HOT Magazine April 15, 2015 | Page 18

Anantara Wine Dinner O n Thursday evening March 12th, Anantara Hua Hin’s Executive Chef Hans Peter Held worked his magic once again presenting a special dinner menu paired with wines from Italy. The exceptional evening started with cocktails and appetizers at the Anantara’s Sala Siam Bar where guests conversed whilst listening to live smooth jazz. After cocktail hour everyone moved down to the Bill Bensley designed Baan Thalia Italian restaurant where plenty of wine glasses were waiting at everyone’s table. Chef Held started his epicurean delight with Salad of Duck Confit, which was paired with a 2010 vintage Dolcetto D’alba Superiore, a mediumbodied red, bursting with aromas of ripe red berries. Next to enchant was a deepfried risotto served over a tomato basil mousse along with a BARBERA D’ALBA Superiore “Bricco Airoli”, Piedmont, Italy, 2010. Barbera is a dark-skinned wine grape variety found in several Italian wine regions, including its native Piedmont. Several important wine critics have rated this Barbera d’Alba wine highly: Wine Spectator gave the 2010 vintage a score of 90. Next out of the Chef’s kitchen was a Bollito Misto which consisted of slow cooked pork, beef, chicken and sausage with a smoked herb infusion, mostarda and salsa verde form. Poured was a Nebbiolo, 18 Apr 15 - May 15 , 2015 Langhe, Italy, 2010, described as a clear, bright, purple-red with aromas fragrant and wide open, exalting the fruit of the wine. The main entrée of the evening was a Roasted Lamb Cutlet in bread crust on garlic mousse, grilled vegetable and lamb juice. This dish was paired with a BAROLO “Buon Padre”, Piedmont, Italy, 2007, a light ruby red wine with a bouquet of spices, dried fruit and wild flowers. With the courses devoured and the entrée consumed, along with many emptied glasses, Chef Held served a Cheese Soufflé with onion jam and grilled pear on honey thyme sabayon for desert. The final wine chosen for the evening was a BAROLO RISERVA “La Volta”, Piedmont, 2006, a limited-production Barolo Riserva produced only in the best vintages from the estateowned La Volta vineyard. A big wine with elegant notes of preserved fruit accentuated by aromas of spices, underbrush, and licorice. The Anantara offers only a few wine dinners throughout the year and when they do they quickly sell-out. If you are an aficionado of great food and fine wine you’ll be remised if you don’t add yourself to the reservation list at your next opportunity.