The podcast De Beste Smaak van Nederland knows how to captivate lovers of culinary delights and refined wines time and again. During the latest episode, a festive Christmas special, the team takes listeners on a journey through special dishes and perfectly matched wine-food combinations.
One of the highlights of the episode of December 19, 2024 was chef Jeroen Vink, who has mastered the art of the perfect wine-food combination down to the last detail. Together with Christopher Engel from Burgundy or Nowhere, he paired a special Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvee AX-B with a rouleau of pheasant, Jerusalem artichoke, porcini mushrooms and duck liver / foie gras, a festive highlight in itself.
This refined dish was served with an exclusive Bourgogne Chardonnay, namely the Pouilly-Fuissé, cuvee Ax-B 2022 from Domaine de la Chapelle, which enhanced the deep flavors of the ingredients and offered a perfect balance. The minerality of this white wine lifted the fattiness of the dish to an unprecedented light-footed level, while the nutty flavor at the right temperature of the wine played beautifully with the porcini mushrooms.
During an earlier episode, our Ratafia Champenois by Pierre Malingre was also discussed. In a humorous moment, Jan Versteegh thought he could surprise his co-host Rámon Verkoeijen with a wine he had never heard of. To the hilarity of both gentlemen, Ramon turned out to be familiar with this type of wine. Resulting in an amusing disappointment that he was unable to surprise Ramon but was able to delight him, they enjoyed the intense nose that opens with aromas of orange blossom, fig and honey. A real sniff of wine like Jan Versteegh can hardly contain himself during the recording and hugs the bottle of Ratafia Champenois in his arms for protection, even though he doesn't really want to share it anymore. It was that delicious!
The Best Taste of the Netherlands not only brings inspiration for the holidays, but also a unique mix of culinary expertise and fun stories. A must-listen for every foodie and wine lover!