Krug/Dom Perignon Wine Dinner

Chef’s Table, One Harbour Road, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hong Kong
Tasted Saturday, October 22, 2011 by Goldstone with 794 views

Introduction

Rob and Jeanette had won a charity auction bid for a Saturday night at the Chef’s Table in the midst of the incredibly vibrant Cantonese kitchen of the Grand Hyatt, where fabled Cantonese chef Ah Tim and Sommelier Christophe Olarei had collaborated to compose the “perfect” 10-course paired dinner (apparently they had tasted through over 30 dishes and 30 Krug and Dom Perignon wines to reach their choice).

Flight 1 - Deep-Fried Black Mushrooms Tossed with Cinnamon Blossoms & Braised Fillet of Garoupa with Beancurd Sheets and Shrimp Roe in Stone Nest. (1 Note)

The English (and Chinese) description of both dishes don’t do justice to their originality, lightness, freshness and quintessential Cantonese-ness that paired so well with the citric cut of the Dom Perignon 2002.

  • 2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne 90 Points

    France, Champagne

    Very light silver-gold colour, almost Sauvignon Blanc-like. Nose is lifted citrus and minerals, with high acidity, lightly toasted white bread without the crusts together with deeper notes of freshly-risen bread dough. Palate is very young and unevolved, similar to the nose and very enjoyable. The crisp citrus elements paired very will with the two Cantonese dishes. With 2 hours in the glass the lemon acid drops element came very much to the fore. Needs a lot more time to evolve but was well overshadowed by the Krug Grande Cuvee NV that followed it.

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Flight 2 - Stir-Fried Fresh Milk with Sea Urchin & Stir-Fried Fresh Crab Meat with Vermicelli and String beans in Cantonese Chilli Paste. (1 Note)

The Sea Urchin dish looked and initially tasted totally Japanese but in a much lighter way…. really exquisite…light and really complex then utter perfection when you added a drop of Chinese black vinegar…the Crab dish was just perfect lightness and harmony of incredibly fresh and simple ingredients.

  • NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    More golden in colour than the Dom Perignon 2002 that preceded it. Nice mousse with tons of languid pinprick bubbles that were very persistent despite being served in a wine glass. Nose is richer and seemingly more mature than the Dom Perignon 2002....distinct brioche, some nuttiness and distinct but harmonious oak....a really great nose. Palate has real weight and nice oaky, nutty, brown bread dough elements that weren't initially as impressive as on the nose but which really harmonised within 30 minutes in the glass and had put on more weight an hour later. Really well made. A great food champagne....paired perfectly with two exquisitely light Cantonese dishes. Very impressive and punched above its weight.

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Flight 3 - Sautéed Fillet of Pigeon with Crispy Yunnan Ham and Vegetables. (1 Note)

This was the light, almost semi-cooked style of very young, tender Pigeon cut across by the more assertive and salty small strip of Yunnan Ham…. exquisite…. and perfectly counterpointed by the light, bright red fruits of the 2002 Dom Perignon Rose which had the acidic cut to counterbalance the slight fat of the Pigeon and the saltiness of the ham. Gorgeous!

  • 2000 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé 89 Points

    France, Champagne

    Attractive bright, rose colour. Nose is quite reticent...hints of respberries and cool fresh strawberries. Palate is medium weight with more pronounced raspberries and strawberries, also some toasted brown "Hovis" bread and a slight nuttiness. Still very young and unevolved but it paired vey well with the Cantonese sauteed Fillet of Pigeon with Crispy Yunnan Ham. Not really my thing.....so others might rate this more highly.

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Flight 4 - Stir-Fried Australian Wagyu Beef with Mushrooms in Soya Sauce in Crispy Basket. (1 Note)

Wow…I don’t even like Wagyu Beef but this was something else…just gorgeously rich but tantalizingly savory and light…the depth of the Krug Grande Cuvee 1998 worked in perfect counterpoint to the combined depth but lightness of the dish. Gorgeous!

  • 1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    Now we're talking....... Medium gold colour. Languid but persistent beads of pinprick bubbles even though served in a wine glass. Nose is more and constantly evolving than either the Dom Perignon 2002 or the Krug Grande Cuvee NV which preceded it.....typical brioche, warm white toasted bread, distinctive nuttiness and some oak. Palate has great weight and poise....very harmonious and outstandingly well made but still very young, primary and unevolved. Paired brilliantly with the Cantonese stir-fried Wagyu beef and mushrooms but really deserves 3-5 years more cellaring to show its true depths and complexity. Really good indeed. It developed beautifully with 1-2 hours in the glass but kept its young characteristics.

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Flight 5 - Chilled Mango Pudding & Chilled Sago Cream with Pomelo and Mango.

OK…..as written and presented these were just what you’d anticipate as a finishing dish……until spoon hit mouth! Both were absolutely great with the 2-hours in the glass Dom Perignon 2002 (for those of us who had kept some).

Closing

Thanks again to Rob and Jeanette for the great generosity, to all for their super company and to Chef Ah Tim and Sommelier Christophe for having composed a really perfect dinner…one of my abiding highlights of 2011.

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