Chablis & Barolo with Marika Vida
What would you serve with a meal that includes scallops, scampi, and Binchotan strip other than Chablis and Barolo?
Sommelier Marika Vida has worked her magic again, uniting Christian Moreau of Domaine Moreau in Chablis with Valentina Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo to produce a fabulous wine pairing dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel in Times Square.
The October 19 event kicked off with a Chablis reception, with the charismatic Mr. Moreau and lovely Valentina Abbona greeting each guest individually.
Guests began the meal with Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru 2022 with the scallops. Mr. Moreau took the figurative stage and explained the history of his domaine.
Servers brought the next dish of prawns paired with Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru, 2020, a very rare, delicious wine that paired perfectly with the dish.
Valentina Abbona and her mother, Anna, introduced their Barolo estate, Marchesi Di Barolo. Then they spoke about their two wines to accompany the Binchotan strip, the Marchesi Di Barolo Coste di Rose 2016 and the Barolo di Barolo 2014.
Both wines paired well with the main dish of Binchotan strip. Yet each wine offered a unique aroma and flavor profile. The Barolo di Barolo was a powerful wine, with assertive tannins, while the Coste di Rose was slightly more floral and delicate.
Winemakers Speak
For the cheese course, the ladies served a delicious Barolo Chinato, a lovely slightly sweet wine infused with bitter herbs.
During their presentation, Valentina and Anna explained that the family lives above the winery and they have been making wine for generations. The town of Barolo is surprisingly small, only 600 people, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else – very similar to Mr. Moreau’s Chablis.
Valentina joked that Chablis and Barolo are just across the Alps from one another so the two winemakers can meet on a ski trip.
Winemaker Dinner
Marika Vida, a sommelier by training, could be a television talk show host with her charm and vivacity. Yet unlike a TV show host whose only responsibility on stage, Ms. Vida also has the responsibility of finding a great venue, the perfect winemakers, a cutting-edge chef to help pair the wine with cuisine, and also guests thirsty for wine knowledge.
The guests last night’s events were wine lovers on Marika Vida’s VIP list, guests who have followed her sommelier series events more recently held at the Ritz Carlon hotel. Many of the guests last night had met Mr. Moreau or the Abbona family at their estates.
Chatting with the Winemakers
It was great to have a personal dialogue with the winemakers. Both Mr. Moreau and Ms. Abbona stopped by the tables to chat with guests and answer questions.
Later in the evening, Marika Vida introduced the Hard Rock Hotel’s executive chef Oscar Gonzalez. The guests greeted Chef Gonzalez with enthusiasm, eagerly asking questions about the sauces especially the verju served with the Binchotan strip and the cauliflower, basil, and lemon sauce served with the scallops.
“I’m a foodie!” said one man, waving his hand and rushing to have a personal conversation with Mr. Gonzalez about his approach to cuisine. Both Ms. Vida and Chef Gonzalez explained that the restaurant, physically attached to the Hard Rock Hotel when it first opened, is now an event space. A beautiful event space, with mirrored columns and a clubby upscale steakhouse ambiance.
Winning Combination
The winning combination of top tier wines, personal stories of the celebrity winemakers, and Ms. Vida’s warm hospitality made this an evening to remember.
