A marriage made in food-and-wine heaven
While the focus of this wine-tasting master class was on tropical fruits and flowers expressed in aromatic grape varietals, we also discovered why boldly-flavoured food from Asia worked well with these wines.
It was a marriage made in food-and-wine heaven.
A floral, highly acidic Torrontés from Uruguay, unctuous and rich with scents of papaya, guava, and jasmine, found its match with a Vietnamese prawn spring roll with a pungent nuoc cham sauce.
An aromatic, floral Gewurztraminer from Alsace, heady with flavours of lychee and apple pie, paired beautifully with spicy pork and chicken potstickers with a peppery Sichuan soya sauce.
A high-altitude Viognier from Montés de Toledo in Spain, a beauty bearing flavours of under-ripe mango, banana, dill, and coconut, was in perfect harmony with a creamy palak paneer from North India.
The highlight of our tasting though was a Dönnhoff Spätlese Riesling from Norheimer Kirschheck in the Nahe region of Germany. A study in baked pineapple brushed with honey, it was a fascinating counterpoint to a lamb kebab with mint yogurt sauce.
Warm appreciation was given to the team at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing. Especially a big thank you went to Food & Beverage Director Pieter Ham and Executive Chef Benoît Chargy for their continued support and generous contribution of our Ordre Mondial events!
Michael Delacruz
Vice-Échanson, Bailliage of Beijing