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Welcome to the IWC's May edition of Yummy News, your one-stop-shop for all things delicious, from wines to try, food and wine pairing, restaurant reviews, details of our latest tastings on offer and so much more. |
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Led by Greater China's renowned wine commentator Simon Tam, along with consultant and winemaker Eddie McDougall, the IWC comprises of a fully independent team of qualified consultants widely recognised for "telling it how it is". With nearly 20 years experience making, tasting, discussing, writing about, judging, studying and evaluating wine, the IWC is passionate about bringing the delicious wines of the West to the thirsty East and are all about nurturing and developing invaluable life-long wine appreciation skills among the everyday wine drinker. |
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| IN THIS ISSUE |
13 MAY 2009 |
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| ON THE GRAPEVINE |
| What's in a name? |
You may have noticed a small change at the IWC. Well, we've always been fiercely independent, and proud of it! So, because of our unique ability to offer the Greater China market totally impartial and objective news, opinions, education and consultancy services for more than a decade, we've decided to put our independence right where it belongs - in our name! Of course, we're still international; we've got more global reach now than ever, but in the increasingly congested world of wine, we want to ensure everyone knows that our number one mandate is 100% independence. We've also launched our new and improved website packed with lots of new information, news, details about our new courses and much more. Here here!
Introducing…Eddie!
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In order to offer the very best expertise in wine education, consultation and commentary, the IWC has a new recruit! Hong Kong's only practicing winemaker Eddie McDougall has joined us as resident winemaker and consultant. As part of his new gig, will be heading up the new and exciting range of wine tastings we have on offer at the IWC (see "Horses for Courses"update below). His well experienced taste buds have resided in Australia, Italy and Asia and more.
Born in Hong Kong and raised for 10 years in Australia, Eddie loves Hong Kong but believes that his 'real' office is the vineyard. So be prepared for lots of stories from the road as Eddie gets his hands dirty and stays at the forefront of global winemaking trends.
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| HORSES FOR COURSES |
New, exciting, delicious, fun...the IWC has made some changes to its wine tastings, and has launched four Tasting Series for you to choose from.
New recruit, consultant/winemaker Eddie has updated and added some juicy bits to the classics Wine Appreciation I, II and III. This series is now known as the "Super Taster Series"...take a look at the other exciting options on offer.
Super Taster Series - Your path from novice to expert.
Modules include:
i. "Survivor's Guide"
ii. "Grape Wonders of World"
iii. "Super Taster"
Practical Wine Guide for Busy People Series - for those with less time but not less inclination to taste and discover the pleasures of fine wine.
Meet Eddie the Winemaker Series - a series of specialist tastings with resident and visiting winemakers, offering in depth and beyond the glass insights into wine and the winemaking process.
Super Simon Special Tasting Series - IWC Director, food and wine pairing expert and veteran wine judge Simon Tam offers a handful of specialist wine tastings, guaranteed to fine tune the palate and offer unique tasting opportunities.
Tastes of May - tasting dates for the diary:
Check out more details, session plans, dates and prices on the website.
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| PERFECT PAIRING |
| Paella |
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There are two things that make this famous Spanish rice dish super special. Firstly, the rice is cooked enough to just pass the nutty stage by the evaporation method with loads of fabulous tasty stock. Second, the saffron. Its delicate fragrance permeates and integrates with the rich stock adding an intense, new flavour dimension. Therefore, the perfectly paired wine must have richness, freshness, plenty of fruit and complexity to match this complexly flavoured dish.
Give these three a whirl…
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Merlot, Torres 2006, Penedes, Spain.
Maxxium (HK) - Ph: 852 2831 7237
This wine is selected for the purity of fruit and the supremely well balanced oak handling. The wine is plush with lovely layered flavours. It would go well with paella cooked with rabbit and duck and further enhanced with the mashed livers of the beasts in finishing the dish. Try adding a splash of the Merlot into the bubbling paella, during the cooking process! It will logically build the bridge between the two flavours bringing them closer for a rounded combination.
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2007, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US.
Golden Gate Wine (HK) - Ph: 852 2891 8181
This wine is light yellow in colour and rich in exotic perfume like white pears, hay and spicy tropical fruit. The wine is full bodied and gives a satisfying mouthful. It is unoaked and finishes with pure fruit and some tantalising natural grape sugars. It is bright and lively. It is a great pairing for any type of paella with a heavy handed pinch of real saffron.
Capel Vale 'Frederick' Chardonnay 2007, Capel, Western Australia.
Nathan Fine Wines (HK) - Ph: 852 2321 1169
This is a top of the line cool climate Aussie Chardonnay. The fact that it has five years of bottle age means that it is just not a simple fluffy wine. Have a good smell and sense the honey and cinnamon notes. The taste is unctuous with good depth of fruit. Serve cold to reveal its stylish austerity. 'Frederick' has enough richness to perfectly pair with all types of paella and risotto. Add a little white truffle for a decadent twist.
Check out another 'Perfect Pair' - Ma Po Dou Fu Bean Curd
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| TASTE THIS SPACE |
2007 Prosecco di Conegliano DOC Extra Dry by Carpene Malvolti Veneto-Italy
Castello del Vino (HK) - Ph: 852 2866 0587 |
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Prosecco is both the name of the grape and the legally defined term for sparkling wines of the Veneto region. This is a super value for money wine from the home of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. The 'extra dry' denotation indicates a drier wine that is not so typical of usually semi-sweet Prosecco and the sweet Spumante. It is aromatic with apple and cinnamon like characters on the nose while the palate is creamy and refreshing. Serve it cold with sushi and sashimi and don't waste it on champagne cocktail. |
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| OUT & ABOUT |
| Summer Palace at Island Shangri-La |
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The Summer Palace is a Hong Kong icon and the success this hotel, which is the 'basement' restaurant in Hong Kong with the highest ceiling, lies in the details. The décor is classy and understated and settings laid out with laser precision. The service is as elegant and impeccable and as the food and environment. Read more |
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| TRIVIA |
| From Eddie's adventures in the wine world |
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"I once saw a bicycle come through a grape crusher. Scary stuff! Just goes to show that with machine harvesting, you never know what's coming in!"
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| Get In Touch |
| For further inquiries, please visit our web site http://www.iwinecentre.com or email admin@iwinecentre.com or telephone :(852) 2549 0181 |
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