A matter of taste
Jayne Stamp indulges in a rare chance to sample the fabulous food and wine from France’s Gascony region at the Clos du Marquis
Bearing in mind France is just a short hop across the Channel, it always amazes me how few French restaurants there are in Hampshire.
And it seems even more bizarre when their passion for good food and wine is world-renowned. So it was quite an event when a wine tasting evening from the Gascony region was announced at the Clos du Marquis.
Run by Germain Marquis and his wife Glanis, the French restaurant can be found on the A30 between Stockbridge and Sutton Scotney, just north of Winchester.
In fact you may well have driven straight past before – its unassuming presence gives little clue to what’s inside.
But that is what makes it such an interesting place, and a secret those in the know guard keenly. After all, the regular clientele know once the secret is out, the chance of getting a table and enjoying the authentic French food could be a little slim!
Ordinarily Germain prides himself on sourcing as much produce as possible locally to create his dishes. For the wine tasting however, he went to the trouble of bringing in supplies direct from Gascony. By doing this, the partnership of flavours he creates is remarkable.
As both the food and the wine are from the same soil and climate, their relationship is a natural one, with the nuance of flavours perfectly matched for the palate.
The wines featured came from the vineyards of Alain Brumont. Sebastien Lequerec, export manager for the Alain Brumont estates explained how the food of the region is gutsy and rich, and so the wines have a great deal of body, depth and intensity to cut through the strong flavours.
Within France, the Alain Brumont name is much revered, and Sebastien was delighted to bring such gems to a wider audience.
Château Bouscasse 2004 and Château Montus Blanc 2003, both fabulous whites, held their own with the delicious starters of field asparagus with slivers of smoked salmon, and a salad of crispy duck.
Reds, Torus 2003 and Chateau Montus Rouge 2003 were the perfect companion for the slow-cooked fillet of black pig with haricot beans, and the duck confit with caramelised apples.
By using authentic ingredients, Germain was able to add another dimension to the dishes. Combining the French techniques and flavours, he created something remarkably different compared to the same dish made with British fare.
For dessert the Brummaire 2000 was rolled out. Ordinarily a fan of dry wines, dessert wine is a strange concept for me. But this buttery wine had a subtle taste reminiscent of caramelised bananas, and was a great accompaniment to the beautifully presented desserts.
Germain’s speciality of ice cream made from prunes preserved in Armagnac is inspired. The light pastry tart with caramelised pear made a suitably French finish to a meal that took me through a tasting journey of the Gascony region.
It is the first time I have tried wine with such perfectly matched food. The symbiosis was amazing, and lifted the whole eating drinking experience to another level.
For anyone with a passion for exquisite food and drink, or an interest in trying new flavours, I would recommend an evening at the Clos du Marquis restaurant.
One enduring thought I took away with me from Sebastien and Germain, is they believed the company and the food is there to be enjoyed. They weren’t keen to preach, and they certainly didn’t have a stuffy approach to the proceedings.
A refreshing attitude to find in such a high-quality restaurant.
For more information about Alain Brumont wines or to order contact:

Maxwell Fine Wines in Romsey. Tel: 01794 518 014, www.maxwellfineswines.co.uk.