April Dinner

This month the Society returned to Sage and Chef K.K. Cheong for a special event, a winemaker's dinner with the owner and winemaker of Domaine Taupenot Merme, Mr Romain Taupenot. This is one of the dynamic emerging wineries from this region with an increasingly high profile. At nearly 30 acres, Domaine Taupenot-Merme is a rather large estate by Burgundian standards. The roots of the family estate go back to the 1760, and today’s superb vineyard holdings include Gevrey Chambertin, Morey-St. Denis and Chambolle Musigny.

Our members were treated to a selection of excellent wines from the winery and each food course was selected to pair well with the wines:

Canapé: Kataïfi Prawn, Sea Scallop with Belgium Endive, and Parmesan Cheese Choux Pastry. Taupenot Merme Bourgogne Aligote 2008 A perfect wine to start the evening with the canapes.

1st Course: Carpaccio of Australian Yellowtail Kingfish with Smoked Avruga Caviar.  Taupenot Merme Auxey Duresses Blanc 2008, a lovely, easy drinking villages wine.

2nd Course: Confit of Free Range Chicken with Porcini Mushroom Ragoût.  Taupenot Merme Gevrey Chambertin 2006. This wine delivers the goods and is certainly worth a look.

3rd Course: Pan-Fried Pink Snapper with Sauce Périgueux.  Taupenot Merme Nuits St George Les Pruliers 1er Cru 2002. An extremely ripe nose of crushed black fruit, plums and a hint of chocolate with refined, elegant tannins that underpin dense and quite concentrated, robust and intense flavours. (Burghound 89 points) A wine ageing well from the outstanding 2002 Burgundy vintage.

Amuse-Bouche or Palate Cleanser: Dark Grape Granité

Main Course: Confit of Duck Leg with Foie Gras and Natural Jus Alternatively Wagyu Beef À la Plancha with Mushroom Velouté and Julienne Black Truffle. Taupenot Merme Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru 2000 and Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2001. Very deep ruby with hints of blue and black. Decidedly earthier and more concentrated spicy dark fruit aromas lead to complex, backward and tight full-bodied flavors that display prominent finishing tannins. This is particular in style as there is an emphasis on extraction but it's pretty and well made just the same. (Burghound 90 points)

Dessert: Poached Fresh Pear Fruit with White Wine Jelly and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Coffee or Tea