I’m going a bit against the grain here and saying that I don’t think a sweet white wine, or even any white wine, is a good pairing with a goose. Yes, there is a lot of fat, but the rich game flavors call out for a red wine for me, although not too tannic. For that reason, I prefer a Pinot or Gamay, whether new world Pinot or Burgundy or a Cru Beaujolais. I prepared a roasted goose for Thanksgiving, and paired it with a St Innocent Shea, pairing worked very well.
Also, I do like to add a sweet red berry sauce to the goose, perhaps lingonberry. If not for the main course, then definitely for leftovers.
Joshua – if you make it out to pdx after this craziness subsides, I’ll be happy to open some old Huet for you. At current rates of consumption, I won’t get it all finished, so I could use some help.
Bringing this thread back, as I did pair the goose with an '07 de Vogué Musigny, following Michael’s and Jeremy’s suggestions. The wine was a tad too young to my taste and probably deserved more air, but it was still a pleasure to drink. It was opened at 4 and two glasses poured out, then decanted around 5:00. The rest was consumed between 6 and 8PM. On the nose, it offered strawberry, rose petals and a bit of ham; on the palate it switched back and forth between something like one of the best CA pinots you could imagine (owing to the bold red fruit) and something darker, funkier, more brambly, with some soil notes (or what I sometimes think of as slate). By the very end, it rounded into form–“the best glass is the last” phenomenon, all too familiar with burgundy–and showed brilliant balance and purity. It more or less stood up to the goose, which was quite good.
Below is a picture of the various beverages consumed Christmas Eve/Christmas day including the Moose:
Xmas eve: dinner Rock Hill Farms Bourbon; dessert cookies with 1985 Osborne Port (in an amazing place, perhaps best port I’ve had) and 1986 Laberdolive Armagnac (always a treat; they say Khrushchev on a state visit once detoured to pick some up)
Xmas dinnee: in addition to the Moose, 1995 Ampeau Meursault La Piéce-sous-la-Bois (beautiful white with surprisingly creamy texture, just a touch of hazelnut from the age) and 1979 Chateau La Tour Blanche Sauternes (memorable depth, with lovely caramel flavors entwined with the remnant of apricots and other fruits–long, long finish).
