Madelyn Edition
Bonjour! Welcome to the Madelyn edition.
Through this edition, we’re travelling to the home of wine, cheese and charcuterie – taking you on a journey of discovery through France.
We’re stopping all over the place, North, South, East and West to meet our cheesemakers. These are some of the finest artisan cheesemakers in the business and the flavours will knock your socks off.
We stay in Chablis for our “A Day In: Travel guide” which shines a spotlight on the secrets from locals on how to spend your time when visiting their unique town.
Location: France
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We’re travelling down to the Aveyron region for our saucisson. Our very own charcuterie has been produced in partnership with an animal welfare award winning traditional salami maker, and because it’s our first box and it’s a celebration, we’ve added some French truffle to the mix.
We hope you fall in love with these regions, the makers and the produce, and fingers crossed you learn a little along the way. We’d love to see you enjoying your box, so please tag us in any pictures you get @thedelisociety.
So, stick on our playlist, plate up, pour up and let’s get travelling!
Salut,
Josh & Harry
#totasteistotravel
Wine 1
Georges Darriaud Cotes du rhone blanc 2020
Name: Georges Darriaud Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2020
ABV: 13%
Grape: Grenache Blanc (Blend)
Country and Region: France, Rhone
Winemaking: Traditional
Tasting notes of Ripe Stone Fruits, Vanilla Oak and Honeysuckle.
The nose is floral, with fresh fennel and honeysuckle. The palate is a delicate balance of ripe stone fruits and subtle vanilla oak flavours. A very fresh drinkable white.
Sweetness (dry to sweet) 1-5: 1
Acidity (low to high) 1-5: 3
Tannin (low to high) 1-5: 2
Body (light to full) 1-5: 3
Producer
Moreno France
Moreno are changing the wine landscape in the UK and focus on delivering unbeatable prices without compromising on quality.
Alongside their main importing and selling business, Moreno do create some of their own wines in collaboration with wine makers. The wines are blends of grapes from various vineyards, including their own vineyard in Cairanne. This wine in particular was put together by Julien Dugas who is based in the area. Julien is an expert winemaker who prides himself as being close to the source of all the wines he creates. This is no doubt why Moreno chose to work with him on this creation.
Cheese 1
ComtÉ 24 months
The Comté is an artisan cheese that has had a PDO designation since 1952.
Comté is a matured cheese that gets its unique taste, texture, colour and distinctive range of flavours at various stages of ripeness.
When maturating on boards of spruce in humid caves, it develops a thick rind, which becomes crumblier and darker during ageing. Affineur, Jean Lecatelli (Vieu d’Izenave) carefully checks and turns the wheels, tapping them to check for cracks.
A nice ripened Comté has a smooth yellow pâte with a buttery texture. Its flavours become more complex and long lasting throughout the year, developing the sweetness of dried fruits and hints of nuts perfectly balanced by savoury notes.
Hard cheeses are a dream to pair with most wines. They can stand up to strong wines and enhance delicate ones.
Here the intensity of the Côtes du Rhône enhances the Comte but neither gets overpowered. They both go about their business harmoniously.
Name: Comté 24 Months
Age: 24 Months
Country + Region: France, Franch-Comté
Milk Type: Cows
Pasteurised: No
Strength Of Cheese: 3
Style Of Cheese: Hard
Texture: 5
Producer: Sancey-Richard / Maturation: Cave de Vieu-d’Izenave.
Our Comté producer is one of a kind. Farmers let their cattle graze on mountain pastures in summer, and feed them with hay in winter. It is the art of affinage though that makes the Comté a truly great cheese in which they have maturation cellars located aross different regions of France where the cheeses are ripened and cared for by skilled and experienced affineurs.
Vieu-d’Izenave maturation cellar is located in the south of the production area of Comté PDO.
This cellar has been carefully selected due to its silence and shadowy darkness, which combined with close monitoring and constant care, allow to reveal the best of a Comté cheese.
The maturation involves not only perfect maturing conditions, but also cheese affineurs’ expertise, meticulous care and devotion to this complex process.
Cheese 2
Camembert de Normandie
We all love a good Camembert and this is a fantastic one. Made with raw cow’s milk, where at least 50% has to be from Normandy Cows.
The rind is known to be white but can sometimes start to turn red/orange. Cut it open and you’ll see ivory to white chalky center. Unripe it keeps its shape but fully matured the paste is smooth, soft, oozy and YUM.
Creamy cheese pairs so much better with white wine.
So pairing this camembert with this fresh medium-bodied white is a no-brainer. The acidity gives the cheese an extra something we never knew camembert needed and we’re absolutely here for it.
