All about vintage wine

It was an enjoyable night of tasting vintage wine.

Moët & Chandon partnered with EDSA Shangri-La Manila for a champagne dinner with a very special menu created to go with the 2003 Grand Vintages. The dinner was held at the hotel’s Italian restaurant Paparazzi.

The gastronomic feast started with caviale, melone, prima affioratura, fiori e radici (caviar, melon gel, black pepper crème fraiche, flower, roots) followed by the Atto Primo: Spaghetti al nero, ricci di mare, piselli and spuma di crostacei (squid ink spaghetti, sea urchin, green pea and crustacean foam). These were served with Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut. This wine is a harmonious blend of the three champagne grapes — Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

The dinner continued with Atto Secondo: Aragosta, beurre a monte dolce, zabaione al limone and carote polvere di cappero (butter-poached lobster, lemon zabaione, sweet potato and capers). In between meals, we were served an Intermezzo: Bellini (peach sorbet) to cleanse out palates.

By the time the Atto Terzo came — galleto and spugnole, tortelli liquidi al parmigiano emulsione al tartufo (hen, morel, parmesan tortellini and truffle) — I was prepared for the Moët & Chandon Rose, Imperial. The Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage, 2003 was served with the Atto Quarto: Maccarello tipo escabece, blu stagionato, pinoli and radici (Mirin-sake mackerel, carrots, celeriac, Grand Reserve Blue and pinoli).

According to Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage, 2003 is the 68th Vintage from the maison. It is a bold, creamy and mature wine with notes of vanilla, almond and hazelnut. One can also taste apricots and nectarines on the palate with some cinnamon, ginger bread and freshly ground coffee towards the end.

For the finale, chef Roberto Cimmino’s crème brulee, ananasso and pepe rosa and pain d’épices (pink pepper and pineapple crème brulee and spice bread) were served with the Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rose, 2003, a dense wine with scents of deep red fruits on the nose and black currants and coffee on the palate.

After the dinner, it was pretty clear that 2003 was truly an extraordinary year for Moët & Chandon. The wines that I sampled would definitely make me long for the next champagne dinner by Moët.

‘Moving forward amidst uncertainty’

Top Asian bankers gathered in Manila for the 29th Asian Bankers Association (ABA) conference hosted by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and MasterCard. The conference was attended by 150 bankers from the Asian region.

The two-day conference themed “Asian Banks — Moving Forward Amidst Uncertainty” aimed to forge harmonious relationships within the Asian banking industry by providing its members the venue to network and form strong bonds.

Another highlight of the event was the induction of RCBC president and CEO Lorenzo Tan as the new ABA chairman. Tan succeeded former ABA chairman and Hatton National Bank CEO Rajendra Theagarajah. Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco has also been elevated to the position of chairman emeritus of the ABA.

ABA secretary and treasurer and CACCI directo-r general Dr. Webster Kiang, former ABA chairman and ABA Advisory Council member Dong Soo Choi and Bank of Taiwan chairperson Susan Chang were also seen in the event.

Rewarding a job well done

Exemplary performances are always rewarded.

SEAOIL Philippines recognized its top franchisees at the annual Sinag Awards held at the Marriott Hotel Manila. The awarding ceremony, hosted by beauty queen Shamcey Supsup and singer-actor Christian Bautista, marked a fruitful year for the company, having established more than 50 stations last year. The company has more than 260 stations all over the country.

Distinguished guests from all over the country joined in the celebration, including one of its franchisees, Sen. Lito Lapid.

Leading the awardees was Faustino Calimon of Muntinlupa, who was named Metro Manila and Overall Franchisee of the Year. Other Franchisee of the Year awardees were Meynard Lapid of Pampanga  (North Luzon), Alvin Sajoyan of Laguna (South Luzon), Damian Tison of Negros Occidental (Visayas) and Ellen Agustin of Davao (Mindanao).