A fantastic local festive pairing
December is upon us, and we are all looking forward to enjoying some festive food and drink. If you are planning a party with canapés or trying to work out which wine to pair with your Christmas food, then we are here to help.
Poulton Hill Estate now stocks a range of trout products from our sister company Bibury Trout Farm, and this week we all got together for a tasting session to discover which wines they pair best with.
Bibury Trout Farm’s Cold Smoked Trout works really well with a glass of Poulton Hill’s Bulari sparkling white wine. The acidity and bubbles in the Bulari cut through the fat and oiliness in the fish. Bibury uses a “dry cure” technique, a slow and intricate process that takes up to 24 hours using oak and beech chips, which creates this delicately smoky flavour.
If you are thinking about a special Christmas breakfast, Cold Smoked Trout is wonderful served with poached or scrambled eggs. If you want to create a special canapé for your drinks party, then how about crostini baskets with a dollop of crème fraiche, a slither of Cold Smoked Trout and topped with fish roe? Bulari will be the perfect accompaniment to both of these dishes.
The off-dry Arlington White wine lends itself beautifully to Bibury’s Trout Paté, made using the light and dark smoked trout which are smoked for up to nine hours. The sweetness from the wine sits really well with the paté’s sharper notes of dill, horseradish and lemon. Poulton Hill’s Arlington White is also a good match for Bibury’s Light Smoked Trout and Cold Smoked Trout.
Due to the complexity of Poulton Hill’s Phoenix white wine, it needs a stronger piece of fish such as the Dark Smoked Trout. This has a rich and intense flavour, created by skinning and filleting the fish and giving them more exposure to the heat of the smoking. The Lightly Smoked Trout, which is smoked as a whole fish with its skin on for nine hours, works really well mixed with the Dark Smoked Trout in a risotto, salad or kedgeree. Simply serve these for a Boxing Day light brunch with a glass of Phoenix. The Bibury SmØrgel, which contains a mix of capers, gherkins, red onion and parsley, is another excellent pairing with the Phoenix.
If you are looking for another wine option, then the fruity notes of our Rosé make it a great match with the Dark Smoked Trout.
If you would like to chat to us about wine and trout pairings, or buy any of our wines and spirits and some Bibury Trout Farm products, then our Cellar Door is open five days a week, including Saturdays between 11am and 3pm. Weekday opening hours at the Cellar Door are from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday.