Name: Camembert de Normandie
Age: 2-6 Weeks
Country + Region: France, Normandy
Milk Type: Cow
Pasteurised: No
Strength Of Cheese: 3
Style Of Cheese: Soft ripened, Bloomy rind
Vegetarian: No
Texture: 2
The artisan cheese is molded individually by hand, and then left to mature for a 3-week minimum.
In 1983, Camembert de Normandie was granted a registered designation of origin (AOC), and in 1996 it was also granted a protected designation of origin (AOP).
Cheese 3
Le Crottin
What an interesting cheese! Not to put anybody off but Crottin in French means ‘dung’ and is called this because of the cheese’s resemblance to horse dung when mature. The rind sucks in and ripples into something to behold.
The cheese starts with a moist texture and a light goaty flavour. A little more maturing over the next week or so and the cheese starts shrinking and the texture becomes slightly harder and crumblier and the goaty flavour has deepened. We send out cheeses out at this stage.
Goat cheese is a blank slate, ready for a wine to help the subtle flavours of the cheese sing.
Too powerful a wine would make for a bad pairing here which is why this Côtes du Rhône is perfect. The fresh stone fruit flavours of the wine creates a whole different dimension to this cheese.
Name: Le Crottin
Age: 2-6 Weeks
Country + Region: France, Deux-Sèvres
Milk Type: Goats
Pasteurised: No
Strength Of Cheese: 3-4
Style Of Cheese:
Soft ripened which gets harder as the weeks go on
Vegetarian: No
Texture: 3-4
Produced on a small scale in a workshop located in Fontenille-Saint-Martin-d’Entraigues between Poitiers and Saintes, in Deux Sèvres. This region of Poitou is the cradle of goat cheese.
The producers work with roughly, fifteen goat farmers whose milk is collected locally around the cheese factory. The milk comes mainly from goats of alpine chamois breeds, Saanen and Poitevines.
Charcuterie
Saucisson Sec with truffle
Produced by a partner in France that has been making Saucissons as a family for 60 years.
This saucisson sec has been produced to traditional standards with higher animal welfare pork and infused with chunks of truffle for a truly delectable flavour.
We pair our charcuterie by country, so here we’ve chosen a delicious truffle saucisson
Our partners in France are based 2 hours north of Toulouse in the bastide town of villefranche de Rouergue.
We work exclusively with French higher welfare pork and use traditional methods used in the south of France to produce our unique Saucisson Secs.
Chocolate
Isle of Skye Sea Salt Milk Chocolate
The light milkiness of this chocolate, coupled with the sea salt, enhances the wines acidity and creaminess. It’s a great combo.
We have partnered with COCO Chocolatier to provide you with the very best artisan chocolate.
Challenging industry norms, COCO Chocolatier begin the making of the chocolate at origin before passionately transforming it in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a result, more wealth remains within developing economies.
Travel Guide
Located in the North West of Burgundy and in the valley of the River Serein, Chablis is host to one of the most famous white wines in the world. The town is populated by wine domains, artisanal shops and luxurious restaurants and hotels.
Due to harsh cold weather over April 2021, wine producers have had to use oil lanterns to create fires to warm up and prevent crop destruction.
Hotel Du Vieux Moulin. A flour mill back in the 18th century, this hotel is smack bang in the middle of the action of Chablis. Book a room with a terrace to enjoy a glass of the local vin with a view.
Chablis Bar. Grab a coffee and some breakfast in the middle of town. Their pastries are unreal. If you’re lucky enough to be doing your ‘A Day In’ on a Sunday, check out the local street market opposite.
Abbaye de Pontigny. Soak up a little culture by visiting the largest Cistercian abbey in Europe which remains a place of pilgrimage to this day. monks were the first to plant Chardonnay grapes here when they worked out the soil and climate were ideal conditions.
Café La Chablisienne. Bombed in the war, this Café comes with a rich history. Stop for a coffee in the gorgeous outdoor shaded seating area.
Le Bistrot des Grands Crus. Located in Porte Noel, this sister restaurant of the hotel has a €22 three course menu and commits to using 90% local ingredients in all their dishes.
Guided and self-guided Electric Bike Tour of the Chablis Vineyards. Discover the landscapes, learn and taste the four appellations of Chablis wines; the Chablis, the Petit Chablis, the Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Then explore the village heritage and finish off at a renowned wine estate for a full tasting session. This experience is amazing and we can’t recommend it enough.
Au Fil du Zinc. Michelin star rated and looking over the River Serein, choose from a menu that is switched up every ten days or a three, five or seven course tasting menu, complemented by a nine-page Chablis wine list. Lovely.
Wine Not. Finish your evening at the 1 year old Wine Not, located in the centre of Chablis. Host to a choice of local wines, choose to sit in the wine bar or dining cellar and expect a wealth of knowledge from the hosts. If you’re still feeling peckish, give the mature french meat a try which they cook on the barbeque or plancha.