The perfect 100-point wine dinner

A landmark event was organised by The Wine Connoisseurs at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru, on April 13: the “Perfect 100 Point Wine Dinner”, which paired six wines — each rated “extraordinary” (100 points) by the renowned wine expert Robert Parker — with a five-course continental dinner. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend.
 

Curated by wine aficionados Devesh Agarwal and Abhay Kewadkar and foodie Chetan Kamani, this was the first time ever that such an event was held in India.

The wines were hand-carried by participants when travelling overseas, and all the five reds were decanted two hours before being served. Each wine was presented by one of the participants and discussed in detail, followed by the pre-plated white-gloved food service.

First course: M. Chapoutier Ermitage de l’Oree Blanc, Rhone, France, 2010, paired with green onion, yellowfin tuna (carved in front of us) and fresh avocado. It is a white wine, with only 716 cases ever produced. Michel Chapoutier is one of the most famous vintners in France and one of the first in the country to convert to biodynamic viticulture. Made from the Marsanne grape, the wine was rich and opulent — a complex aroma of citrus and peach with a full-bodied character and dry finish. Average wine searcher price: $273.

Second course: Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2010, paired with a sous-vide/tofu. Made from 80-year-old vines that had not been irrigated (“dry growth”), this 100-point wine had an amazing nose of plums and berries, with tones of toast and spice and a full-bodied taste that lingered on. Owner Roman Bratasuik single-handedly started the winery in 1990 (even picking the grapes himself) and never looked back. Average price: $270.

Curated by wine aficionados Devesh Agarwal and Abhay Kewadkar and foodie Chetan Kamani, this was the first time such an event was held in India.

Third course: Chateau Larcis Ducasse, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, 2005, paired with rack of lamb/assorted veggies. A classic Merlot-Cabernet blend from the banks of the Gironde river, this wine was still incredibly fresh, with an unbelievable aroma of liquorice, black cherries and black currants and a full-bodied taste with terrific richness and length. Average price: $212.

Fourth course: Two wines — the Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha, Campo de Borja, Aragon Spain, 2009 ($169) and the Sine Qua Non Shakti Grenache, Ventura County, USA, 2014 ($347) — both paired with chef’s special Angus/truffles and mushroom rice. The former did not quite impress the audience, but the Californian wine was just out of this world: a blend (Grenache was 88 per cent), the wine had an amazingly complex aroma and an equally surprising mouthfeel, taste and aftertaste. This is a cult wine, sold only directly to people on their list — and the waiting list has a waiting list!

Fifth course: Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port, Portugal, 1992 ($252) with dessert of dark chocolate. Robert Parker calls this “unquestionably the greatest young port I have ever tasted... the nose offers intense aromas of minerals, cassis, blackberries, liquorice and spices” with “layer upon layer of concentrated black fruits backed by integrated tannin and structure”. What more can anyone else say!

So these are the wines I’ve been drinking — enough to keep you sated and spoilt for some time. Any one wine would have cost upwards of Rs 25,000 at a hotel — we got to sample six 100 pointers, for what was comparatively a pittance.

So the next time you travel overseas, pick up a really good wine and share with like-minded friends — the experience is just unbelievable.

Alok Chandra is a Bengaluru-based wine consultant