There is always a real sense of excitement in the Bin End Shop on Masterclass Saturdays.

These informal, fun events give customers the perfect opportunity to hone their food and wine skills through the discovery of some wonderful pairings. Guided by our enthusiastic shop manager, Nick Page, and his famous food and wine matching skills, the three 30-minute classes take place throughout the afternoon and guest speakers are invited. 

On hand for this event was the expertise of Graham Goodman of The Cheese Stall, an importer and supplier of fine European cheeses. Graham spoke about his top quality products, offered tasters and had a plethora of fine artisan cheeses available for customers to buy. The Cheese Stall is a regular at Winchester, Alton and Romsey Markets.

The classes were a fantastic journey of classic wine and cheese matching, an area if not handled carefully can be a bit of a culinary minefield. Although the temptation is often to continue with a red wine from the main course, few cheeses actually complement red because the tannin content clashes with the saltiness of the cheese. Cheese’s naturally salty, lactic character finds better companionship with white wines, dry or sweet.

The classes took on the challenge of finding the perfect pairing for young cheeses, soft and hard cheeses, and blue cheeses too. Customers tasted and compared the suggested two wines for each of these cheese styles. One of the great things about these afternoons is seeing the interaction and genuine friendliness between customers who share a passion for wine.

Feedback after the event was hugely positive and, as always, there were special discounts on all the wines on show. Including the sublime New Zealand Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, which superbly matched with goat’s cheese. And the plump 2008 Ch. Fonbel which was a great match for classic Cheddar.

Other highlights of the cheese and wine pairings were:

Cheese & Wine Match One:

Sauvignon Blanc with Goat’s Cheese
2011 Pouilly-Fume, l’Arret Buffatte, Domaine Tinel-Blondelet
2011 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Crottin de Chavignol AOC
Tomme de Chèvre Liers

Cheese & Wine Match Two:

Chardonnay with Soft Cheese
2009 Chardonnay Zwickl, Kirnbauer, Austria
Brie de Meaux, Dongé, AOC (Gold Award at Paris Concours 2012)

Cheese & Wine Match Three:

Claret with Mimolette
2000 Vieux Château Bourgneuf, Pomerol
Mimolette (très vieille)

Cheese & Wine Match Four:

Tawny Port with Cheddar & Stilton
William Pickering 10-Year-Old Tawny Port, Quinta do Noval                 
Montgomery Cheddar
Colston Bassett Stilton

Cheese & Wine Match Five:

White Rioja with Baked Vacherin de Mont d’Or
2002 Viña Gravonia Rioja Blanco Crianza                                       
Vacherin de Mont d’Or AOC

This Saturday, 3^rd November, will be Bin End Shop’s final fine wine event of the year. As well as loads of fine wine bargains, Sarah Purdon will be selling her Belted Galloway Beef and Graham will be back with his Cheese Stall. There will be two food and wine tables for you to experience great matches: a Beef and Wine table and a Cheese and Wine table.

Leon Reilly, Berrys’ Bin End Shop