H.E Andres Barbe Gonsalez
It’s only been a month and a half since I met this lovely
bunch of people and the roller coaster ride continues. The group is now
officially called “The writer’s
collective- India” ( TWCI), and at the helm of affairs we have Avininder
singh Ji aka the Foodie Surdie. Adding another feather in the cap was the
invite to the Chilean Wine and food
festival hosted by Pro Chile (Chilean
promotion bureau) and the embassy of Chile at the Lalit Intercontinental, Delhi.We were invited courtesy Prestige wines who were showcasing
their newly acquired brand Miguel Toress’
Santa Digna.
I entered the grand crystal ball room of the Lalit, the
ceilings of which are adorned by gigantic magnificent crystal chandeliers. The
crowd was a pleasant mix of people from different walks of life which included
media reps, the diplomatic junta, wine connoisseurs, food bloggers amongst others.
The layout of the venue was conveniently demarcated into wine and dine section. The
wine section featured major Chilean wines .This was the fifth version of this
festival and was being hosted by Lalit for the third consecutive year. His
excellency Andres Barbe Gonsalez,
the newly appointed Chilean ambassador to India inaugurated the festival.
Chile with its diverse topography, ethnicity and climates
has always fascinated me. It is the land of Pablo Neruda, one of the greatest
poets to have ever lived on this planet. Currently one of the most prosperous
nations of South America, Chile has come a long way. It’s ranked the 7th
highest worldwide in terms of economic freedom and leads in the South American
continent. Another remarkable feat achieved by this nation was replacing
Australia and becoming the 4th biggest exporter of wine in the
world.
With 14 wine regions, Mediterranean climate, mineral rich
soil and the proximity to melting snow from Andes, this country is a wine
maker’s paradise and the 9th largest producer of wine in the world. Although
the country’s long viticulture history began in the 16th century
when it was a Spanish colony, it has also been influenced by French winemaking.
Luckily for us we got to savour a variety of these exquisite wines at the
festival. Most major exporters of Chilean wines registered their presence and
provided sampling of their products. There was ConoSur which is the 2nd largest brand worldwide, 5th
largest producer of pinot noir and
the largest exporter of wine out of Chile, and is being distributed in India by
Sula Vineyards. They also had the
most beautiful counter at the event with rose petals strewn all over and
beautiful red candles. High Spirits brought
the Chilean wine Anaken. Prestige wines and spirits were tasting
wine Miguel Torres Santa digna. It
was the debut of Nature’s bounty wines with
their newly acquired brand Balduzzi
wines. Agnetta International
served different varieties of their premium wines from Valdivieso. Brindco sales
Limited were tasting their wine Montes
Reserva while Hema Connoisseur
collection were tasting Wine
Emiliana.
Now let’s move on to another interesting facet of the
evening- FOOD.
Chile’s multi-ethnicity has profoundly influenced and
contributed to its cuisine. Its long coastline and proximity to the Pacific
Ocean provides a huge array of seafood .The topographical variations coupled
with a temperate climate also bless the country with a huge variety of fruits
and vegetables.
We got to savour some of these high quality gourmet
products, which paired well with the wines, at the event. The evening witnessed
the launch of an exclusive variety of Salmon
Trout, which is a kind of fish from the Pacific Salmon Family. The starters
were superlative. My personal favourites being the Goat cheese tarts with caramelised onions and Cheese mousse with kiwi. The main course showcased a plethora of
meat dishes which were ravaged happily by my friends. There were New Zealand lamb chops, pork chops and
the pink salmon. The spread was a
complete delight. I would also like to acknowledge the effort made to
incorporate vegetarian dishes in the menu. It was truly a commendable.
Here are a few recommendations from my charming companion
for the evening and wine expert, Somnath Chatterjee-
1. Sula wines- Cono sur wines- Their chardonnay
and cabernet sauvignon white wines went well with the sea food (prawns, salmon,
canapes)
2. Brindco wines- Montes Pinot Noir
limited selection- The red wine perfectly blended with lamb chops and
pork
3. Miguel Torres wines- Torres
Corillera- Their chardonnay- white wine tasted the best with salmon and sea
food
4. High spirits- Anakena Vineyards-
Sryah rose wine- best of the lot (this one was a favourite with most members of
my team), paired well with the smoked turkey
The evening lived up to my expectation with exquisite wines,
delicately flavoured food, and some great company. Thank You Avininder
ji for making me a part of writer’s collective and enriching my life
with such cherished experiences.
I love to attend food festivals, you know I am a great food lover and I also love to cook delicious Thai cuisine. Last year when I had went to see NYC events I tried Spanish and Thai food there. Unique taste, and superb presentation.
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