A Cheese And Wine Tasting Event With Bouquet Little Eaton
Published On Friday 8 Nov 2024 by Sticky Beak
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Some things are natural bed-fellows; Cheese and Wine being a perfect example. The Man and I are huge fans of both, so we were very happy to be invited along to the ‘Return of the Grape’ event by Rebecca of Bouquet in Little Eaton village.
The Cheese and Wine tasting evening was located in the village hall, and we’d managed to persuade Fledge that she needed to taxi us there and back – ok, there may have been a few [not so] subtle reminders about all the schlepping around we did for her when she was younger!
Everything was set up when we arrived, and Rebecca checked her table plan, then escorted us over to our seats. Bouquet is owned by Rebecca and her husband, Lee, who popped his head out from the kitchen area (where he was busy getting all the glasses placed, ready for pouring) to say a quick ‘Hi!’. Bouquet has only been up-and-running since April 2024, but this pair certainly don’t let the grass grow under their feet: this was the second such event that they’d hosted, and the third evening ‘Grape Expectations’ is scheduled for 15th March 2025. If you’re interested, check out the details on their website www.bouquetwine.co.uk. Before that, though, there are loads more events planned so do go and check the website out.
The format was nice and simple: wines would be served in pairs, and be comprised of the following categories: Sparkling, White, and Red. Rebecca informed us that the Cheese and Charcuterie boards would be served after the second round of wines, and I liked the fact that she mentioned all the businesses that had collaborated with them. The meats were supplied by Little Eaton butchers, Barry Fitch, the Chutneys were handmade in the village, Cheeses came from Wakebridge Manor Creamery, and the crackers were made by Millers (a Peak District venture). Anyway, before I get side-tracked by food, I’ll tell you about the wines…
The two sparkling wines were presented in quick succession so that you could compare colour, size of the perlage (bubbles, to me and you!) and the taste of each. We had to guess as to whether they were Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, or something different, and the production method used. A rather nifty tasting wheel from aromaster guided us through the notes we detected via smell and/or taste, and it was amazing that there were so many interpretations from all the participants. I always say that we are all so unique in our perception, thanks to the make-up of our palates, and this certainly was the case here! Lee and Rebecca cut through all the pretence and snobbery, instead urging folks to explore their personal preferences and thoughts. Turns out that neither were Champagnes! The first wine was a Prosecco, produced by the tank fermentation method, and the second was a Saumur Brut from the French Loire region made in the traditional way.
Up next were a pair of white minxes and the name of the game here was to determine whether they were ‘old’- or ‘new’- world wines. Helpful hints via the power-point presentation were visible on a large screen, so we all set-to in earnest to see if we could work it out. I have to say that I wasn’t overly keen on either and the reason soon became clear; they were both Chenin Blancs, and I don’t especially like this type of wine. However, wine 3 was the easier drink and could be drunk without food, whereas the fourth glass was more robust and would be better served with food; turns out that wine #3 was the new-world Chenin (from South Africa) and #4 was again from the Loire valley in France (old-world).
At this point, the Charcuterie and Cheese was brought out, beautifully served on wooden boards and more than enough per person. Chutneys and crackers came in separate vessels, and I was pretty impressed by the range. We loved the Apple and Garlic chutney so much that we went to Bouquet the next day to purchase some (as well as a gorgeous Rhubarb and Ginger one, too!), and there were a trio of different crackers to pop the cheese and meats on to. A blue cheese was hitting the spot for me and, surprisingly, was garnering praise from His Nibs; you know, the geezer who doesn’t ‘do’ blue cheese?! Mild and creamy, punchier and bold, all tastes were represented by the fromage and the dry-cured Serrano/Parma style ham and Salami’s were their perfect partners.
As the final pair of [red] wines were being brought out, fingers were dipping into bowls to pilfer any rogue crackers that hadn’t been eaten – well, waste not, want not! Our collective mission with the final pair of wines was to ascertain whether they’d been produced according to rigid guidelines that permit them to be labelled ‘A.O.C’. Wine #5 was the bonafide, French A.O.C tipple, the final one an interloper from Italy’s Tuscan region; both were very nice, though the deeper character of the French Merlot/Cabernet Franc wine appealed more to The Man and I.
I have to say that the time just flew by, but then they do say that it does when you’re having fun, don’t they? Lee and Rebecca and their team had ensured that the service was seamless and the information was presented in a clear, way. This event was something that anybody who enjoys a glass or two of the grape would get a lot from, with it all done in a light-hearted, easily accessible way. We had an absolute blast; huge thanks to Rebecca for inviting us along.
Tickets to these evenings cost £35 per person, and include a light supper and all the wines. If you make any purchases, a very welcome 10% discount is given to you. Hot Wings happily given to this great, new Little Eaton venture – we wish you every success!
Bouquet can be found at 98 Alfreton Road, Little Eaton, DE21 5DD and is open Thursday 10am-6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-7pm. As well as wines and some sprits, Bouquet is a great place to find quirky gifts and candles, and also flowers. Rebecca and Lee do offer a wine delivery service every day of the week between 9am-5pm, contact them via the website or ring 07983 683391.
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