Hi Mike,
coming in a bit late (some might say better never than late)

On Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:05:09 +0100, Mike Tommasi >
wrote:

>>> True, having said that, the count of Lur Saluces thought that drinking
>>> his Yquem on its own was ok, but drinking it with
>>> food was much better. He suggested oysters would be a great
>>> match.
>>
>> I can't reach the Count's levels of conspicuous consumption but the idea
>> of *any* sweet wine with oysters is abhorrent to me. You might as well
>> drink coke or lemonade!!
>
>I never tried it. However, it seems no worse than the idea of sweet wine
>with foie gras. I suppose if acidity is high enough, it may pass, but
>the idea of fat+sugar or seafood+sugar is indeed strange.

Do you remember a meal you otganised in Turin on the occasion of the
Slow Food jamboree to showcase sweet wines? The one with the
pre-eminent local chef who was so far up himself that his idea of a
food/wine match was to use some utterly unsuitable sweet wine in the
sauce and then claim it made a match?

Well... unless I'm greatly mistaken he served a sweet wine with
oysters as nibbles before the meal. Maybe you refused to have anything
to do with it, but I did try a couple. I think I'll stick to
Amphibolite from Jo Landron.

Coming to the original question. I have to admit that while in general
I adore drinking sweet wines with desserts (on Thursday it will be
Jacquie's Tarte Tatin, probably with the Cuvée de l'Abbeye Monbazillac
'95) I don't feel that top German sweet wines are at their best when
served with food. Actually, it's hard for me to think of any food that
would taste better when accompanied by a Beerenauslese of great power
and complecity either.

Finally, to come to your comment about sweet wine and foie gras. It
can work, I feel - think of that Sapros meal with Vinexpo where Henri
Gagneux did so well. But where I have my reservations is over serving
this combination as an entree (to USAians, I use this word correctly -
as an entry into the meal - starter) . There's no way the meal can
unfold with harmony after that. However I have, and do serve foie gras
wih a sweet wine VERY successfully before the cheese and dessert.


--
All the best
Fatty from Forges