A Unique Degustation With Cape Mentelle @ Tanzini, GTower Hotel Kuala Lumpur
GTower Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Level 28, GTower Hotel
199, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel : 603-2168 1899
Web : GTower Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Business Hours :
Mon – Sun
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Thanks to the lovely invitation, I recently had the opportunity to sample some wines from the Cape Mentelle, a founding winery of Australia’s remote Margaret River wine region. The wine pairing lunch was accompanied by Cameron Murphy, Cape Mentelle Estate Director at Tanzini, GTower Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
This unique degustation menu featured Cape Mentelle’s latest award winning premium red and white wines comprising its Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013, Cabernet Merlot 2012, Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, and Chardonnay 2012, paired with the distinct neo-cuisines created by celebrity Chef Johnny Fua.
The pairing showcased the shared philosophy of Cape Mentelle and Chef Fua – coming together and producing an elegant and refined wine and dine experience while preserving its own unique identity.
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The lunch started with Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013, the latest edition to Cape Mentelle’s range, paired against the plump marinated and seared Hokkaido scallop with fresh mix greens in citrus dressing. The intensity and aromatic purity of this white wine easily accentuated the sweetness of the seafood and its complements; a dish that made for an opening partnership to remember.
Cape Mentelle takes a minimal approach towards this classic Margaret River blend. The aim is to preserve as much fruit intensity and regional character as possible, whilst providing a full flavoured distinctive white wine. The style accentuates the fresh fruit characters of both varieties with added complexity and palate weight offered by a small portion of barrel fermentation.
Appearance : Pale straw with green hues.
Nose : Aromas of lychee, line, grapefruit, honeysuckle, blackcurrant and a hint of wet stone.
Palate : Juicy, clean and fresh with a talcy pithystructure balancing the rich fruit flavours of limes, passion fruit and honeysuckle. The texture is creamy and the finish bright, longand elegant.
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The meal pairing continued with the serving of Cabernet Merlot 2012, a blend that has a fine pedigree including being awarded the trophy for ‘Best Bordeaux style blend’ at the 2006 Decanter World Wine Awards.
This complex, medium bodied red wine paired seamlessly against the free range Chicken Roulade and vanilla and anise cured Smoked Duck with natural jus; the structure and length of the cabernet with the soft mid-palate of merlot further enhanced the dish.
This Cabernet Merlot blend takes inspiration from the classic red wines of Bordeaux. Cape Mentelle has developed an international reputation for outstanding Bordeaux varietal and blended wines which are perfectly suited to the climate and soils of Margaret River. This blend seeks to capture the depth and structure of Cabernet with the dark fruit and plush flavours of Merlot which when blended create a well-rounded, full and rich style.
Appearance : Bright crimson with purple hues.
Nose : Fresh blackcurrant, plum skin, violets, couverture, wild thyme and rolled tobacco.
Palate : Medium to full bodied with sweet ripe fruits of currants and plums with wild herbs and violets. The structure is firm yet velvety providing great length and intensity of flavour.
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Refreshing orange mediterranean pine sorbet to cleanse the palate with pop rocks for a little crackling fun inside the mouth.
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The third serving of the day is the flagship wine of Cape Mentelle – Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from Margaret River’s first grape vines. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 paired with 28 days dry aged striploin that served together with shallot micro sponge, dukkah artichoke confit and puffed basmati. The aged striploin highlighted the rich and intensity of this red wine amidst its dense varietal characters of blackcurrant, mocha and tobacco on a long, perfectly weighted palate.
Cape Mentelle has a rich history of exceptional quality and consistency with Cabernet Sauvignon from a pioneering producer in Margaret River in the early 1970’s to a benchmark producer today. A single vineyard wine with the style evolving over time, the aim always to define a wine displaying classic varietal character and opulence, strong regional identity and the structure and fruit intensity to improve with extended cellaring.
Appearance : Dark, vibrant, ruby red.
Nose : A complex and balanced mix of inky blackcurrants, couverture, thyme and aniseed with a touch of violet and a subtle oak influence.
Palate : A rich and plush palate with great drive and intensity combining a vibrant mix of dark berries, couverture and wet slate with velvety tannins leading to a long, cool and mineral finish with great persistence.
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Such an irresistible indulgence, a big portion of glazed Atlantic black cod in garlic & soy sauce delightfully placed on top the fresh seasonal vegetables, the clear hamaguri clam broth gave the whole dish a touch of elegant Asian note.
Paired with the finest Chardonnay by Cape Mentelle, it highlighted the aromatic complexity and fine texture of Chardonnay 2012; perfectly heightened its natural fruit intensity when harmonizing with the fish.
Margaret River has established an international reputation for high quality chardonnay. The Cape Mentelle style draws inspiration from traditional methods combined with a fantastic natural fruit intensity to produce a wine displaying aromatic complexity and a fine, textured palate with a long, clean finish.
Appearance : Pale straw with line hues.
Nose : Fresh lime, lemon curd, cashew nuts and honeysuckle.
Palate : A fresh youthful palate with flavours oflime, pear and grapefruit. Hints of gunflintand marzipan add to the wines complexityand are balanced by a finely focused, bright,chalky acidity leading to a great persistenceof flavour.
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The meal ended with the perfect ending, a unique dessert in the beautiful form of a Praline Chocolate Mousse with Crunchy Croquantine, Hazelnut Daquoise, Cherry Gel and Light Lemongrass Gelato was matched against the Cape Mentelle Chardonnay 2012.
This exquisite pairing blended the heavenly flavor of this pleasant dessert with the chalky acidity flavors of lime, pear and grapefruit of the white wine.
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From 6 October till 5 December 2014, Cape Mentelle in collaboration with Tanzini will feature a pairing promotion comprising of a 4-course degustation menu for RM400++ for two persons; where each course will be paired with a bottle of Cape Mentelle Chardonnay, comprehensively showcasing the range of wines that lead the portfolio.
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More photos at FOOD Malaysia facebook page, a Malaysian food blogger since 2010