Meat and wine meet in a prime location for pairing dinners

[Photo by Donna Mah/For China Daily]

The duck breast and foie gras combination is very rich, and even with the tannins from the wine for balance, perhaps serving the duck breast alone with this wine would have come off better.

The Bin 138 Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre 2009 is made from vines that are 40 to 110 years old and is minerally with dark chocolate and star anise aromas. With underlying spicy notes, this is a popular blend for lamb dishes. The wine was paired with a very tender and juicy Australian lamb loin with garlic tomato, fresh-made saffron fettuccine and rosemary jus.

The next match is considered the highlight of the menu with Australian 200-day grain-fed Black Angus ribeye with asparagus and truffle mashed potato served with St. Henri Shiraz 2009. This wine was first commercially released in 1957 and has a devoted following. The premium marbled beef and the bold wine made for a balanced and flavorful combination.

Dessert was a beautiful poached pear with creme brulee inside the pear topped with meringue and mixed berries. Served with a semi-dry Autumn Hill Riesling 2012 with fresh lemon curd and lime aromas, the wine and dessert were both light and lovely.