14 November 2010: Whatever it takes to motivate people to donate towards a worthy cause – what an ingenious idea to make them bid for the ephemeral aroma of white truffle….I say this because I do not believe shavings of white truffle add to the texture of a dish……..therefore the addition is ornamental and sensory. So it was at the revival of the annual White Truffle Auction Dinner in Hong Kong, in aid of Mother’s Choice, a local charity organization whose mission is to find homes for deserted babies and to provide support for distressed mothers, where this idea originated. For years this white truffle auction dinner took place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel where Chef Bombana presided over the cuisine at Toscana restaurant and built his fame upon producing delicious cuisine based on the white fungus, exuding heady aromas. This dinner migrated to other cities when the Ritz Carlton Hotel was demolished to make way for another office block in Central. Chef Bombana and his team have found a new home at Otto e Mezzo and it has instantly become a favourite of local gourmands, who just cannot get enough of Chef Bombana’s cooking!
This year’s White Truffle Auction Dinner took place on Sunday 14 November. We were all told to arrive early for our Spumante so that we could be promptly seated at 6:30 pm. The reason for the early start was to coincide with the local auction in Piemonte, and so that Piemonte and Hong Kong could compete for the prestige of paying more for the giant truffle, the finale of the evening, and the scene at either location was telecast to the other so that Hong Kong, with our stomachs filled with Bombana’s cuisine and the delicious wines from Piemonte, could wonder at the vigorous waving of arms and excited pitches of our fellow bidders in Piemonte. Apart from the giant truffle which weighed in at 600g, diners at Otto e Mezzo also had the opportunity to bid on the smaller lots, which were no mean affairs, starting at 250g, I think. The event was sponsored by the Piemonte government and we were very lucky to have some really delicious wines from Piemonte! Tickets were rather limited for this exclusive event – only 9 tables of 12 guests per table. Needless to say, we had lots of bankers, lawyers, bon-viveurs, wine connoisseurs and gourmands amongst us, and naturally our two home-bred Masters of Wine did not miss this marvelous event!
I thought the dishes were all delicious, but my favourite was the risotto, something very comforting about a plate of piping hot creamy and al dente risotto, topped with a few shavings of white truffle, filling your nostrils with whiffs of earthy, intoxicating aromas. The chicken dish was also quite delicious but the flavours were so intense that I felt they overwhelmed somewhat the rather delicate white truffle. Anyway, the menu (and the accompanying wines with my tasting notes) is reproduced here for the foodies amongst you- all the dishes came shrouded with generous shavings of white truffle:
Bruno Giacosa Spumante Brut 2004
Marinated Blue Lobster and Autumn Salad (Mire Poix of Truffle and Mushrooms with Fall Vegetables) - Gaja Gaia & Rey Chardonnay 2004
Confit of “Taiyouren” Organic Egg, Broccoli Rabe Emulsion, Alta Mura Bread and Crispy Black Pork – Ceretto Barbaresco Bricco Asili 2003
Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto, Chanterelle Mushroom Jus – La Spinetta Barbaresco Valeirano 2007
Poularde de Bresse, Duck Foie Gras, Braised Salsify with Cinta Senese Ham and Porcini Mushrooms – Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche 2005
Fassone Veal Tenderloin, Slow Roasted with Sweet Garlic and White Bean Jus, Parsley Oil – Oddero Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2006
Moscato Zabaglione and Roast Pear, Verzin Cheese Ice Cream – Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2010
My favourite reds of the evening were the 2007 Barbaresco by La Spinetta and the 2005 Barolo by Renato Ratti. Some brief tasting notes on the wines:
Bruno Giacosa Spumante Brut 2004: 100% Pinot Nero. Traditional Method sparkling wine. Very fine bubbles and creamy mousse. Red fruit, raspberry, strawberry, apples, citrus, earthy with a hint of toast. Refreshingly delightful. 16/20
Gaja Gaia & Rey Chardonnay 2004: Named after his oldest daughter Gaia and his grandmother Clotilde Rey, a marketing guru. 100% Chardonnay. Cool temperature fermentation with natural yeast. A few months in barriques. Lemon yellow colour. Initially restrained but opened up in the glass to a complexity of citrus, peach, guava, almond, marzipan, mineral, ginger and honey. Well balanced with concentrated fruit, lively acidity and a long finish. Drinking well now and for the next 5 - 6 years. 17/20
Ceretto Barbaresco Bricco Asili 2003: 100% Nebbiolo. 6,000 bottles produced from 1.2 ha of south/southwest facing slopes at around 300 metres altitude. 30+ year old vines. 2 years ageing in French oak. A challenging year because of the heatwave across Europe. This wine shows character of morello cherry preserve, blackberries, earthy minerality, wet leaves, liquorice and balsamic. Supple yet structured, richness balanced with elegance. A very good effort. Ready to drink now and for the next 8 - 10 years. 17/20
La Spinetta Barbaresco Valeirano 2007: 100% Nebbiolo. Production of around 7,000 bottles. Vineyard located in Valeirano, Treiso, at 450 metres of altitude. Average age of vines 35 - 45 years. Rotofermenters. 20 - 22 months of ageing in new French oak, followed by 3 months in stainless steel tank and 12 months in bottle before release. A very attractive wine, with a well-defined modern style highlighting concentration of fruit character and silky texture. The wine was decanted a few hours before dinner. Bouquet of red fruit, floral, truffle, leather, tobacco and vanilla. Soft but chewy tannins and firm acidity giving this wine the structure to carry its fruit concentration. A gorgeous wine! Not ready for drinking now and a very long life ahead.....25+ years! 18/20
Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche 2005: 100% Nebbiolo. The vineyard is in Rocche dell'Annunziata in La Morra which would suggest an elegant style. Average age of vines 50 years. SW facing slopes. 280 metres altitude. 12 months in French barriques followed by 12 months in 25 hl Slovenian oak casks. Production of 7,000 bottles. Classic display of the power, opulence and finesse of Nebbiolo. A very floral bouquet, rose and pot pourri, lots of cherry with just a hint of liquorice, earthy and truffle character. Very youthful still. A wine that begs you for another glass. Drinking well now (after hours of decanting), and will continue to evolve for the next 15+ years. 18.5/20
Oddero Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2006: 100% Nebbiolo, from Castiliogne Falletto. Southeastern exposure slopes at 250 metres of altitude. Average age of vines around 50 years. 90% aged in 20 hl French casks and 10% in small barriques for 30 months. Production of 2,000 bottles from 0.66 hectare vineyard. A much more masculine and austere style. Earthy, mineraly, chocolate, spicy with some restrained red and black fruit. This wine will age to realize its full potential in years to come, but probably much less forthcoming than the previous wine right now. Drinking well now (after hours of decanting) and will continue to evolve over next 15+ years. 18/20
Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2010: 100% Moscato. Just released. Beautifully matched with the dessert. Honey, pears, white flowers. Well-balanced, slightly sparkling, perfect end to this evening! 17/20
Now.......you must read my second "white truffle" blog with a more casual cook-out and some fabulous wines!..........
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