(L to R) Michael Moore,
Ekachai Mahaguna (managing director of Canpac Beverages Ltd.), Ranjith
Chandrasiri (president of deVine Wine Club and deputy general manager of
Royal Cliff Hotels Group), Emilio Bertoli (head chef of Rossini), and Walter
Thenisch (executive chef of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group).
Michael Moore,
“You have to drink Italian wines to begin to understand them.”
Dr. Iain Corness
Rossini is famous for his operas (The Barber of Seville,
William Tell), but the Royal Cliff Beach Resort would like you to associate
the name Rossini with their Italian restaurant as well.
With new Italian chef Emilio Bertoli in the Rossini
kitchen, it was an easy decision as to where the deVine Wine Club should
hold its next wine dinner; however, the guests did not get to meet Emilio
until later in the evening. “He is sweating in the kitchen,” said the deVine
club president Ranjith Chandrasiri in his welcome address.
Ranjith spoke on the heritage of Italian wines, with more
than 20 classified regions and gave thanks to Ekachai Mahaguna of Canpac
Beverages, the wine sponsor for the evening.
The guest speaker, Michael Moore, was introduced, who
also mentioned the Italian system of classifying wines, and sagely said,
“You have to drink Italian wines to begin to understand them.”
As his introduction to the Italian wine dinner, chef
Emilio presented an interesting zucchini roll with ham mousse, salmon
tartare, bresaola with mascarpone cheese and a tower of mozzarella, cherry
tomato, black olives and basil. A veritable panoply of flavors and colors.
The wine with this was a Di Giorno Garganega/Chardonnay, which had its
admirers, but for me the next white, the Vignale Soave Classico 2010 had
more character, but as always, wine appreciation is an individual thing.
We entered the reds with a Di Giorno Merlot/Corvina 2010
accompanying the dish of the night for my taste - a king prawn filled with
porcini mousse flavored with truffle oil.
Wine of the night was the Vignale Valpolicella Classico
Superiore 2009, and Ekachai indicated that this had a RRP of B. 870. Look
for it at your favorite bottle shop.
Another excellent wine dinner, and deVine as usual!
These wine dinners always
bring out Pattaya’s luminaries.
