Marques de Casa Concha: One Wine, Six Different Pairings

The award winning wine label Marques de Casa Concha has came up with a new pairing programme that showcases their wine with food from six leading Singaporean restaurants

CONTENT: Yiew Kai Jie

For over 40 years, the award-winning wine label Marques de Casa Concha has been a outstanding representation of Chile’s vast winemaking diversity. Each of their wines brings about a unique and complex flavour profile to the table. Looking to place its stake with Singapore’s equally-diverse culinary scene, Marques de Casa Concha has launched a holistic wine and dine pairing programme called “The Perfect Marques Match”.

Chefs from six different restaurants have been challenged to whip up dishes which will be paired seamlessly with their favourite Marques de Casa Concha wines. Catering to all palates for any occasion, the pairing programme spans a wide range from casual to upscale restaurants. The list comprises of Dusk Restaurant, Flutes at The National Museum, News & Gossip, Praelum, Salt Tapas & Bar and Salt Grill & Sky Bar.

Each outlet offers a unique identity, experience and view for customers when they head down to dine at the respective outlets. From unbeatable views of the city skyline and Sentosa Island, to a location steeped in cultural heritage, The Perfect Marques Match introduces a gourmet pairing experience of fine wines and thoughtfully conceptualised menus.

Dusk Restaurant
Kick off the dining experience with a majestic view of the city skyline and an appetizer, the Tiger Prawn Capellini, where angel hair pasta is sautéed then tossed around in aromatic lobster-infused oil and served with a tiger king prawn and paired with the 2016 Marques de Casa Concha Pinot Noir– a sweet tasting wine that smells of plums, dark berries, strawberries and a tinge of liquorice that results in a very light and fruity finish. The pasta was cooked to an al dente texture and reminded me of a hard texture noodle- akin to mee kia or bee hoon noodles that can be found at a local hawker store. The scent of the prawn is extremely striking and permeates through the whole dish. As the dish is rather salty, the wine helps to transform the palette and finishes with a sweet aftertaste that relieves the palette from the abrasive saltiness.

For the mains, guests can opt for the Norwegian Salmon Fillet; pan-seared salmon fillet with butternut pumpkin and confit of tomato on a bed of mousseline potato drizzled with hazelnut chicken jus and a glass of Carmenere 2015, or the Beef Cheek with Port Wine Demi Glaze; slow cooked beef cheek in port wine reduction with sautéed vegetables and Idaho mashed potatoes, paired with Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2016. Dessert is then served in the form of Vino Rosso Granite; Chilean Carmenere sorbet with fresh wild berries.

The three-course pairing menu will be available for $75++ until the end of the year.

Flutes
Since opening its doors in the heart of one of Singapore’s most prominent buildings 14 years ago, Flutes has brought fresh and exciting new flavours to the menu, layered with a contemporary twist, and has applied this signature touch to the pairing programme. The five-course tasting menu features a different Marques de Casa Concha wine paired with each dish.

The menu starts off with the Port Augusta Bluefin Tuna paired with the Marques de Casa Concha Sauvignon Blanc 2015 was chosen to enhance the taste of the protein in this dish. Next, the Blue Ridge Marron which includes a freshwater crayfish from western Australia being topped off with truffle hollandaise, asparagus and Parmesan Fregola paired with the Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016. A rather light balance of cheese and truffle awaits the first bite, while the richness of the truffle is pierced through by the acidity of the wine, leaving a fruity and mild smoky aftertaste that balances the taste of the crayfish. The Chardonnay itself has a slight smoky scent and does not have a harsh alcoholic smell that will overpower the nose.

The menu then couples the 2015 Marques de Casa Concha Pinot Noir with Fillet of Grass Whiting; Fricassee of Spring Vegetables, while the Grilled Blackmore Wagyu Tri Tip with Jerusalem Artichoke, Kalettes and Sauce Périgord and Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 combine to form a classic beef and wine pairing.

Cap off the menu with the distinct flavours of the Valrhona Chocolate Cake, with vanilla ice cream and raspberry, are accentuated by the Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2015. Guests also get a choice between tea or coffee at the end of the menu.

The five-course food and wine pairing menu is priced at $160++ per person, $85++ without the wine pairing and will be available until the end of October 2018.

News & Gossip
A café by day, bar by night, News & Gossip is no stranger to complementing their rustic lunch and fusion tapas menu with versatile beverages.

Offering guests a taste of the unusual, the Jurassic Pasta gets its name from the exotic crocodile meat served in the dish, with the Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016 capping off the pairing. The crocodile meat has a texture that is almost similar to the flakiness of fish and a slight dryness that is akin to pork that has a slight herbal taste to it. The wine helps to compliment and amplify the taste of the pasta and protein with its crisp acidity.

Should the crocodile meat prove to be too extreme, the more conventional, but still contemporary option is the Shisamo Mentai & Egg Quesadilla, which has been paired with the Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2015.

Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016 and Carmenere 2015 are each available at $12.50 per glass and $75 per bottle. The tapas menu will be individually priced. The Perfect Marques Match will run until the end of October 2018.

Praelum
The Perfect Marques Match at Praelum has been split into three phases. Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 kicks off the first phase Convention, by accompanying Braised beef cheeks, root vegetables, forest mushrooms and mash. Progression brings guests to a dish of squid, grilled vegetables and saffron-cream, paired with Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016. The final phase, Evolution, wraps up the experience with charred lamb, harissa spice and mint yoghurt coupled with Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2016.

The full pairing menu is available until the end of October 2018 for $147, with each pairing item available for order separately. A tasting flight of 3 Marques de Casa Concha wines are available at $35. (75ml each)

Salt Grill & Sky Bar
The full six-course pairing menu at Salt Sky & Grill Bar consists of three pairing items for The Perfect Marques Match. Three vintages from 2016 have been chosen to complement the three special dishes put forth by their chef.

The menu begins with Whipped truffle burrata with pangrattato, leek, fig, tomato, olive, basil and aged balsamic is further accentuated by the Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay, while the Marques de Casa Concha Pinot Noir enhances the Roasted shark bay brown tiger prawns with seaweed beurre noisette, garlic cream and charred lime.

Rounding up the trio is another tribute to the century-old pairing of beef and wine, where the Westholme Wagyu with Manjimup truffle, smoked celeriac, garlic flower and natural jus meets the Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine itself has a very strong fruity taste, heavy tannins and is extremely rich yet creamy in its aftertaste. Being a heavy-bodied wine, the wine will help to enhance the taste of the beef and help finish the palette on a creamy yet smoky note.

The full six-course menu is available until the end of October and costs $258++.

Salt Tapas & Bar
Bringing an Australian twist to a traditional tapas bar, Salt Tapas & Bar has put forth their Wine Carafe of Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016 and Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2015 to pair with their tapas menu until the end of October.

The daily specials available at Salt Tapas & Bar include Fine de Claire Oysters, Warm Abalone with Nam Jim, Cucumber and Hazelnuts, as well as Smoked Chilli Wagyu short ribs with caramelized shallot, dried tomato and horseradish.

Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2016 and Syrah 2015 are each available at $35++ per 375ML glass, $48++ per 500ML glass and $70++ per bottle. The tapas menu is individually priced. These prices are available until the end of October 2018.