WHEN you meet a stranger wen personality and an amiable character
spelling out a promise of friendship. you will not let the chance fly by, would you? Of course not. life's way too short. You would mentally summon all the elements of the universe to help the friendship bloom.
It is no different with wines that carry such a promise. It was a terribly wet evening and I, along with a group of wine enthusiasts.
got together anticipating the arrival of a sprightly wine from me Lombardy region, north of Italy. Or to make It more familiar, it's
where Milan is.
As the excitement climaxed and patience
was he longer abated, a faint glint of pale gold hinted an arrival.
Introduced simply as Cuvee Prestige from
the vineyards of Ca'del Bosco which loosely translated means 'house of the forest', the pale gold liquid infused with millions of
bubbles, sparkled and charmed us with its refreshing summer berry notes and hints
of buttery caramel mat quickly erases the slightest tones of bitter.
Masculine in character Ca'del Bosco's
Cuvee Prestige is the result of blending
chardonnay, pinot bianco and pinot nero
grapes.
Although 'spumante' or sparkling wine is
made all over northern Italy, out Francisco.
an area in Lombardy, IS the country's leading
producer of soPhisticated dry sparkling
wines made using the {French) Champagne
method. This is where Cuvee Prestige is
conceived annually.
Giving the likes of Mumm and
Dom Perignon a run for their
money, this one has the capacity
to add sparkle to seafood dishes
with gentle hints of strength -- oh.
the likes of wasabi infused relish or
saffron peppered sauce.
Ca'del Bosco also introduced us
to the likes of Cuvee Annamaria
Clementi 2001, which is it
heavyweight sparkler.
Although this is also made
from the same grapes, from
the same area as Cuvee
Prestige, it is aged in oak
barrels. Although more
distinguished mere was
no longer any space in my
heart for another after the
elegant Cuvee Prestige.
Still. Clementi held its
own with a sophisticated
rawness that is pungently
alcoholic, smoothened by
buttery and fruity notes.
Each s a will only make
you more aware that it is
a sparkling white wine that
compliments vanilla or truffle
infused dishes, so brazenly.
Next was the mesmerizing
red Carmenero 2001.
Slipping comfortably under our skins.
Carmenero exuded a memorable scent that
at once spelled strength and independence.
Perhaps due to its ageing process in oak
barrels and malolactic fermentation (acid
reduction or 'softening' Process)
Despite the masculine whiff, its flavours were soft and politely oaky with soft tannins and of velvety dark berries that
curved up into hints of caramel in its long finish. We were deeply hooked when it gently softened the gamey flavours of
duck or any other strong flavoured red meats.
Having been completely satiated, we
left the restaurant with new friends in our hearts. As we bade each other 'buena notre', we knew our paths will cross again because it is at Chinoz in KLCC that Ca'del Bosco wines await. Walking away, I remembered thinking, although it is satisfying to turn a stranger into a friend. It IS more astute to discover an amiable wine. At least it is low maintenance! Kittykaye@myjaring.net