“How many of you have tried an Australian Chardonnay? Well, this is the complete opposite end of the spectrum from that,” began Dan Shorrocks, Mark Anthony Brands’ Ontario Trade Development Manager. This taunting introduction to Burgundy’s Maison Louis Latour’s Chablis set a playful tone for the evening’s good food and great wine dinner at the Four Seasons Yew Restaurant, and made for a gentle kickoff to this year’s Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.
Shorrocks, along with Portfolio Manager, Colin Pitkin, got the call late Sunday night to step in as the dinner’s host for International Export Director, Mark Allen, who like many winery principals, was grounded beneath the volcano ash-dotted skies of the Continent. Warmly rounding out the trio of gracious hosts was Mission Hill’s Aimee Johnson.
Four Seasons Executive Chef, Oliver Becket, hit the mark with the evening’s highlight pairing of a moist halibut fillet with fresh morels, sweet peas and lobster froth served with the buttery and balanced high end 2006 Corton Charlemagne Chardonnay. Not to be outdone by a white varietal, the Maison Latour presented us with a special surprise course of their 2007 Gevrey Chambertin, full of dark cassis and white pepper notes, which accompanied a rich Carnaroli rice and beef cheek risotto.
