Matching Food & Wine – Mac of the Week: Tarte Tatin and Barsac

It always surprises me that so few chefs are into wine or are willing to fine tune their food to accommodate a special bottle.
Chris Wicks who used to be the chef/proprietor of Bell’s Diner in Bristol isn’t one of them.
He’s always appreciated wine and is more than happy to adjust his food to let it shine.
Normally I’d say a tarte tatin needs a more intense dessert wine than a Barsac or Sauternes but having a half bottle of 2021 Chateau Coutet to hand Chris went easy on the caramelisation of the tatin so it was fresh and appley rather than richly toffeed.
If you’re matching a tarte tatin with a heavier degree of caramelisation I’d go for a liqueur muscat, a pommeau or even, as in this match of the week with a Pineau de Charentes
It definitely helped that the Barsac was a few years old and full of marmalade and apricot rather than fresh citrus flavours. You can buy that vintage on special offer from Laithwaites at the time of writing for £21 a half bottle.
For other Sauternes pairings see The Best Food Pairings for Sauternes.

Fiona Beckett