The annual President’s Charity Dinner – the Society’s black tie gala dinner – was held on 2 December 2011. We enjoy the best wines of the year and always choose amongst the best restaurants in Malaysia. This year we repeated the success of last year by choosing Cilantro restaurant. The cuisine is always top class and Chef Takashi Kimura prepared a superb dinner to match our wines. His cuisine combines a wonderful French/Japanese blend that has proved a great success with so many discerning diners.
The aim of the dinner is to raise as much money as possible for two worthy charities chosen by the Committee. Over recent years, the annual amount raised has been around RM 100,000, and this year we raised a staggering RM 150,000 (about USD 47,000), due to the super generosity of our members and our suppliers and restaurants by way of cash donations, the raffle and the proceeds of the wine auction where members buy wines donated by other members from their cellars. Would this be an example to follow by other clubs?
With everybody looking nice in their formal attire and IWFS medallion we started off enjoying canapés accompanied by Chateau Laurent Perrier Brut, Champagne 1999. Wine maker Bernard de Nonancourt only produces this vintage champagne in outstanding years, perhaps a few times in a decade, from almost exclusively Grand Cru vineyards of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A great way to start off the President’s Dinner:
1st course: Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Avruga Cream and Potato Chips paired with a Joseph Drouhin, St. Veran 2009. This hand picked Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel and is bottled before summer to capture the freshness and fruitiness of the wine. The wine has a golden green hue and its nose is intensely fruity, flowery and refreshing. On the palate a crisp, citrus acidity envelopes its fruit flavours.
2nd Course: Brittany Scallop with Zucchini Flower and Champagne Risotto accompanied by E. Guigal Crozes Hermitage Blanc 2009. From 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, it exhibits intense tropical fruit and abundant minerals as well as white currant, quince and citrus blossom characteristics,
Main course was a choice of Fillet of Sable Fish with Qwehli Prawn Beignet OR Grain Fed Lamb with Glazed Houba Miso and Mesculin OR Blackmore Wagyu with Mushrooms and Tail Ragout. All three choices were enhanced by two red wines:1) Chateau Cap De Faugeres 2005, a Michel Rolland wine from Cotes de Castillon, Libournais, St. Emilion. It is made from 85% merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc. Its black/purple colour is accompanied by sweet scents of incense, black tea, licorice and subtle oak. It is medium to full bodied, opulent and rich and is drinking well now. 2) Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1997. Exhibiting an opaque purple colour, it exudes the classic Las Cases aromatic profile of sweet black fruits, cherries, kirsch, vanillin, lead pencil and minerals. It is medium to full bodied, with silky tannins, low acidity and layers of flavours.
The night ended with a Chocolate Mousseline with Pear Bavarois and Caramel salé.
Coffee or Tea