French-new Zealand relations
UOB Reserve Cardmembers gathered for a night of sumptuous cuisine at La Brasserie, which was paired with Te Mata Estate wines.
The picturesque Marina Bay Waterfront was the backdrop for the third UOB Reserve Card private dinner, jointly organised by UOB and epicure. Held at La Brasserie in The Fullerton Bay Hotel, flutes of Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne were handed out to arriving guests as they mingled at the French restaurant's waterfront terrace.
Grand Vin, wine sponsor for the night, brought in Tobias Buck of Te Mata Estate. The second-generation owner of New Zealand’s oldest winery shared about the famed Hawke’s Bay region, an area within the east coast of New Zealand's North Island where Te Mata wines are produced. Apart from the region’s favourable wine-growing conditions, the Te Mata Estate takes great pride in their winemaking techniques. “Wine
is a photograph of the day its grapes were picked,” says Buck, when speaking of his family’s hand-picking and tasting process.
Dinner kicked off with two cold starters: Scottish Salmon Tartare and Chilled Angel Hair Pasta in Truffle Sauce. The former was enlivened by a crisp, lime-blossom scented Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc Hawke’s Bay 2017, while the latter went well with the tight acidity of the Elston Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay 2017. Meltingly tender Spice-braised Kurobuta Pork Jowl was accompanied by a full-bodied Te Mata Estate Pinot Noir Hawke’s Bay 2017 and a whiff of dark fruit, smoked truffle aromas. A double pairing of the estate’s spiced Bullnose Syrah Hawke’s Bay 2016 and the legendary Coleraine Hawke’s Bay 2016 was matched with an Orangeinfused Slow-braised Wagyu Short Rib.