Moscatel

[Chef Metcalf]

I don't post in this forum that often, but wondered if I could ask some questions of those with far more knowledge than I.

We have paired all the wines to courses for a clients dinner party and have chosen a Moscatel Douro Reserva to go with the dessert course (which is a limoncello tiramisu).

Actually, a sommelier friend helped me out as $100.00 per bottle isn't really my area of expertise (although I wish it were).

The dessert was a tricky one.

In summer I serve it with chilled limoncello, but it's too cold for that now I think.

So, we have chosen the Moscatel Douro Reserva.

What do you think of this as a pairing with the limoncello tiramisu?

Should we serve a two ounce pour in a wine glass or liquer glass?

Serve it chilled, slightly chilled or room temperature?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just for fun, here is the menu for the night.

Passed Appetizers...

Caramelized Onion and Cambozola Crostini

Prawn and Scallop filled Mushroom Crowns

Appetizers both with Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut

Amuse Bouche...

Lobster Bisque drizzled with Lobster Oil

Chassagne Montrachet

First Course...

Prawn Martini

Kaffir Lime Marinated Prawns with Papaya Mango Red Onion and Cilantro Salsa

Chassagne Montrachet

Main Course...

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Demi and Butter Poached Lobster wtih Celeriac Puree and Assorted Organic Vegetables

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Dessert

Limoncello Tiramisu

Moscatel Douro Reserva

What do you think of the wines we have paired to the courses?

Although the wine is ordered, I would love some input, good or bad.

PS....We did not suggest the Champagne, clients favourite.

Thanks for any suggestions or critiquing that you may want to offer.

cm

(edited because I forgot the amuse)

Edited January 28, 2005 by Chef Metcalf (log)

[Brad Ballinger]

Well, according to the Quinto do Portal web site, they had this to say about their 1996 Moscatel Douro Reserva. . .

In the creation of this excellent dessert wine we had in consideration the unique characteristics that the barrel ageing offers to the fortified wines of the Douro. The result was a wine with great complexity, but still very elegant,that develloped a panoply of nobel aromas very charachteristic of the Moscatel Galego variety. It should be served between 15º-17ºC with your favourite sweet desserts.

The wine is fortified, meaning fementation was stopped (to retain some sugar) and alcohol (frequently brandy or other grape alcohol) was added. This particular wine is at 18% alcohol. I would pour as much as you would a glass of port, about 2-2.5 ounces. The good thing about the muscat (moscatel) grape is that it has a strong fruity profile. So the high-tone fruit and the high alcohol will make a little go a long way.

One rule of thumb with dessert wines is that the wine should be as sweet as or sweeter than the food. Not everyone ascribes to that rule, though. The theory behind the rule is that if the food is far sweeter than the wine, the wine will taste more acidic/astringent than one might expect or want it to.

Please post back on how you thought the wine and dessert paired.

Since you asked, I would do two things differently (I know the wines are ordered already, but you did ask). I would not pair a Chassagne-Montrachet with the prawn martini. For my taste, that dish screams for riesling. Nor would I do the fortiied moscatel with dessert. I'd stick with the grape, but do something more like a Moscato d'Asti or a young Moscato Passito. The dessert sounds a bit light for the wine chosen for you, but I've not tasted it to actually know.

It will be a fun dinner regardless.

[Coop]

Brad I do agree about the Moscato being a better pairing with the dessert, However the selection of Moscato d'Asti in Vancouver is Batasiolo or nothing. We had the beautiful de Gresy for a while but it's gone and none in the pipeline.

Lobster and Montrachet is textbook. So is the Caymus (is it the regualar bottling or the SS?) with the beef. What about a TBA with the dessert?

[Brad Ballinger]

Brad I do agree about the Moscato being a better pairing with the dessert, However the selection of Moscato d'Asti in Vancouver is Batasiolo or nothing. We had the beautiful de Gresy for a while but it's gone and none in the pipeline.

Maybe Vancouver is more of a wine wasteland than I suggested. Kidding. You get something rare like Quinta do Portal but only get Batasiolo? The mind reels.

Regarding a TBA, my answer would be it depends on how old it is. I think it would have to be younger to go with the dessert. TBA, IMO, is more of a cheese wine -- particularly with age on it. But if you can find the wines of Alois Kracher (from Austria) in your market, his Muskat Ottonel TBA (the "number" changes every year, I liked the 1998 No. 2) drinks lively and very well young.

[Coop]

The Kracher wines are available at The Marquis. Only the lower numbers, savvy Austrophiles picked up the higher (more intense) quickly. There is also a regular bottling available through the BCLDB.

[Chef Metcalf]

Thanks Brad and David for the help and suggestions.

D' Asti was our first choice too, but their selection was nil at the LDB that day.

They kindly allowed me to taste the Moscatel Douro Reserva and while it will work, I know there was probably something better we could have gone for, but no time now.

