Castello del Terriccio Wine Dinner, Pampas Reserve, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Words By Manveen Maan

Photos by The Yum List (Monica Tindall)

A bit of tipple is good for the heart, so you know you’ve got a great night ahead if a wine dinner is on the cards. Pampas Reserve is the second restaurant under the name, following in the footsteps of its sister outlet, Pampas Grill, smack bang in the action of Changkat Bukit Bintang.

Described as ‘the quieter, more sophisticated’ version of the two, Pampas Reserve is situated just a stone’s throw from Changkat, inside the Suasana Bukit Ceylon building, in a large space with wooden paneling and an outdoor deck.

The wines for the evening hailed from Tuscany, specifically from Castello del Terriccio, situated in prime winemaking territory, as our guide Carolina would explain later.

We started off the night with a Capannino Vino Bianco NV. Fresh and light, with complex aromas of apricots, May blossom, honeysuckle and peaches, its slightly tart balance, matches with spicy dishes, oriental stir-fried, grilled fish or chicken. Carolina called it “easy-drinking, very enjoyable wine” which was a bit of an understatement, seeing as I found myself reaching for a second glass! I’m not usually a fan of white wine, but this particular drink went very well with our seared scallops on pineapple compote starter.

Scallops on Pineapple Compote

For the Portobello mushrooms and risotto next, we were given the Capannino Rosso IGT Toscana 2008 to try. Ruby red in appearance, with notes of eucalyptus on the nose, the palate unfolds with a balanced combination of red fruits, bitter cherries and violets. Beautifully structured, with velvety tannins, this is a savoury yet fresh red wine. Although easy on the tastebuds, the red wine lover in me couldn’t help but yearn for a stronger flavour.

Portobello Mushrooms and Risotto

No sooner had I thought that, it was time for the Castello Del Terriccio 2006. The wine has rich balsamic, spice and violet aromas with dense, blackberry, blackcurrant and chocolate flavours on the palate with mint note. Silky tannins and a long finish make this a choice bottle for serious collectors, and it didn’t disappoint. The rich tastes went nicely with Pampas’ grilled wagyu rib-eye, served with rocket salad and baked jacket potato in a lemon-infused sauce that was to die for.

Castello Del Terriccio 2006

We were told to savour the next selection – the highly anticipated Lupicaia 2007 – a drink so bold, we didn’t need to match it with any food. A heady blend of crushed black cherry, blackberry and spice aromas, it had a sculpting acidity to it, before a dark chocolate and mint-laced fruit finish. With its strong and rich berry flavour, this particular wine was a standout, and a definite highlight of the selection.

No meal is complete without dessert, so a generous helping of vanilla ice-cream was brought out – doused in Amaretto. By this point though I’d had my fair share of vino, so the side shot glass of extra Amaretto sat by its lonesome while I gobbled down the creamy ice-cream.

Pampas Reserve carries all the wines from Castello del Terriccio, making it the perfect spot for a quiet drink – and some great nosh.

Reason to Imbibe: Castello del Terriccio's Lupicaia 2007

G01 Suasana Bukit Ceylon

2 Persiaran Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Castello del Terriccio
http://www.terriccio.it/