The Event was a deviation from our usual informal dinners where we have 5-course meals of diverse cuisines and we make serious attempt to do the food and wine paring for each outing. Since this was a casual event, we had decided to lay out a buffet spread and individual pairing was neither possible nor called for.
Keeping the New Year spirit and the sunny afternoon we had selected the fresh, crisp and highly aromatic Pinot Grigio which went very well with the falafels and salads. The Chardonnay, made in the New World style also made the salads and pizza slices stand out. The smoked chicken was a worthy match for the slightly oaky wine.
Felix Turianskyj, the ex-pat Chef from 8250 frequent flier miles away from his hometown in Montreal really showed off his passion for food and culinary skills and his French-Canadian panache in each of the dishes he had prepared. There have not been many occasions in the past when the members have been roaring praises about even the salads, four –in-a-platter, each crisp and crunchy with a distinct flavour of its own. We like to think that the Grigio had also a role to play in the orchestra.
One of the notables was that the Chef had done it all with such ease and a matter-of-factly manner he carried himself, truly showed his passion for cooking. The way he went around meeting guests and exchanging views surely made him forty new friends. I know most people felt they had found a new friend in him.
The only spoilsport was the Metro and the ongoing construction. The fumes, smell of tar and the diesel, the jarring sound of machinery was not the flavour we wanted added to our food and wines and we cancelled our initial plan of sitting and eating outside in the sun. A timely decision to shift the food inside saved us from getting the special flavours and aromas.
A special mention must be made of the service. If their waiting staff is diligent and customer-oriented as at this do, Q'BA has licked the problem of service quality nagging many a restaurateur. The waiters were polite, efficient and appeared sincere and enjoying the afternoon as well we were. Also the bonhomie being shared by our younger members and their guests was infectious. Yet another example of what we are trying to set, that wine is not about snobbery, wine is not about enjoyment for the older people only, it is a fun lifestyle, something that can be enjoyed by any age group- its being healthy is only a bonus.
Q'BA written in a unique style puzzles an average visitor and reminds one of Cuba as the Denominazione Di Origine. But in wine terms QbA stands for Qualitaetswein bestimmter (bay- shtim-ter ) Anbaugebiete ( Un - baou-gay-bee-tay ). This defines a quality of wine (flanked by the landswein and QmP ) in German wines and is roughly the equivalent of AOC in French wines. I am sure our German friends and members Andrea and Eckbert Wittke, who came all the way from Gurgaon and went back with wide smiles, would award Q'BA a QbA rating. And we'd agree!
Subhash Arora
President
3 January 2005
*Tasting Notes of wines served
Moletto Pinot Grigio DOC Piave 2002: Colour: Straw yellow, with copper overtones. Bouquet: intense, well rounded with a delicate scent of wild flowers. Flavour: dry, fresh, citric, and full of character.
Valdivieso Chardonnay 2003:
Nice crystal and shining yellow colour with yellow green reflects. It has a fresh and clean aroma with yellow fruits , banana , melon and citric notes. It is a refreshing wine with good consistency and long -lasting ripe citric flavours. Served with sea food or chicken.
Valdivieso Syrah Reserve 2002: Deep red ruby colour with violet reflects. Intense nose of black fruits, cherries, plums, toasted wood and vanilla aromas, with floral hints. Its firm and ripe tannins provide a good structure giving a round a filling palate. Long and pleasant finish. Serve with red meats, spicy foods, and ripe cheese.
Valdivieso Merlot 2001: Red ruby colour and red violet reflects. It is a wine with red fruit aromas and cassis underlined by woody notes well integrated with the fruits. Nice and soft. Very fruity and well balanced. Serve with pork or lamb.
