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| JC Reserve (Winemaker) Table |
| By Ravi Joshi |
| The "Longest Reserve Table" by Jacob's Creek is back! The concept that brings together 100 wine lovers to share stories around good food and quality wines. vino india had reported the immaculately organised debut event in March 2015, inspite of the unexpected thundershower that forced the table to be hosted indoors. |
| On 20 November 2015, the plan of seating a 100 guests in the nicely scaped outdoor areas at the J W Marriott (JWM) New Delhi Aerocity fructified. The second "Longest Reserve Table" was different in many ways – the main one being the presence of Ben Bryant, Chief Winemaker of Jacob’s Creek , who came to India for this event to share his stories with guests. Thus, the official invite read "Reserve Table with Ben Bryant". |
| After a series of such tables in other cities (Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Goa), the challenge was on JWM Chef Girish Krishnan to impress Ben and his guests with dishes that reflected the local character of the city while complementing the Jacob’s Creek Reserve range. Each menu was kept a secret – it was revealed only as the guests sat down. |
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Ben Bryant introducing Jacob’s Creek wines, with Isheeta Gupta (R) |
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| Isheeta Gupta, Assistant Manager - Marketing, Wines and Champagne at Pernod Ricard India was
beaming with accomplishment when she informed me that after two successful events in Bangalore and Kolkata, the New Delhi fixture was sold out and she had had to regrettably turn down further subscriptions. As I got around to meet other guests while enjoying my flute of Jacob’s Creek Pinot Chardonnay, I could indeed notice the swelling numbers.
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| Isheeta introduced me to Ben, who I understood had quite admirably worked his way up from a cellar hand in one of the local Aussie wineries to becoming the Chief Winemaker of one of the largest wine brands in the world! Ben expressed his optimism about the prospects of the "Reserve Table" in India going by the popularity of the Jacob's Creek brand in this country (according to the IWSR Report 2014, Jacob’s Creek is the largest brand of imported wine and the top selling Aussie wine brand in India). I asked him how he manages to retain the consistency of his blends, Ben told me that it was only possible due to the thoroughly standardized wine making practices that are followed at the company. |
| As we took our seats, Ankur Chawla, Director of Beverages JWM impishly indicated that I was lucky to choose a 'privileged' seat. And as I was trying to understand what he said, I saw Ben accompanied by Anthony Page, General Manager JWM, occupy the seats opposite me. When Ben clinked glasses with me across the table informing the group that it was an Aussie celebratory tradition to do so with the person seated exactly opposite you at the table, I realised that I was indeed privileged! |
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Guests at the dinner |
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| The first wine served at the table was JC Classic Chardonnay which had good acidity, tropical fruit characteristics and a creamy finish. Paired with the amuse bouche of Sweet Onion and Goat Cheese Slab with Zucchini Salsa, it was a refreshing start to the meal. |
| Next was JC Reserve Adelaide Hills Chardonnay which was understandably more complex and fuller on the palate. It had stone fruits/ citrus/honey characteristics and a lingering finish. Accompanied by Macerated Baby Asparagus and Citrus Infused Ruby Grape Fruit, it came across as a well mapped pairing.
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| The third course had the JC big boys coming. A savoury Slow Cooked Lamb Croquette with Mixed Berry Jus, Baby Jacket Potato and Salmon Caviar had a worthy partner in JC Classic Shiraz Cabernet that had spice and cedar wood accents on top of juicy red berries flavours. For vegetarians, it was Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Butternut Squash Puree and glazed Cherry Tomato that did the honours. |
| After a Lemon Basil Sorbet to reset the palate, it was JC Reserve Barossa Shiraz that came with three pairing options: |
| - Pan Seared Sea Bass with Dill Mustard Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, Saffron Butter Emulsion and Tapioca Crisp. |
| - Thyme Roasted Chicken Breast with Pickled Beetroot and Green Pea Purée, Sweet Pepper Empanada, Celeriac Fondue. |
| - Tian of Creamy Polenta with Creamy Spinach, Mushroom Ragout, Sour Cream and Cured Carrot |
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Pan Seared Sea Bass |
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| I went for the first option, and found that the apparently 'misfit' pairing (fish with red wine and green leafy vegetables) actually worked to the advantage of the full bodied robust red, courtesy the intelligent use of cooking methods and flavor combinations. Pan searing of the sea bass gave it a thick crust, while the wilted spinach was silky on the palate and the saffron butter emulsion rendered the overall ensemble voluptuous. I bet, the Barossa Shiraz would have been equally surprised to find this companion. |
| The gourmet experience was well capped with Chocolate Pave, Dehydrated Strawberry Coulis, Almond Dacquoise which was so well presented that I had second thoughts about disturbing the arrangement. But, as a courtesy to my fellow diners, I dug into the decadent dessert. |
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The dessert |
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| At Rs. 2500 (all inclusive) this Reserve Table was an excellent value proposition for wine and fine dining enthusiasts. And that the Chief Winemaker of these wines interacted freely with the guests was an added bonus that doesn't come along too often. JWM pulled off the event with élan, with their inspiring cuisine and immaculate service with clockwork precision. |
| A "Reserve" experience should demand nothing less. |
| Ravi Joshi was a guest of the JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. |
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