Wine tasting: a dirty job

One of the perks of working in the restaurant business, apart from being able to play with sharp knives and fire on a daily basis, is having to regularly taste new and exciting wines. Bottles and bottles of the stuff. Completely free of charge. I know, I can feel your sympathy already.

We discovered a couple of real gems at our most recent tasting last week:

Redwood Pass, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (New Zealand)

It’s absolutely incredible how much flavour is packed into this fruity little white. The initial nose is like a waft of just-cut ripe mango, and the first sip is a veritable explosion of passionfruit, guava and exotic fruits with a silky rich mouthfeel; we were instantly captivated by the easygoing yet sophisticated flavours of this Sauvignon Blanc. It pairs wonderfully with our zesty seafood numbers, particularly Kaiso To Sashimi (salmon and squid sashimi salad with seaweed and yuzu citrus dressing) and Iwashi Shio-Yaki (whole charcoal-grilled mackerel with lemon salt). Those damn Kiwis, how do they do it?

Caliterra Reserva, Merlot 2009 (Chile)

Typical of Chilean Merlots, this red flexes it’s muscles without being overbearing or bullish. Kind of like Vin Diesel. Smooth summer berries, juicy plums and a hint of spicy dark chocolate instantly fills the mouth, followed by a long and velvety finish. Very moreish and a perfect companion to our richer yakitori items like the sweet, smoky Unagi (eel) and Gyu (rib of beef with spicy yakiniku sauce).

So impressed were we by these two wines that we’ve put them on our current wine specials menu, try them before our chefs drink it all we sell out.