Corks and Curds: Perfect Pairings

Regardless holiday traditions, there is the common thread of indulgence that unites us this time of year. In line with the extravagance of the season, the final Corks & Curds of 2021 will swerve a little left from the ultra-nerdy, and will instead focus on the inherent comfort and moorishness of cheese. To lean into sheer enjoyment, the format will change somewhat, with the inclusion of classic accoutrements (charcuterie, preserves, and honeys) in addition to wine, in the hopes of finding perfect pairings.

Six kinds of cheese in total will be served, with four wines and a selection of classic cheese platter guest stars. For each cheese, the aim is to explore what works and what does not. What pairings create the most moorish experience and which enliven the palate. This format will be more in line with workshops that we host (just with a higher butter fat content!). Because we needed to postpone our last scheduled Corks & Curds focused on NZ cheese, the core of cheeses will be from local makers including Kingsmeade, Mount Eliza and Nieuwenhuis. In addition to those made domestically, there will be international classics, including one of the most famous seasonally specific cheeses, Mont d’Or.

As usual with cheese classes, the exact cheeses included cannot be confirmed until closer to the date due to their perishable nature, but there will be Mont d’Or (the first shipment into NZ of the season!). The accoutrements will also depend somewhat on that final list of cheeses. The wines being included are: 2021 Felton Road Vin Gris (Bannockburn, Central Otago), 2019 Forjas del Salnés Leirana Albariño (Rías Baixas, Spain), 2020 Deep Down Pinot Noir (Southern Valley, Marlborough), and Patrick Bouju Festejar Pet-Nat (Auvergne, France).