Place : Tutto Bello Restaurant
Taipei, Taiwan
Wine list
1982 Krug
1949 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux
1995 Marcassin Lorenzo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
1955 Borgogno ‘Barolo Riserva’
1955 Clos de Tart Mommesin
1959 Chateau Margaux
1981 Chateau Coutet Cuvee Madame
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Menu
Roasted Jumbo Shrimp, Duck Gizzard Confit and Spring Mix Baby Greens in Mediterranean Sauce
Pan-fried Goose liver with Prune Puree and Marsala Wine Reduction, Rice Shape Pasta with Mushroom and Asparagus
Fish and Clam Consomme with Leek Julienne, Porcini Mushroom and Alba Truffle
Homemade Tagliatelle with Smoked Quail Leg on top and Gorgonzola Eccenllenza and Mushroom Ragout
Roasted Spring Chicken with thyme with Tomato with Rice Shape Pasta in Green Sauce “Wasabi?” filling
Mango Pudding with Banana and Vanilla Sauce, Fresh Strawberry covered in Honey and Espresso Ice Cream in Truffle Honey
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As one of the guests said at the end of the function, this meal was beyond expectation.I agree totally. And the expectation wasn’t low to start with! My toast to the organizer “Superman”
This was a very special event, so special that there was great amount of debate on the web weeks before the function taking place. But the verdict is here: all wines on the list were almost in perfect condition and the meal was amazing.
Krug 1982 started the event with a bang. This wine had beautiful straw yellow with fine bubbles, pleasant complex nose with the first impression of very ripen Melon and biscuit-like aroma. Rich and full-body. Impressive! Marcassin 1995 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast was then served in blind-tasting method. This wine had deep yellow colour, concentrated butterscotch like aroma and powerful taste. It reminded me of a very well made Premier Cru Meursault. Who could have thought that this is a Californian Chardonnay! While contemplating what blind-tasting wine was the freshly-made salad was served. Shrimp as usual was well-prepared but duck gizzard surprised me. I am not keen on eating animal insides but I found duck gizzard with Mediterranean Sauce excellent. Soon after Fois Gras was served. Fois Gras was very well prepared, slight browning on the outside but very tender on the inside. Dark brown Prune and Marsala sauce balanced the rich taste of it and added oriental flavors to it. Bravo! 1981 Coutet Madame Cuvee followed to match with Fois Gras. This wine had beautiful golden colour, dense apricot and honey aroma and long after taste. At this stage I realized that no more food-and-wine match for the rest of the evening, because every wine was a dish itself and the combination had become too complicate to enjoy.
Then all remaining wines were served at once. 1949 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux also had bright deep yellow colour and exotic fruit aroma but was more rounded. Excellent acidity and mouth-feel. It was difficult to image that this wine was over 50 years old already! 1955 Borgogno ‘Barolo Riserva” had brown colour and some sort of Chinese Herb Medicine like Ginseng aroma. Although I have not tasted many old Barolos before but more experienced "Senbai" told me that this wine had the taste and aroma of a well-aged Barolo. But I was amazed by the condition (in a good way of course) of 1955 Clos de Tart Mommesin and 1959 Chateau Margaux. 1959 Margaux had the dark purple colour just like a young Bordeaux, although the bouquet didn't open unil the end, it didn't affect this wine's wonderful taste in the mouth. 1955 Clos de Tart had a well-made young Grand Cru-like fresh concentrated berry bouquet and silky tannin. Wonderful entry and no sign of aging. Unbelievable!
Soon after Fish and Clam consommé was served with Truffle Alba (Finely chopped Truffle powder on a piece of thinly sliced baked bread). The consommé was light yet complex in tastes and the truffle alba brought additional flavor to the dish. However if the consommé didn’t have Fresh Porcini Mushroom and Fish solid in it this dish would have been perfect. As usual the home made Tagliatelle and Smoked Quail leg were excellently done。Some people even cracked a few jokes around the size and the appearance of the “quail leg". I had the Roasted Spring Chicken in place of duck fillet. The Spring chicken was very well prepared and the meat was juicy and tender.
As most of us were well-fed by now, the presentation of dessert was just simply too difficult to resist. A “spoon”ful of fruit salad and strawberry wrapped in honey, yellow mango pudding with brownish banana and vanilla sauce pouring over it and brown espresso ice cream with Truffle honey on top of a Danish Delight. Mango pudding was brilliant and the banana and vanilla sauce matched well with the pudding and added extra flavors to it. Espresso Ice-Cream was also good but the truffle honey on top filled the mouth with delicious truffle taste and lingered on for quite a long time. It was a great way to end a meal!
To be part of an event like this we often expect more and receive less. And with old vintage wines you hope for the best but expect the worst. This meal exceeded our expectation and wines were in the best condition one could have hoped. It requires an “Abnormal” person to achieve such task.
Maybe a “Superman”.
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