Cape Mentelle, a leading Australian winery, recently hosted a wine pairing degustation lunch in the newly opened Stoked Restaurant & Bar located at Medan Damansara. To learn more about the five award-winning variants from Cape Mentelle that complemented the exclusive menu, the Estate Director of Cape Mentelle Winery, Cameron Murphy, enlightened us with the unique characteristics of each wine.
We were the first few people to have dined at Stoked Restaurant & Bar, and the founder, Yin How, also proudly announced that Stoked is currently the only outlet in Asia to own a Bertha Charcoal Oven, the most advanced in its class designed to ensure that food retains all its natural moisture and flavour. Surely, this made us extremely excited for the food that was to come.
Before the food was served, Cameron Murphy explained to us the history of the incredible wines of Cape Mentelle and how the estate has become a five-star winery, with the team fully capitalising on the extensive and mostly mature vineyard. He also introduced to us the identities of each wine featured for the afternoon.
Paired with the fresh Uni Sashimi with Tofu Puree and Conssome Jelly, the Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013 wine showcased its pithy structure and creamy, bright fruity flavours. Next, the Cape Mentelle Chardonnay 2012 was served with Steamed Coral Trout with Kale and Tomato, topped with Caper Buerre Blanc Sauce. The chardonnay, which highlights acidity, brought out the full-bodied taste of the strong caper sauce, exuding a fine and clean palate.
To be paired with the third dish – Foie Gras & Duck Pâté en Croûte with Baby Spinach and Red Wine Sauce, the Cape Mentelle Cabernet Merlot 2012 showcased a good elegant structure on the palate before boasting an complex yet supple tannin element. This further enhanced the flavours of the buttery pastry and acquired delicacy, which was perfectly well balanced with the red wine sauce.
The Slow Roasted Lamb with sautéed white mushroom, Arugula, Mashed potato with Lamb Jus was paired with two distinct Cape Mentelle wines, the Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and Shiraz 2012. Cameron Murphy gave us the freedom to experiment with the dish and the selected wines to find our perfect match. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 showcased an intense marriage of fruity notes as well as a fine balance, whereas the Shiraz 2012 showcased a stronger palate with a rich balance of a long fine and spicy finish when paired with the dish.
The session came to a close with a White Chocolate Mousse with Mixed Berries and Crumble with Raspberry sauce. We continued to enjoy the excellent wines of Cape Mentelle, which paired well with the delectable, sweet and tangy dessert.
Visit MHDM.com.my to check out a full list of Moët Hennessy’s offerings.
