Or should I say; Oui s'il vous plaît (Yes, please in French).

We were lucky enough to be invited to experience a one-of-a-kind French Cheese & Champagne Masterclass with the one and only Valerie Henbest by the fabulous Ainslie Cellars team. 

Held at Pulp Kitchen in Ainslie, the masterclass featured an intimate cheese and matched champagne tasting and the opportunity to be educated by one of Australia's adopted cheese connoisseurs.

Valerie Henbest migrated from Normandie, France to Australia in the early 1990's and due to her knowledge, appreciation and enormous passion for cheese it led her to opening The Smelly Cheese Shop in Adelaide, and then developing a series of Cheese Masterclasses which she travels and hosts nationally.

Upon being seated in front of our own individual 'Plateau de fromage', (Translation: Platter of Cheese) Valerie started us off with a palette cleanse to awaken our senses. We used coffee, sugar and salt and learnt how to identify the differences between bitter and sweet on our tongue. This exercise really helped with the tasting and allowed guests to take the time to realise if they enjoyed the cheese, and which senses it was alerting.

The Cheese Tasting Notes:

Brillat Savarin - FAVOURITE

Origin: Ile-de-France, France Cow's

Ingredients: Cow's milk - white mould

Wine pairing: Ruinart Rose NV

Saine Maure Cendré 

Origin: Poitou-Charentes, France

Ingredients: Goat's milk - Chèvre

Wine pairing: Fourny Blanc de Blanc NV

Hervé Mons Comté Tunnel Aged - MOST POPULAR

Origin: Franche-Comté, France

Ingredients: Cow's milk - Semi-Hard

Wine pairing: Pol Roger Vintage 2006

Affidélice - SMELLIEST

Origin: Bourgogne, France

Ingredients: Cow's milk - Washed-Rind

Wine pairing: Pol Roger Vintage 2006

Hervé Mons Roquefort AOP*

Origin: Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Ingredients: Sheep's milk, raw-Blue Vein

Wine pairing: Moët Nectar Imperial NV

Upcoming The Smelly Shop CBR events:

Italian Cheese and Wine | February 16, 2017

Ageing Gracefully | June 7, 2017

Exploring Origins and Terroir | September 6, 2017

For all enquiries and bookings please contact the Ainslie Cellars on 02 6230 6622 or [email protected]

Written by Carly Devine for Capital Express