It is amazing what people are doing on Facebook these days.

While there is a bit of a delay, Facebook Live can be put to good use: for example see the video above.

Or join the French #Winophiles today on Twitter when we explore the world of French Wine and Cheese for #MadeInFrance.

Because that bit of delay allows us more time to taste the cheese and the wine!

If you are tasting wine and cheese together, remember:

• Wine
• Cheese
• Wine

Below are more detailed directions plus a list of the wines and the cheeses and some of our thoughts on a few of them. You might also  check out this blog post from National Wine and Cheese Day (yes that’s a thing!) which also explains that both food and wine are “flavor dense” so they both offer a lot of complex flavors and chemistry for your palate to play with and explore.

• You want to flood your mouth with wine for 5-10 seconds, assess, and swallow.
• Then chew that cheese up good getting all of the flavors and fats all over the inside of your mouth for 5-10 seconds, asses  and swallow.
• Finally then flood your mouth with more wine and assess.

Sometimes the wine is great but not with the cheese. Sometimes it’s great with the cheese but when you go back to the wine it’s not.

Nirvana is when you go back to the wine and discover a whole new universe of flavor. That’s the goal.

Join us this Thursday for a Live French Wine & Cheese chat with Whole Foods world-renowned cheese guru, Cathy Strange, and Master Sommelier and global beverage buyer, Devon Broglie.  You still have time to pick up each pair and taste along with us or simply listen and learn to see if anything hits the ball out of the park!! Here’s the link to participate: http://bit.ly/2xPuP3n.  All you have to do at 5:30PM EST / 2:30PM PST is go to the Whole Foods Facebook page.

Facebook Live Wine & Cheese Pairings:

• Jacques Bardelot Champagne Brut & Mons St. Nuage
• Domaine de la Fruitiere Muscadet Gneiss de Bel Abord Sur Lie & P’tit Basque
• Alain de la Treille Chinon & Mimolette
• Paul Jaboulet Aine BIOgraphie Cotes du Rhone & Saint Angel

Here’s a link to a few more of their suggested pairings.

Cheese We Tasted:

• Istara Petit Basque
• Mimolette Isigny
• Triple Cream Brie Saint Angel
• Brebirousse Dargental Fromi

Wines We Tasted:

2016 – Whispering Angel – Château D’Esclans, Rosé: $22 – Cotes De Provence
2015 – BIOgraphie – Paul Jaboulet Ainé, Cotes du Rhône: $15 – 14% alcohol 

Wines in the Program which we will be tasting and writing about soon:

• Jacques Bardelot, Champagne Brut: $29.99
  
• Criterion, Chablis: $19.99
  
• Domaine de la Fruitiere, Muscadet Gneiss de Bel Abord Sur Lie: $13.99
  
• Domaine Paul Buisse, Touraine Sauvignon : $12.99
  
• Trimbach, Pinot Gris Reserve: $22.99
  
• Vignobles des Roches, Morgon: $16.99
  
• Alain de la Treille (Famille Bougrier), Chinon: $19.99
  
• Château de Lascaux, Coteaux de Languedoc Rouge: $17.99
  
• Château Haut-Cadet, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 : $24.99
  
• Clos Siguier, Cahors: $14.99

2016 – Whispering Angel – Caves D’Esclans – Sacha Lichine – Cotes De Provence Rose 13% alcohol $22

“In the Esclans Valley angels whisper. If you drink this wine, you might hear them. If by chance you visit us, you might see them.” Sacha Alexis Lichine

Color — Millennial pink, perfect shade of the palest pink possible and still is pink, not salmon or rose, just pretty pink.

Nose — Whiff of sulphur and minerality and acidity, nice florals and fruits without being overwhelming.

Palate — Really a nice cocktail or brunch wine, light and bright. Serve with a holiday ham, brunch or christmas dinner with ham. The St. Angel went nicely with the Whispering Angel the Angels like hanging out together.

This wine is light and lovely with lots of character, kind of like a ballerina, they look like they are very light and fluffy, but they are very strong people. It takes great strength to be a ballerina. That is very similar of this wine. soft and delicate yet lots of nice depth. Interesting sulphur notes.

Note: Wine and most cheese provided for my review consideration.

BIOgraphie – Cotes Du Rhone – Paul Jaboule Aine – 14% alcohol $15

50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre

This wine is definitely better as a food wine rather than a cocktail wine. Good thing we have plenty of cheese!

Color – plum, purply red, nice clarity

Nose – fruity, ripe cherry plum and raspberry. cigar box and oak, black pepper, and pine

Palate – the St. Angel really improved the wine. The creaminess of the cheese tones down the fruitiness in the wine. Would go well with lamb or any fatty meat. The wine was really nice with our Basque cheese. Both went so well together, especially when eaten with the wine.

Note: Wine and most cheese provided for my review consideration.

And while we’re on the subject of cheese, did you know that London is going to have  GIANT cheese board along with biscuits and mulled wine? With cheese served by waiters in MOUSE outfits?

Yes, I’m wondering how I could get to London on Saturday 16th December to sample cheeses from all over Europe as well as have a go at the a giant baked baked Camembert proposed for center stage. Vegan options too!

Although I think I’ll pass on the mulled wine and bring my own: French of course!