Villa Maria Star Grazing
On the occasion of Arbitrageur’s inclusion in Cuisine Magazine’s 2011 Top 50 New Zealand restaurants - http://cuisinerestaurantoftheyear.co.nz/ - Chef and Owner Chris Green has created a food and wine match of some brilliance (see menu in prior blog entry).
Until July 16, Arbi runs some wonderful Villa Maria wines with a 4-dish menu of deceptive simplicity that challenges the wines without riding roughshod.
Our wine man Steven Wong made the following comments on each dish:
On the ‘apéro’
A refreshing aperitif match, salty but clean, tart but soft: allows anchovies & almonds to shine
On ‘l’entrée’
A tense, balanced match: acidity, alcohol, sugar, each keeping eachother in check. Two veins: mineral & orange blossom
On ‘le main’
Dark intense flavour of wine enhances gamey spike of duck & sweetness of root veg makes wine fruitier whilst bringing out the food’s savoury complexities
On ‘le dessert’
Full fruit of the dish - coupled with caramelized sugars stays perfectly with the fullness of the late harvest
At $75.00 per person, this food and wine experience is of excellent value and high adventure
