Tasting notes from a wine dinner

Last night I attended a wonderful wine dinner at my favorite restaurant, Blue Bamboo. The executive chef, Dennis Chan and his sous chefs, Michael Kimpland, Alexander Finley and Jimmy Leung showed off their culinary skills.

We started off with Blue Cheese-Parmesan Puffs paired with Paringa Sparkling Shiraz. The puffs were light as a feather with flaky, tender pastry. They paired very well with the sparkling shiraz. I was expecting to not enjoy the shiraz, having tasted a few before that were severely lacking in flavor. Not the case with this one. It had a beautiful deep plum color with pretty pink fizz. Full-bodied with a slightly sweet finish.

Next up was Herbed Shrimp Summer Roll with Peanut Lime Sauce paired with Vina Godeval Godello. Another good pairing! Light straw in color with delicate lime and honeydew aromas. The palate was tart citrus, grapefruit or tangerine, with good acidity and a medium finish.

The main entree was a Duo of Red Roast Ham Shank and Soy Glazed Lamb paired with Le Coq Rouge. The ham was succulent and falling off the bone, and the lamb was tender and juicy! The Le Coq Rouge had an earthiness to the aroma with hints of currant and a little bit of mushroom. It had a big mouthfeel and was very dry, with flavors of truffles. Nice finish.

The dessert was a real treat. Lemon-Basil Cream "Puck" paired with Valckenberg Madonna Kabinett Riesling. Perfect pairing! The riesling was off dry with a flinty nose and a sweet/tart, fruity palate.

All in all, it was a delicious dinner that brought out the very best in each of the wines. It's no wonder Blue Bamboo is my favorite restaurant :-D