PAIRING WITH CONFIDENCE

There is no doubt that personally I am a big fan of all of the restaurants housed inside the Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. For someone who loves the vintage part of the city, the location is superb for the fact that the hotel is surrounded by old architecture built in the last century. Hidden beside one of the corridors on the sixth floor of Sofitel Macau is Privé, a restaurant on the top of my list when I feel like having a mini romantic getaway. The sight of Alameda Ribeiro, with warm lights flickering from the homes of neighboring residences makes the view from the restaurant even cozier, and there is one more wonderful element worth mentioning about the place – the selection of wines at Privé is really amazing.
In my opinion, wine connoisseurs are not people who buy the most expensive bottles they can get their hands on. They are individuals who focus on value for money, taking pleasure in tasting different types of wine and discovering what’s right for them. Cory Winter, Regional Director of Food and Beverages for Sofitel Greater China and Director of Food and Beverages for Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 is indeed one of these personalities. He likes to travel to vineyards around the world during his free time. Extremely knowledgeable, he is also in charge of bringing exceptional wines of great value to diners at Sofitel Macau.
“Cory, I had a bottle of 2011 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pionot Noir at Privé and I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality and the great value,” I say.
“I am a big fan of the new world wine. We have a lot of French wines on the list because we are a French brand, but I also try to put some interesting new world wines on there,” he explains.
2011 was the coolest growing season on record in Northern California, where the Robert Mondavi Winery is located. Grapes ripened slowly and evenly throughout the growing season and the fluctuating temperatures led to a long growing season that, combined with the cooling breezes on the Central Coast, resulted in fruit with ripe flavors. The soft, round, and rich texture with vibrant fruit flavors and strawberry aromas are the reasons behind why I like to pair the bottle with red meat, prepared by the talented Chef Vincent Rouille at Privé.
“Now that I have told you about my favorite wine on your wine list, can you pick a white wine for us to try?” I ask.
Immediately, Cory presents the Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc 2012 to me with enthusiasm. After a sip, I can see that the elegant wine with fresh acidity and aromas of white flowers, jasmine, nectarine and lime can go very well with seafood. It is a great bottle to drink on its own without food also.
“The trend now is to pair Chinese food with wine, and that’s exactly what we are trying to promote at Le Chinois, our signature Chinese restaurant which overlooks the Macau inner harbor. Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc 2012 is very easy to drink, and has become very popular with our diners. With the complexities of Chinese cuisine, of having dishes with the very spicy tastes of the Northern delights to the subtle flavors of Cantonese flair, we really have to pair carefully, and I am confident that we have the abilities to do so here at Sofitel Macau,” he indicates.
“Well, I am already impressed. You are correct indeed,” I reply.