SPANISH wines paired with a thoughtfully curated menu highlighted the balance between food and wine.
The five-course dinner introduced diners to a selection of Ramon Bilbao wines with dishes designed to complement the characteristics of each bottle.
Hosted at Prime in Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, the evening was an introduction to the reds, with a cheeky white, from the Rioja wine region in northern Spain.
Executive chef Antoine Rodriguez said he intentionally took a more mellow approach with the dishes so as not to overpower the wines by the 100-year-old winery.
“It’s a wine dinner, not a dinner with wine,” he said, underscoring that the focus was on the wine.
Rodriguez said he worked closely with the wine representatives to better understand the characteristics of the Ramon Bilbao label before crafting the menu.
He described the Spanish wines as complex, noting that many carried strong oaky characteristics from the oak barrels used during ageing.
The meal opened with the Spanish-style Seafood Arroz Meloso de Marisco, a comforting rice dish with carabinero (deepwater red prawns), lobster and scallop.
Cooked with just enough bite left in the grains, the savoury rice carried a rich seafood depth while allowing the natural sweetness of the shellfish to shine.
This was paired with the Ramon Bilbao Verdejo 2024, a fresh and citrus-driven white wine layered with delicate herbal notes, which complemented the dish well.
The next pairing featured Croquetas de Boletus y Trufa (Cep and Truffle Croquettes) alongside our first red of the night – the Ramon Bilbao Crianza 2022.
Smooth tannins complemented the earthy flavours of ceps, black truffle and Manchego cheese and smoked paprika mayonnaise, creating a pairing that felt polished without overpowering the dish.
Made from Tempranillo grapes, the Crianza spent almost two years ageing in the winery.
Albert Wines & Spirits development director David Stephan recommended serving the red wine between 16°C to 20°C.
The Crianza was approachable and easy to drink, sitting comfortably between a light- and medium-bodied profile.
Next was the Ramon Bilbao Rioja Reserva 2019 paired with Confitado de Pato Comprimido, a duck confit, pulled and pressed, served over caramelised onion and squash mousseline, with shredded fried leeks and balsamic jus.
Produced from older vineyards situated at higher altitudes with sandy soils, the Reserva had noticeably more body and character.
A mild peppery note complemented the gaminess of the duck, while the balsamic element added a touch of sweetness to balance the pairing.
The Ramon Bilbao Gran Reserva 2016 was paired with a sirloin steak prepared with a Spanish twist, using smoked paprika, grilled red peppers and served with a dollop of creme fraiche, potato and wilted green asparagus.
It displayed greater depth and complexity, balanced by good acidity.
“Gran Reserva comes from vineyards over 60 years old located in Rioja Alta and is aged for 30 months in oak barrels, followed by another 48 months in the bottle,” said Stephan.
The tender steak allowed the wine’s more mature character to complement the dish without overpowering it.
Our decadent dessert was a 70% Dark Chocolate Tart with Smoked Buckwheat Praline, served with fig and red berry compote and roasted vanilla bean gelato, paired with the Ramon Bilbao Cuvee Mirto 2018.
Ramon Bilbao wines are distributed by Albert Wines & Spirits.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
