by Tam Lye Suan
GENTING HIGHLANDS: Resorts World Genting recently added a touch of luxury to its dining experience here by introducing its first-ever selection of Chilean house wines from Hacienda Araucano.
The Hacienda Araucano winery is nestled within the scenic Colchagua Valley of Lolol, a wine-producing sub-region in central Chile with ideal growing conditions and climate for grapes.
The exquisite new house wines at Resorts World Genting include the Araucano Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, known for its rich ruby and blue hues, and aromas of ripe blackberries and cherries, complete with vanilla and toasted notes.
The Humo Blanco Lolol Valley Chardonnay, chosen as the house white wine, offered a perfect balance of citrusy fruit notes and a nutty finish.
Completing the selection is the Une Rosé Sparkling Wine, a refreshing rosé crafted from 100 per cent Pinot Noir grapes, the excellent choice for special occasions.
To celebrate the addition of these premium house wines to its collection, Resort World Genting recently hosted two exclusive wine dinners at Genting Rouge.
The limited-seating dinners featured a superb five-course menu, blending traditional and modern Peruvian flavours while paying homage to Peru’s diverse culinary heritage and culture.
Daniel Chavez, a renowned Peruvian chef and regarded as the Peruvian Culinary Ambassador in Singapore, led the culinary adventure and crafted a menu that demonstrated his creativity.
Trained in classic French cooking techniques from Chef Gunther Hubrechsen at the famed Les Amis restaurant, Chavez is the visionary behind CANCHITA Peruvian Cuisine and TINTO Spanish restaurant in Singapore.
Chavez created visually stunning dishes such as Causa de Langosta, a delicious combination of potato, lime and aji amarillo salad with lobster, crispy red quinoa and salsa brava. It was paired well with Hacienda Araucano UNE Rosé Pinot Noir, an organic sparkling wine.
The next course, Ceviche Canchita, was a Japanese-Peruvian fusion of marinated tuna belly in Peruvian Japanese “tiger’s milk”, sweet potato puree, avocado and canchita corn. This dish was paired with Humo Blanco Lolol Valley Chardonnay.
The main course, Lomo Saltado, consisted of grilled Wagyu beef rib eye with cherry tomatoes, roasted onions and light potato puree and topped with a Cantonese-Peruvian sauce, was expertly paired with Hacienda Araucano Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon.
The evening had an extra touch when wine connoisseur Jonathan Dahan, a French national with extensive global experience, and WSET 3 and WSET Diploma certifications, shared his wealth of experience and insights about the selected house wines and the Hacienda Araucano vineyard. Dahan has travelled extensively to vineyards, conducted master classes, judged wine competitions and authored numerous articles on wine.