The Rolland Collection Wine Dinner @ The Pressroom Bangsar

The dinner invitation came very timely which is just right after I got my medical report and a liver passing with flying colours. Ok, to be making sure that I am keeping my liver well and strong, I'll better consume good wines and eat good food. It's time to roll, babeh with the Rolland Collection!

The dinner is hosted by Sunrise Wines & Spirits and it was held at The Pressroom in Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC). The last time I was at this restaurant were some moons ago and I've not dine here for quite sometime. It's a good reason to come back and try their dinner menu.

Danny Rolland and Michel Rolland

Dany Rolland was in town to lend grace to the dinner. She is a renowned oenologist and a right hand person to her husband, Michel Rolland whom is a famous wine maker and consultant. Together, they formed the Rolland Collection, a range of Bordeaux wines with 5 appellations from the right bank, where the Rolland family originated in Pomerol.

There were particularly 2 wines that I was looking forward to try that night. A quick scan at the menu and wine pairing, I knew these 2 wines would be the highlights of the night.

Ch. La Grande Clotte 2007, Bordeaux Blanc

This white Bordeaux from the vineyard of Lussac terroir consists of a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc et gris, 25% Semillion and 15% Muscadelle. The fermentation is done 100% in new french oak barrels. The 2006 vintage was rated 90points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate and I was wondering how the 2007 vintage would be doing. Dany told me that she would rate the 2007 vintage a notch better than the 2006. The 2007 is fresh, flowery with citrusy notes and minerals. It's acidity is refined with a persistent finish and it would be drinking well now or probably in another 1-2 years.

Ch. Le Bon Pasteur 2006 Pomerol

The wines from Chateau Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol are from vines that are more than 30 years old. The grapes are harvested manually at full ripeness and are sorted before and after destemming. Then the grapes are fermented separately in small tanks and aged 15-18 months in new french oaks. Rated at 90 points by Wine Spectator, this wine is also worth noticing as it has very soft tanins, aroma of plums and blackberries and it's full-bodied. You will also find it having hints of vanilla, chocolate and coffee undertones.

What was equally important to a wine dinner is of course the pairing of food with the wines. In my opinion, the food does affect the palate of the wines and thus a lot of effort and careful planning must be put into the menu.

Tian of Crabcake
With Avocado & Tomatoes dressed in Cilantro Oil

Paired with a glass of Ch. La Grande Clotte 2007 Blanc, this crabcake compliments the wine very well by bringing out the freshness of the white. The crabcake itself is moist and crispy on the outside.

Roast Duck Spring Roll
with Jackfruit Salsa, Hoisin & Lemon Dip

Paired with the Spanish Campo Alegre 2007 from Toro. This wine is the 2nd wine of Campo Eliseo, made from 100% of Tinta de Toro which is a Spanish classic variant of Tempranillo grapes. They are then aged 12 months in French oak barrels. This is a wine with lots of blackcurrants, spices, peppery and also oaky. When I look at the menu, I already can expect that this pairing is going to be very tricky. The Spring roll was too hard and the jackfruit salsa was sweet and sourly. Overall, the taste did not really jive with the wine. It's an interesting dish but too bad the jackfruit didn't compliment the wine well.

Foie Gras Ravioli
And Beef Consomme with Truffle Foam

Paired with a glass of Ch Le Bon Pasteur 2006 from Pomerol. This is the iconic wine of the Rolland Collection with a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Carbernet Franc. The foie gras ravioli is complimenting the wine very well with its robust flavours but the dish came in a little cold. The beef consomme which is slowly simmered with mushrooms and beef bones were very tasty. I drank every single drop of it! And I was wishing that I can have bigger bits of foie gras...

Wagyu Cube Roll
With Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Maldon Sea Salt

Before adjourning to the mains, we had a scoop of orange sorbet to cleanse our palate. The wagyu was done medium rare but from the looks of it, I had a feeling that it was done rare because the meat is still very tender and reddish looking. It's nice but somehow it didn't give me a very good taste of the beef. The flavours were subtle but lucky the simple preparation style matches the Ch Le Bon Pasteur 2006. The red meat brings the plums and blackberries flavours out of the wine.

Chocolate Cigarillo
with Honey Mascarpone Cream & Coffee Mocha Ice Cream

I was glad that the dessert has finally been served as the portions for the dinner is quite substantial and I'm definitely filled to the brim. This chocolate dessert is paired with a glass of Remhoogte 2005 from Stellenbosch South Africa. It's a good vintage from South Africa and with a blend of Merlot, Carbernet Sauvignon and Pinotage, it gives this wine an oaky and smoky palate.

The dessert was very sweet and I managed to have a conversation with the Head Chef, Saiful @ Bob. It doesn't help that I'm a chocolate snob and thus I was very curious about the chocolate he had used for the dessert. It was a 55% cocoa lined with a brandy snap. I suggested that he should have used a 70% cocoa instead given the nature of the sweetness from the other ingredients. The 70% dark chocolate would have tasted better with the combination and together with the wine.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable dinner as Dany herself has been educating us about the wines and sharing her passion in this field. These wines are priced from RM180 for the white and the reds except Ch Le Bon Pasteur 2006 which is at RM500/bottle. There were some hits and misses with the menu and there is still room for improvements.

Sunrise Wines & Spirits Sdn Bhd
Tel: +6012-2154811
Fax:+603-62728288
www.rollandcollection.com