmon possibly, but its a waste, A nice Alsace Pinot Gris would be better. Yquem would be throwing money away.

For a wine as great as Yquem you want the wine to star, with little distraction from the food.

Edited February 28, 2009 by jackal10 (log)

[webguide]

My palate must be different.

I find Sauternes  much to sweet for most seafood, even with the balancing acididty.

Something like smoked salmon possibly, but its a waste, A nice Alsace Pinto Gris would be better. Yquem would be throwing money away.

For a wine as great as Yquem you want the wine to star, with little distraction from the food.

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Well, that is, of course correct (that te wine should star). I did a test with Château Raymond-Lafon, the neighbour to Château Yquem mainly to test the desserts, but one course in the test was a sous vided salmon (not smoked) with green pea puree, that worked really well, the sweetness of the wine was balanced by the saltiness of the fish together with the sweetness of the fish. I have had sweet white wines together with seafood before and it is truly a great combo. I have also tried it at two different Michelin stared restaurants.

[muichoi]

Agreed-both would be terrible. I would serve it as the first wine with a foie gras terrine.

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Sauternes is a perfect combination with seafood, but it is also a perfect combination with some desserts, therefore my question.

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Not in my humble opinion. I've had the privilege of drinking quite a lot of Yquem and it really isn't a pudding wine.

[webguide]

Agreed-both would be terrible. I would serve it as the first wine with a foie gras terrine.

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Ah, OK, but have you tried it with seafood?

[MikeInSacto]

I've not had much Y'quem, so I'm hardly an expert. I will say that it paired beautifully with a thin wedge of Humboldt Fog cheese topped with ripe pear slices and drizzled with honey.

I am not sure about seafood. I think for something as special as Yquem, you want to keep the food simple and let the wine do the talking.