Around the World at Gallery by Chele
"Crafting a unique tasting experience featuring different flavors from various regions of the world is definitely something exciting" Adrienne Charuel
Traveling the world is always a source of joy an excitement for our taste buds. But when it comes to experiencing a gastronomic journey around the globe during a single night, we can be sure a spectacular tasting dinner is about to happen. A few weeks ago, we made this experience came to life thanks to the initiative of Mastercard World and World Elite.
For this special occasion, a unique tasting menu was concocted by Chef Chele Gonzalez and his team, and paired with a brilliant selection of awarded wined produced in different countries.
A global selection of bites to open the appetite. Here are featured Blinis and Caviar from Russia, Bon Bon from the Philippines, Uni Chawanmushi from Japan and Bao from China.
A unique gastronomic journey around the world with wine pairings
"Beyond traveling the globe through our senses and taste buds, we also wanted the guests to explore the world of wine during this special evening" Adrienne Charuel
Pairing delightful wines with succulent dishes always elevate the overall appreciation of the tasting journey. The experience becomes however more interesting when we have the opportunity to indulge in fine wines produced in various countries via different production techniques. This was the vision behind the wine pairings for this epicurean adventure. But the idea was also to showcase how a great wine can play with our senses when it’s paired with two different dishes.
Ceviche from Peru with White Snapper, Roasted Hazelnut and Tomato Sorbet
Oyster Omelette from Singapore with Sabayon, Scallions and Cilantro
We started this gastronomic journey with a delightful Ceviche bringing a myriad of textures composed of white snapper, fresh fruits and roasted hazelnuts plus a refreshing tomato sorbet. This was the first dish of an epic adventure starting in Peru, South America, before a stopover in Singapore for a revisited version of the traditional Oyster Omelette with a trio of raw, baked and fried oysters.
For the first wine pairing, we had curated the exquisite Beaumont, Hope Marguerite Chenin 2018 produced in Walker Bay, South Africa, from Chenin Blanc grapes planted in the 70’s. The Dutch have always deeply appreciated wines produced from Chenin Blanc and this is why it was the original grape variety ever planted when the Dutch East India Company established the first settlers in the 17th century.
Beaumont, Hope Marguerite Chenin 2018 offered a beautiful feel with harmonious acidity and sweetness to complement the fresh Ceviche. The delicious aromas of dried apricot, marzipan and spices came together to bring more depth to the flavors of the dish.
As for the pairing with the Oyster Omelette, the acidity of the wine was here particularly interesting to contrast with the fluffy texture of the dish while the natural subtle sweetness was perfect to enhance the aromatic scallions and cilantro. The hint of green apple and notes of integrated oak were also able to bring more complexity and elevate the finish for a beautiful pairing.
Lobster from France with Hollandaise, Ikura and French Beans
Mackerel and Asparagus Risotto from Italy with Parmesan, Squid and Shallots
Château d'Esclans, Whispering Angel 2021, AOC Côtes de Provence
We continued to travel around the world to France to enjoy an exquisite poached Lobster with Hollandaise, Ikura and French Beans. The Hollandaise sauce (composed with a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter, lemon juice and seasoned with salt plus white pepper) and Ikura red caviar were here the game changer to bring character and intensity. For the next dish, we had a subtle creamy Mackerel and Asparagus Risotto with Parmesan, Squid and Shallots to represent Italy.
For these two dishes, we had curated the worldwide reference of rosé wine from the South of France: Château d'Esclans, Whispering Angel 2021, AOC Côtes de Provence. Produced from three traditional grape varieties (Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle), this wine is crafted as a Grand Cru from Bordeaux with a blend of the finest free run juices and press juices.
The fresh red berry fruit and floral notes were meant to bring some subtlety to the Lobster while the great concentration of the wine could beautifully match the richness of the Hollandaise sauce. This was an excellent pairing making the dish even more delectable.
For the Mackerel and Asparagus Risotto, we could enjoy the ripe and fleshy feel of the wine on the palate to make the dish more delicate and flavorful. The smooth and round finish of this outstanding wine was brilliantly ending with a unique hint of salinity.
Txuleta from Spain with Aligot and Bellpepper Confit
Bodega Numanthia, Termes 2017, DO Toro
For the next stop in Spain, we had the chance to meet both wine and dish. Chef Chele and his team concocted a delicious Txuleta with Beef Tenderloin, Aligot and Bellpepper Confit. This dish was amazing for its flavors but also juicy character contrasted by baked potato skins stuffed with a traditional Aligot (cheese blended into mashed potatoes).
Our paired wine for this dish was Bodega Numanthia, Termes 2017, DO Toro. Toro wines are produced in the northwest of Madrid from Tempranillo grapes since the roman times. They were the first wines in the world to travel to the Americas, carried on Christopher Columbus’ ships in 1492. The Tempranillo vines have shown through centuries an amazing resilience to thrive with the extreme climate conditions typical of the region and offer a precious juice.
This lively wine with a surprisingly fresh and fruity attack followed by a full body was a fantastic partner to complement the Txuleta. The nicely integrated round tannins and intense flavors of red fruit and fresh aromatic herbs, such as thyme and eucalyptus, made this pairing elegant and intensively harmonious.
Mango from the Philippines with Coconut, Dayap and Lemon Balm
Bibingka Cheesecake
As we were heading towards the end of this exquisite journey, we came back to the Philippines with a unique dessert blending Mango with Coconut, Dayap and Lemon Balm. Fruity, sweet and textured, this dessert was perfect to conclude with a refreshing generous note of exotic flavors. It was followed by the popular Bibingka Cheesecake created by Chef Chele.
This was a brilliant occasion for us to showcase an iconic Tokaji sweet wine with Château Imperial, Late Harvest 2015, Tokaji. Produced in Hungary since the 15th century, Tokaji was once one of the most prestigious wines in the world. These wines are crafted thanks to the development in moist conditions of a fungus on the vines, called botrytis, which concentrates the sugar of the grapes when getting naturally dried into the sun.
The aromas of flowers, honey, and apples created an amazing bouquet with the dessert. The unctuous texture and very rich fruity character also contributed to an endless subtle sweet finish thanks to the refreshing acidity of the wine.
"We founded The Tasting Club to share this kind of memorable tasting experiences" Adrienne Charuel
Beyond pairing exquisite dishes with fantastic wines, this gastronomic journey was also epic because it was shared with great company. This was another one for the books that reminded us of the roots of The Tasting Club and why we are passionate about our advocacy.
We would like to thank Mastercard World and World Elite again for making this tasting experience around the world possible and priceless.