David, I did notice at Liberty today that they had Ivignaioli di S. Stefano, also a Moscato d'Asti but I don't know anything about that one. Think it was about $19.95 for a half bottle. I'll look into it later and maybe think about it for next time.

Riesling, that's an interesting choice for the prawns.

I'll have to try that out at home and we'll be the guinea pigs (unfortunately this menu is for a client).

There is a papaya salsa with the prawns so it may be too sweet with the two paired together, or may work rather well.

Maybe even a dry Erinfelzer (sp?). We'll look into that.

Just as a note, the blueberry limoncello is very boozy, recipe here

and not a true tiramisu, truth be told.

But it's seems to be very well received.

I would have done the Montrachet with the lobster and Caymus with the steak, but the clients have requested the surf and turf together (much to my dismay).

The Caymus is just the regular +390849, not the SS David.

What is a TBA?

frances

Edited January 28, 2005 by Chef Metcalf (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Thanks Brad and David for the help and suggestions.

D' Asti was our first choice too, but their selection was nil at the LDB that day.

They kindly allowed me to taste the Moscatel Douro Reserva and while it will work, I know there was probably something better we could have gone for,  but no time now.

David, I did notice at Liberty today that they had Ivignaioli di S. Stefano, also a Moscato d'Asti but I don't know anything about that one. Think it was about $19.95 for a half bottle. I'll look into it later and maybe think about it for next time.

Riesling, that's an interesting choice for the prawns. 

I'll have to try that out at home and we'll be the guinea pigs (unfortunately this menu is for a client).

There is a papaya salsa with the prawns so it may be too sweet with the two paired together, or may work rather well.

Maybe even a dry Erinfelzer (sp?). We'll look into that.

Just as a note, the blueberry limoncello is very boozy, recipe here

and not a true tiramisu, truth be told.

But it's seems to be very well received.

I would have done the Montrachet with the lobster and Caymus with the steak, but the clients have requested the surf and turf together (much to my dismay).

The Caymus is just the regular +390849, not the SS David.

What is a TBA?

frances

←

Whatever you serve, it should be a 3 oz. pour at the maximum. Too much sweet wine makes for ill guests and spoils the wonderful memory of having had just enough.

I have to concur on the choice of riesling for the prawns. Maybe even a very restrained gewurtraminer (not too flowery and huge). Perhaps an Oregon or California Gewurztraminer? Foris Vineyards of OR or Lazy Creek in CA both make gorgeous gewurz that would pick up on those tropical fruit notes too.

TBA = Trockenbeerenauslese. A designation for German and Austrian dessert wines that are left to hang on the vines until the grapes are virtually raisins. The concentrated juices make for incredibly viscous and sweet wine, but they tend to be expensive as the yields are so low.

Trocken (dry) + Beeren (berries) + Auslese (picked when quite ripened).

[Chef Metcalf]

Thanks Brad and David for the help and suggestions.

D' Asti was our first choice too, but their selection was nil at the LDB that day.

They kindly allowed me to taste the Moscatel Douro Reserva and while it will work, I know there was probably something better we could have gone for,  but no time now.

David, I did notice at Liberty today that they had Ivignaioli di S. Stefano, also a Moscato d'Asti but I don't know anything about that one. Think it was about $19.95 for a half bottle. I'll look into it later and maybe think about it for next time.

Riesling, that's an interesting choice for the prawns. 

I'll have to try that out at home and we'll be the guinea pigs (unfortunately this menu is for a client).

There is a papaya salsa with the prawns so it may be too sweet with the two paired together, or may work rather well.

Maybe even a dry Erinfelzer (sp?). We'll look into that.

Just as a note, the blueberry limoncello is very boozy, recipe here

and not a true tiramisu, truth be told.

But it's seems to be very well received.

I would have done the Montrachet with the lobster and Caymus with the steak, but the clients have requested the surf and turf together (much to my dismay).

The Caymus is just the regular +390849, not the SS David.

What is a TBA?

frances

←

Whatever you serve, it should be a 3 oz. pour at the maximum. Too much sweet wine makes for ill guests and spoils the wonderful memory of having had just enough.

I have to concur on the choice of riesling for the prawns. Maybe even a very restrained gewurtraminer (not too flowery and huge). Perhaps an Oregon or California Gewurztraminer? Foris Vineyards of OR or Lazy Creek in CA both make gorgeous gewurz that would pick up on those tropical fruit notes too.

TBA = Trockenbeerenauslese. A designation for German and Austrian dessert wines that are left to hang on the vines until the grapes are virtually raisins. The concentrated juices make for incredibly viscous and sweet wine, but they tend to be expensive as the yields are so low.

Trocken (dry) + Beeren (berries) + Auslese (picked when quite ripened).

←

Thanks Katie!