A little taste of the old country
“It’s a part of France for you in New Caledonia,” sommelier Yannis Kherachi tells me.
Yannis is co-manager of Le Chai de l’Hippodrome, a trendy eatery near Noumea’s Henry Milliard racecourse.
Only six months old with a strong equestrian theme, Le Chai de l’Hippodrome’s decor leaves patrons under no illusion as to its fine-wine credentials.
As well the stacks of bottles and wooden wine casks, both the bar and all the restaurant’s tabletops are made with parts of oak barrels.
It doubles as a boutique, selling winerelated accoutrements and imported French specialities.
But the real highlight of Le Chai de l’Hippodrome is its intimate back room, where Yannis takes me through an hour-long lesson on pairing French wine and cheese.
Starting at $75 per person, these rapid-fire lessons teach the basics of wine-tasting and make for a delicious afternoon pit-stop in the heart of Noumea.
Originally from the Rhone valley in Southern France, Yannis doesn’t bat an eyelid when I admit I’m not a fan of reds.
He says the first thing to take into account when coming up with any food and drink match is the customer’s personal tastes.
Red wine can be paired with fish and chicken and white wine with meat, if the dishes are prepared in the right way.
“We can do what we want,” he says.