An evening of Italian spirit
PHUKET: Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket in Karon hosted a wine dinner last Wednesday evening (May 16), combining the skills of Tenuta Dell’ Ornellaia Export Area Manager Giovanni Mazzoni and Centara chefs Sandro Aguilera and Matteo Verini.
Claire Connell
Friday 25 May 2012, 03:49PM
Mr Mazzoni, who lives in Florence, Italy, was on his third visit to Phuket.
“The high end resorts in Phuket have a very good selection of wines, including many Italian varieties,” he said.
Italian red wine producer Tenuta Dell’ Ornellaia’s vineyards are situated in the Bolgheri region of western Italy, where Mr Mazzoni says the soil richness and climate are ideal for growing grapes.
Guests at the dinner were treated to six different types of wine from the 2007 to 2010 vintages, with special emphasis placed on the Ornellaia, the company’s flagship variety.
The first course was the unique-tasting cherry smoked duck breast on radicchio, strawberry and served with an orange honey sauce, which was paired with the 2009 Le Volte. This wine was nominated by Mr Mazzoni as the the company’s “most drinkable” wine, and indeed it was.
The second course was ‘Le Volte 2010 risotto’ with pecorino Toscano dop cheese fondue and crispy ham, and paired with the 2010 elegant and complex Le Volte, dubbed as the 2009 version’s “younger brother”.
This was a stand-out wine and food pairing, with a very complimentary after-taste.
Next came the flagship Ornellaia, paired with dishes of snowfish and beef tenderloin, and, finally, a delicious red wine ice-cream for dessert, served with a poached pear and soft ginger cookie.
A great end to a very enjoyable evening at Centara.
