Because lunch hour is the best hour…
18 July 2019
For lunch yesterday our Head Chef, Marcus and our Head Sommelier, Terry treated Members and their guests to a mid-week match made in heaven.
Members enjoyed a fillet of red snapper, chargrilled courgette, sweetcorn & avocado salsa served with chipotle mayonnaise, and to pair, a glass of 2016 Chardonnay, ‘Cascadia’ Brick House winery, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA as pictured above.
This is a wine made by bio-dynamic farmed grapes and displays a perfect balance between the subtle flavours of a white Burgundy and the opulence of a New World expression, with ripe orchard fruit and elegant, creamy nuances.
We thought it only fair to get in on the snapper action and had a taste ourselves; Ronan, our Head of Wine subsequently browsed the wine library and the 2015 Riesling, Bel Canto, Pegasus Bay Winery caught his eye as an additional pairing for this vibrant dish.
Ronan mentioned to us that “close to Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island, the land on which these Riesling grapes were grown consists largely of weathered stones and mineral-rich gravels. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are among the coolest in the Waipara Valley, which helps draw out the ripening period and retain good, natural acidity. This individual terroir and long-growing season is especially suited to Riesling”.
He added that “the tropical palate will balance the sweet and spicy elements of the dish beautifully, whilst the refreshing acidity will cut through the richness of the avocado”.
A stunning pairing, and by popular demand it looks as though the red snapper will be a permanent fixture on this season’s menu. Unsurprising, given the fantastic medley of flavours and textures this dish presents, particularly at this time of year.