Barone Ricasoli Italian Wine Dinner @Ferringhi Garden, Penang

The Barone Ricasoli Italian Wine Dinner held recently at the airy and restful Ferringhi Garden in Penang had Italian wines paired with an array of seafood and meat.

Organized by AsiaEuro Wines & Spirits, guests drank through a menu of red and white wines ranging from Torricella Chardonnay 2015, Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Casalferro IGT 2013 to Castello Di Brolio Vin Santo DOCG 2008.

Our host for the evening was Ms. Roberta and Ms Vera Malisani, Sales Manager Asia Pacific of Barone Ricasoli. Both of them and William Chong, the wine ambassador of AsiaEuro Wines & Spirits walked us through the Italian wines and Tuscany soils.

William Chong with Roberta and Vera Malisani

The dinner menu featured an array of seafood such as black cod, and crab bisque, alongside a fillet mignon, paired with both red and white wines.

First, there was the Smoked Salmon & Apples paired with the Torricella Chardonnay 2015. Pale straw color in the glass, this chardonnay smell incredibly fruity, and displayed a lovely concentration of citrus flavors and beautiful aromatic herbs. Many loved this wine, ideal to serve with the dish made of premium smoked salmon, hard-boiled eggs, honey roasted granny smiths, sultanas and mixed greens dressed in apple cider vinaigrette.

Torricella Chardonnay 2015

Smoked Salmon & Apples

The dinner continued with the serving of the soup. The Crab Bisque with crab jumbo lump was a combination of spices and succulence of the crustacean.

To drink, diners had the Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, made with blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. This light-bodied red wine perked up with spicy notes and hints of vanilla.

Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014

Crab Bisque with crab jumbo lump

The Baked Miso Black Cod with spinach and celeriac salad was soon served with the Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014. Three types of grapes go into this bottle – sangiovese, merlot, and canaiolo. With its broad spectrum of tannins and minerals, this is one of the few reds that harmonized very well with fish.

Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014

The fourth wine was the Casalferro IGT 2013, an appealing premium bright ruby red wine. The vintage 2013 is the 20th Anniversary edition and is made with merlot grapes from the terroir of Brolio.

With roundness and rich with strong tanins from the wood used for ageing, the wine made a nice pairing with the Fillet Mignon served with baked pink potatoes and grilled vegetables.

Casalferro IGT 2013

Fillet Mignon served with baked pink potatoes and grilled vegetables

The dessert of Hojicha Cheese Mille Feuille accompanied by a glass of Castello Di Brolio Vin Santo DOCG 2008 took us nicely to the night. The pairing of the dessert with the sweetness of the wine with pleasant overtones of apricots and dried figs pleases the palate.