Major Dinner for Boss, Execs
 

In Paris, my in-laws suggeted we entertain my spouse's new boss, his family, maybe some of the higherups. Details are firm, but one question remains. Will it be too old style to serve sauternes with a foie gros to start? This issue really goes back to the Bocuse days, and I know nouvelle style took over 30 years ago. But this is a special occasion, and not everyone has the opportunity to have sauternes, and I guess everyone is pretty comfortable about diseased goose liver. But what to drink with it isn't all that clear. Help, please.

Found by doing a search on askjeeves.com

FOIE GRAS AND WINE PAIRING
Champagne is often considered as the best wine that you can serve with foie gras but you can serve it with many wines, just avoid wines that are either too light or too young:
Sweet white wines : Sauternes, Monbazillac, Bergerac, Loupiac, Pinots gris
Dry wines : Montrachet, Graves, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Red wines : Madiran, Cahors

You might also like to look on epicurious.com the website from Gourmet & Bon Appetit magazines.

Since your in-laws are the ones who have suggested the whole idea perhaps they could advise you on this issue. Makes sense to me since they are the ones who think entertaining the new boss is a good idea so I would assume they also know what the appropriate "protocol" would be. Hopefully this does not involve a problem with admitting you aren't sure what should be done..if anything I think they would pleased that you are seeking their advice.

While eating at some amazing restaurants in Italy this summer, the fois gras was served with Tokaj, a wonderful sweet Hungarian wine. ((D))

I've enjoyed sauternes with foie gras in the past
there's something about the sweetness that works with the richness of the dish

Animal issues aside for the moment, it's a wonderful idea just in terms of culinary pairs

Most sauternes can be very expensive but some are offered by the glass if not everyone wants to partake

I think if it's a pairing with champagne it will not be with a brut (the driest) but with a demi-sec (semi dry)

i know this will come across as being heretical: but a simple muscat(det) would be right in line tastewise and pocket wise with what is essentially an appetiser.

Hi I think there's a typo in the last

a muscadet is a dry white that is often recommended to go with shellfish

a muscat is a grape varietal that is used to make sweet wines

I guess that makes Pink Passion or Red Ripple out of the question. Who would have known?

Muscat is indeed a grape variety (used in Asti Spumanti, e.g.) but muscat also appears in the name of some wines, of which Muscat de Baumes-de-Venise is probably the best known. Recommending a "muscat" isn't substantially different than recommending a "cabernet," which is also a varietal, not a type of wine.

That said, I'm not a big fan of muscats, which always have something of a musty, foxy taste to me, so if I'm shelling out the $$ (or Euro, I guess) for foie gras I'd spring for the sauternes or maybe a beerenauslese, even a TBA, if I ever find one I can afford.

"Diseased goose liver"? Hmmm, I guess that means that wine is rotten grapes and cheese is spoiled milk?

I was going to say, I can't imagine a muscadet with foie gras.

I'm no wine snob, so I just like a rich red wine with it. I would prefer red to white. I would also look at some expert sites if I wanted to impress somebody else other than myself. I dislike champagne and really would not like that with it, but I suppose many others would.

not to be defensive, i'll give you my reason for my selection:

i find champagne to be too light to stand up to foie gras. equally, i would find a dry red, particularly a burgundy, too overpowering. sauterne is simply too sweet, for my taste, to accompany foie gras.

it's true that muscat has a somewhat smoky affect. but i found that properly chilled it has the ability to compliment foie gras without overwhelming it.

as i stated in my original post, i knew this was going to be heresy but bringing out the big guns for what is essentially an appetiser seems to be overdoing it.

the sweet wine of choice in "our" part of France, to go with foie gars is the local Jurancon doux.

I'm not a big expert on sauternes, but you mentioned that you'd like to give them an opportunity to try a sauterne. If you aren't sure about the pairing with liver would it not work with cheese course at the end of your meal?