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WRITER, BLOGGER
AND WINE LOVER,
CURTIS MARSH SHARES
WHY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO
MAKE UP HIS MIND
WHEN IT COMES TO
A FAVOURITE WINE |
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Whenever I'm asked, "What is your favourite wine?" I reply, "The wine I haven't tried yet", emphasising that I gain the most pleasure in discovering new taste sensations.
The fact is: I have a wandering palate for food and wine, greatly influenced by my mood and by different cuisines, although inevitably, there are certain flavours, varieties and regions I enjoy more than others.
Having recently moved from Hong Kong to Singapore, we are drinking a lot more Riesling, conducive both to the warmer climate and the spicy Peranakan and Thai flavours that we are relishing. It may appear unadventurous to offer five Rieslings, but I can assure you each wine has a distinctive personality and minerality that reflect its terroir, whilst retaining core characteristics of lemon-lime and exhilarating, cleansing acidity. Presently, I am absorbed in the renaissance of Tuscany's indigenous Sangiovese grape with its intoxicating bouquet redolent of wild berries, earthy bramble patch and cedar wood, and palate-piercing sour red berries, nervy acidity and ever-present tannins, yet supremely elegant.
However, my main obsession is Pinot Nair, particularly from the New World (Australia, New Zealand and USA), and I confess to enjoying rose immensely, now that it is okay to drink pink. Notwithstanding, rose is unquestionably the most versatile, well-suited wine style for unceremonious Asian food and cormpotation in the tropical climate, Life is filling in time between meals". and as they say, a meal without wine could only be breakfast!
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DOMAINE GRAND CROS,
L`ESPRIT DE PROVENCE
ROSE 2005, FRANCE
The quintessential Grerrache-bascd rose, symholically tactile of the joie de vivre and radiant Mediterranean clilmate with its fragrant bouquet of raspberries and Wild strawberries and infused dried herbs. A lively, crisp-crunchy and tangy style
With sweet-sour raspberry fruit, accelerating with rnouthwatering freshness, squeezed lemon-juice acidity and ginger spicnces, with wild thyme and sage seasoning and bitternut twist towards a tantalising dry farewell.
Requisite versatile wine for congenial Thai, Peranakan, Penang and Straits-Chinese restaurants with communal sharing of dishes and kitchens that bombard you with dishes in illogical order. |
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GEORG BREUER,
TERRA MONTOSA RIESLING
TROCKEN 2004, RHEINGAU, GERMANY
This is my hand-to-hand combat Riesling for seriously hot curries and a countermeasure for chilli broadsides. Possiblythe most powerful, racy, profound Riesling on the planet armed with breathtaking G-force four acidity.
A new-breed German trocken style (in this case, bone dry) bursting with lime-citrus, grapefruit, apricots, hints of marmalade, Thai mint and white pepper spice.
Accelerating palate entry with laser-ed lime-lemon and tangy grapefruit, crunchy sour apples with an all encompassing mountain-stream freshness and heroic ginger-spice farewell. The essence of Riesling. |
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FONTODI, CHIANTI CLASSICO 2003,
TUSCANY, ITALY
There are limitless excellent Tuscan wines I could recommend.However, I have a soft spot for Fontodi. Plus, it is a definitive example of contemporay Chianti Classico made with 100 percent Sanngiovese.
A melange of captivating aromas: rose petal, black cherry, violets, aniseed, sage, earthy morel mushrooms, cedar wood, coffee grinds, salty Parmesan cheese and iron-flinty minerals.
Sour red berry fruits becoming rich in black cherry opulence and texture, grilled meats, ever-present fine-grained, mouth-drying savoury tannins with balsawood-dry timber nuances finishing with tangy acidity. Fabulous paired with Teochew braised duck. |
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MOUNT HORROCKS,
WATERVALE RIESLING 2006,
CLARE VALLEY, AUSTRALIA
Mount Horrocks is red-hot and enjoying a cult following globally. It's listed in top restaurants from FatDuck, Berkshire to Tetsuya's, Sydney.
It even gets the royal nod -its Cordon Cut Riesling was served at Queen Elizabeth II's official 80th birthday luncheon. Irresistibly perfumed with orange blossom and cut apple. Mouth watering lime and pears, fleshyand intense, yet bright and crisp with chalky minerality and a lingering ginger spiciness.
My consummate aperitif wine and a much smarter option than Champagne, it also carries through nicely with the first course of tangy Thai starters. |
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The Wandering Palate, All Rights Reserved.
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