After five years and nearly 50 wine dinners for the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT), I had the honor to do my first wine dinner for the European Chamber of Commerce China (EUCCC) last week in Shanghai. The event was so successful that I’d like to share with readers some of the treats that evening. The event was Gallery area of el Willy, a lovely Spanish restaurant on Donghu Road. Dinners like this take quite a lot of preparation so I had several meetings with the people of el Willy and Torres China who supplied the wines. Great concern was focused on matching each wine with a course that would highlight the best aspects of that particular wine.
After a Cava sparking wine in the bar guests were seated in the Gallery and commenced their Spanish feast. The first wine was Martin Codax Albarino 2008, a charming fresh white wine form the Rias Baixas region in northwestern Spain, that was served with a scallop ceviche, kingfish tartar and goose liver. Albarino white wines are known for their good acidity and wonderful aromas and are especially good with seafood whether it’s Spanish seafood of Chinese seafood. The acidity in the wine acts like lemon or vinegar to a seafood dish awakening and accentuating the freshness. As a surprise, the next wine served was a Chinese wine, the Grace Vineyard Symphony Series, 2008. This 100% dry Muscat wine was a collaborative effort between the winemakers at Grace Vineyard and Torres Spain who worked side-by-side to make one of China’s finest white wines. The lovely aromas and balance between fruit and acidity surprised and impressed the guests.
Two more whites and a rose were served with additional hot tapas then two reds were paired with chicken dishes. A highlight of the evening came next in the form of two excellent red wines accompanying the classic Spanish dish Oxtail that was cooked for five hours and served with black truffles and mash potatoes. A substantial dish like this needs equally substantial wines. Our solution was the hearty and rustic Mediterranean style Torres, Salmos Priorat, 2007 and elegant and balanced Torres, Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006. The two full body red wines matched beautifully with the rich and savory beef flavors of the Ox Tail as the dark fruit flavors of the wines added sophisticated flavors dimensions to the meat while the tannins of the wines facilitated digestion of this heavy dish. While many readers may be familiar with the consistently good Torres Mas La Plana wine that sometimes also referred to as the Black Label, I’m sure many have never heard of the Salmos Priorat. Salmos is the name of the wine and Priorat is the region in northeastern Spain that is making some of Spain’s most exciting red wines. Made with the Granacha, Syrah and other varieties these darkly colored, concentrated and spicy Spanish titans are receiving praise from around the wine world. Another terrific Priorat red that you can find in Shanghai is the Clos Mogador.
