Where fine wines meet italian cooking | Bangkok Post: food

The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, in association with FIN (Fabulous Is Needed) wine company, will host the 100th Wine Dinner at the hotel's Rossini's Italian fine dining restaurant on June 24.

Venison tenderloin with cherry sauce and celery root.

For more than a decade, the award-winning Rossini's has hosted monthly gourmet wine dinners that have championed some of the world's greatest chefs. Each culinary event presents discerning diners with an exquisite menu of refined Italian cuisine specially created to complement a selection of fine wines.

To mark the restaurant's 100th Wine Dinner, Italian chef Stefano Merlo will prepare a five-course gourmet menu to match a selection of fine wines from mountain vineyards in France, Germany, and Italy, selected by Benjawan Wisootsat, FIN's director.

The wine dinner will begin at 7pm with canapes served with Cremant de Limoux AC, Bernard Delmas, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, a delightful organic sparkling wine made from the traditional Blanquette blend of 80% Mauzac and 20% Chardonnay, which delivers a heady grape aroma and a fabulous nutty flavour.

Chef Stefano's first course will be a delicious seared scallop _ Rossini's style _ which will be paired with Meersburger Bengel Spatburgunder Weissherbst QbA, Baden, 2008 from Germany.

The second course, steamed Baccala with fennel and vanilla, will be accompanied by Terlaner Sauvignon DOC "Lehenhof", Alois Lageder, 2006 from Italy _ a bright acid wine with aromas of dried apricot and apple with hints of pear _ that was awarded 88 points by Wine Spectator magazine.

Next to follow will be a beetroot gnocchi and gorgonzola cheese fondue matched with the Italian Dolcetto d'Alba DOC "Tre Vigne", Vietti, Piedmont, 2007, a full-bodied jammy wine with fruit-forward flavours of crushed raspberries and blackberries.

The fourth course will be a succulent venison tenderloin with cherry sauce and celery root paired with Bandol Rouge, Domaine de Terrebrune, 2006 from France. A blend of mourvedre, grenache and cinsault grapes, this wine displays flavours of dark plum, mineral and dried raspberry with a subtle finish of white pepper and truffle. Distinctive, balanced and full of character, it is the perfect choice to accompany venison.

For dessert, traditional Venetian polenta cake with tonka bean ice cream will be served with Rigoletto "Santa Christina" IGT, Zenato, Veneto, 2006 from Italy. A remarkably complex wine with an aroma of ripe fruit, preserves, and scents of honey and vanilla, which deliver majestic richness with notes of sun-dried fruit. After this luscious dessert, coffee or tea and traditional biscotti will be served to end the evening in true happy Italian style.

- Pamela Tan

The 100th Wine Dinner is 3,600 baht per person. Call 02-649-8364 or email dining.sgs@luxurycollection.com or visit www.eatdrinkandmore.com/bangkok.