132, Jalan Kasah,
Medan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2095 0122
Business hours: Monday to Saturdays
(noon to midnight).
It was a merry evening for almost 40 guests as they were treated to a one-night-only Champagne pairing dinner at Mezze Bar & Bistro in Medan Damansara recently.
Diners sampled four exquisite champagnes from the House of Drappier, served with a sumptuous four-course dinner prepared by head chef Yves Pierre Renou.
As an added bonus, resident sommelier Sebastien Le Francois and Philippe Verrier from the House of Drappier were on hand to provide in-depth knowledge and understanding of the different types of champagne and their pairings.
Drappier is considered one of the finest boutique Champagne producers in the world and they certainly did not disappoint.
Nice combination: Drappier Carte d?Or paired with Terrine de Foie Gras Maison,served with toasted Parisienne Brioche.
As a first course, the Trio of Fin de Claire Oysters paired with a glass of Drappier Brut Nature Zero Dosage was the perfect combination of fresh oysters and wonderfully light Champagne.
According to Verrier, dosage is a sweet wine that is usually added before bottling Champagne in the traditional method. How much dosage is added determines how sweet the final product is. Before it is added, all the sugar in the original wine would have turned to alcohol, resulting in a dry Champagne.
“This particular Champagne, made from 100% pinot noir, has zero dosage and is very dry. So, it doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the oysters.
“Also, this is an interesting champagne because it has a very mild salty taste that complements the oysters,” Verrier said.
Le Francois said the lack of effervescence or bubbles in this Champagne was an indication of its high quality.
For our next course, the Drappier Carte d’Or, was well matched with chef Yves’ delicious serving of Terrine de Foie Gras Maison, served with toasted Parisienne Brioche.
Robust: The flavour of the Pan-fried DuckFillet with Caramelised Peach is enhancedby the Drappier Millesime Exception 2004.
The Champagne for this course had a slightly stronger flavour, which suited the more robust taste of the foie gras.
“This champagne is a combination of 80% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay and 5% pinot meunier grapes and has more body. There is also a slight hint of red fruit, which goes very well with the foie gras,” Verrier said.
For the main course, guests had the option of Pan-Fried Duck Fillet with Caramelised Peach or Baked Salmon Trout with Thai Mango Salsa.
Both the dishes complemented the Drappier Millesime Exception 2004 as the duck’s gamey taste and the oil of the fish brought out the richness of the bubbly.
“This particular drink is a good choice as it goes well with fish and white meat such as chicken. It is necessary because it has a huge body and so won’t get masked by the other flavours,” Verrier said.
The Drappier Millesime Exception 2004 is a combination of 65% pinot noir and 35% chardonnay.
To end our evening, we were presented with a Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake, served with creme fraiche which was paired with Drappier Brut Ros