Gosset Matchmakers 2021 winners revealed
Champagne Gosset has announced the winners of the Gosset Matchmakers 2021 competition.
The winners are Sommelier Matthew Davison and Chef Adam Eyre, a winning team from Fischers, Baslow Hall, a luxury hotel and restaurant located in Derbyshire.
Five finalists from across the UK competed for the top spot at Le Cordon Bleu London’s Cord Restaurant in Fleet Street. As well as making and presenting a dish to match with either Gosset Grand Reserve or Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs, the teams were given a mystery box which contained a range of ingredients to choose from, but all creations had to use Berkswell Cheese – a sheep’s milk cheese – to create a final dish to match Gosset Grande Millésime 2012.
The Champagne Gosset Matchmakers competition, now in its sixth year, focuses on wine knowledge, its relationship with food and the importance of interaction between the sommelier and the chef. This competition is an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and how they work together to execute a dish, which, when matched with Gosset Champagne, brings out the best of the best in both the food and the wine.
Davison and Eyre produced two delicious dishes to match both Gosset champagnes perfectly, showing a lot of thought and an excellent understanding of the Gosset style. The competition was judged by experts from across the food and drinks industry.
The Fischer’s team’s signature dish of hand-dived Orkney scallop with nori salt and celeriac, served with fermented ceps, XO sauce and umoshi furikake, inspired by their restaurant’s Japanese and Asian influence with an earthy autumnal twist. All the different component flavours shone through and the use of celeriac in the stock really worked with their chosen Gosset Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
For the mystery round, Davison and Eyre created a perfectly cooked Dover sole with mushroom and bean fricassee, black garlic purée and Berkswell cheese and cream velouté which they felt Gosset Grande Millésime 2012 would lift.
“They nailed it with both courses,” comments judge Will Oatley, MD of Louis Latour Agencies. “The concentration, the flavours, and the combination with the champagne. And both dishes were cooked to perfection.”
“We are both quite nervous of competitions, so we genuinely weren’t expecting to win,” explains two-time finalist Davison. “The industry has been so tough over the last 18 months that to come here and win was extra special. We can’t wait for the trip. I’ve not been to Champagne before, so it’s great to have something to look forward to!”
As well as winning a magnum each of Champagne Gosset Grand Blanc de Blanc Brut, Davison and Eyre will travel to Champagne in early 2022 to be hosted for three days by Champagne Gosset. They will visit the chateau and vineyards, tour the cellar and enjoy a masterclass in blending and tasting with the chef de cave, Odilon de Varine.
