It’s
a rare occasion to have the opportunity to dine and enjoy wine with a
sommelier. So when this gem-of-a-chance came, I was thrilled to be part of
something that I’ll truly treasure and enjoy.
One
lovely Thursday evening, I found myself treading the classy pavement along
Bangsar Shopping Centre where my desire for good Spanish food and good wines
brought me to The Pressroom. I was about to
indulge into a delightful wine experience.
In
this country, it is not easy to find wine experts even in wine shops. So for
wine lovers who need to shop for wines and even for those who just need wine
for an event or occasion, picking wines off the shelf can be challenging or
even frightening. Imagine yourself
walking in to a shop full of walls and shelves of different types of wines,
different countries, different regions, different winemakers, different
vintages and, of course, price. Which one to pick? Most of the time, when you
ask the staff around the wine shop, you also wouldn’t get much advice except
for the price difference.
Let’s
say you were brave enough to try something you haven’t tried before. If you
don’t like the wine or if it’s corked, can you bring it back and change for a
new one?
Great
news to fellow wine lovers (or to those who are interested to discover more
about wine)! Wine Talk, an online wine delivery service, makes wines easy. It provides easy access to different labels
of wines from different countries, regions with different price ranges in just
1 wine shop online. What makes Wine Talk even better is that they have a French
sommelier, David Stephan, who chooses the wines and who also provides wine
advice to every wine lover, beginner or connoisseur.
For starters that evening, we were served with the first white wine of the night, Kiwi Walk Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. This classic NZ wine is a very fresh
& easy-to-drink wine, packed with great tropical aromas. Kiwi Walk is an
addictively crisp & fresh wine, sourced from premium vineyards in
Marlborough.
The second one, which later on turned out to be the ‘favorite of the
night’, was Louis Guntrum ‘Royal Blue’ Riesling
from Rheinhessen, Germany. The ‘Royal Blue’ is an off-dry wine, boasting some
sugar and a very soft 9.5% alcohol level (this is a good clue to know if a
Riesling is sweet or not; 12% & over: dry; 8-12%: off-dry; below 8%:
sweet). It showcases an elegant and classical Riesling scent, paired with
aromas of tropical fruits, with green apples and citrus, pineapple and melon.
It has an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity. It can be enjoyed by
itself as an aperitif, or with lightly spicy food, roasted duck or smoked
meats. This is my personal pick for the night!
My mouth
was watering when the dishes started coming.
The third wine, which is also the most interesting in terms of color, was
the Gérard Bertrand ‘Art De Vivre’ Grenache Rosé from Languedoc, France, costs RM60 per bottle. This Rosé wine is a perfect introduction to the
classics of the region. Made from 100% Grenache, it shows a delightfully light
color, lots of fruit flavors and a fresh and aromatic palate. Great for a wide
range of dishes, from seafood, fish to Barbecue meats. I seriously think that
this is great for weddings mainly because of its color, which somehow appears
romantic and sweet.
The fifth wine was Logan 'Apple Tree Flat' Shiraz from Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia, costs RM65 per bottle. This Shiraz shows a deep, rich red color, and a softer palate than regular Aussie Shiraz, with flavors of mixed berries and sweet spices. So if you aren’t into big, bold, juicy Shiraz, this will be your friend. If you like the big wines, you can still enjoy this wine. It won’t hurt you! A great match with classic roasted lamb or cheese platters.
The last wine was Finca Sobreño ‘Crianza’ from Toro, Spain, costs RM69.60 per bottle. It has a pretty bouquet of blueberry jam and raspberry that is well defined. The palate is well balanced, with a smooth, silky texture, crisp acidity and a citrus, fresh, primal finish. David recommends decanting for this wine before consumption.
It was truly a wonderful experience to dine and enjoy wine together with
a wine expert or sommelier. David guided us through each wine and gave a lot of
helpful tips about each type. You’ll feel more ‘clever’ and familiar about the
wines you’re drinking. David Stephan is a
French sommelier who has been in Asia for 10 years now so his palate has been
familiar to Asian cuisine aside from European. He enjoys the variety of food in
Malaysia and finds excitement in exploring new dishes while enjoying them with
wine.
Wine Talk makes wine fun, simple and easy.
Visit www.winetalk.com.my or call 1300 88 97 88 for
more details and wine selections.
