Lancray showing diners how to discover the wine’s bouquet at Fritz Brasserie, The Troika.
TO INTRODUCE the latest series of limited-edition wines that will soon make its way to the local market, a four-course pairing menu was offered at Fritz, a fine-dining establishment at The Troika, Kuala Lumpur.
The Maison Castel Séries Limitées range is sourced from vineyards located in the premier grape-growing regions of France and produced in limited quantities.
Luen Heng Food and Beverage Sdn Bhd (LHFB) is the sole importer.
Its senior brand manager Ryan Tiu said the Malaysian allocation for the four labels from this series would be no more than 300 bottles.
LHFB, which has had a 20-year relationship with the French winemaker, booked the allocation when the series was announced last October.
“Limited-edition wines have good market share in Malaysia. From our experience, they are always sold out,” said Tiu.
Also present at the wine-and-food pairing were LHFB managing director Datuk Kenneth Soh, Castel Freres Asia-Pacific director (operations) Sunuk Kim, South-East Asia area director Corentin Nevot and brand winemaker Thomas Lancray who introduced the wines with each course.
The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons Blanc 2022, which is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, accompanied the first course – grilled tuna cubed into a tartare.
It was served with pickled vegetables, creme fraiche and potato bread croutons.
Carrying the aromas of apricot and honey, the Chablis left a slight flinty taste and prepared the palate for the savoury, buttery fish.
Combined with the acidity of capers in the tartare, the white wine also gave off hints of rambutan and pineapple.
The grapes for this wine are from two plots, Chatains and Beugnons, both located in Vaillons, one of the largest premier cru vineyards in the Burgundy region.
These plots are said to have the most ideal terroir in terms of sun exposure and its subsoil of Kimmeridgian marl, a mix of limestone, clay and fossils.
The Bio Gigondas Rouge 2020 pairs with a pan-roasted Black Angus tenderloin served on a bed of spinach and Dauphinois potatoes.
Accompanying the second starter, a pan-seared foie gras with celeriac remoulade and an orange-pepper sauce, was an AOC Condrieu Blanc 2021.
It is made from Viognier grapes grown in an area limited to 180ha in Condrieu, in the Rhone region.
The grapes are from four vineyard plots, each more than 30 years old.
When paired with the foie gras, the Condrieu Blanc tasted like a combination of cempedak, vanilla, peach and sweet ginger.
Magic happened upon the introduction of the orange-and-pepper sauce as it transformed to take on a drier, intense character with notes of cinnamon and young mango.
Bio Terrasses du Larzac Rouge 2021, made from organically grown grapes, accompanied the first main course – lamb roasted with garlic and thyme.
A red wine made from Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre grapes, it was aged 12 months in French oak barrels and part of the Syrah was aged for another 15 in amphorae without any additives or sulphites.
These porous earthenware vessels preserve the grape’s flavour.
Characteristic of oak-aged wines, this red has a toasty, caramelised flavour.
Strong spicy notes such as pepper, thyme and chocolate were also detected.
We were told the winemaker worked with two certified organic winegrowers in the Larzac plateau in the Languedoc region.
The vines root in schist, limestone scree and marl, a calcareous clay-based soil that adds acidity to the wine.
Vines planted in this type of soil normally ripen later.
It is this slow, gradual ripening which gives this wine its thick texture and mineral-like flavour.
The Bio Gigondas Rouge 2020 accompanied the second main course, a pan-roasted Black Angus tenderloin served on a bed of spinach and Dauphinois potatoes.
Made with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, this red had a 15% alcohol content.
To make it, Maison Castel partnered with a certified organic producer to set up a 7ha plot in the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range of the Rhone.
These vineyards enjoy their own microclimate with the limestone cliffs sheltering vines from the sun’s harshest rays.
Sporting notes of toasted coconut and liquorice, the wine has been described by connoisseurs as powerful and robust.
With the beef and potato, it takes on an oily texture in the palate akin to the smoky, honeyed flavours of freshly grilled bakwa.
FRITZ BRASSERIE, Troika Sky Dining, Level 23a, Tower B, The Troika, 19, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2162 0886. Business hours: 6pm till late.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
