MALBEC PLUS CHOCOLATE EQUALS A MASTERCLASS AND A HALF
Gaucho offer Malbec and Chocolate matching Masterclasses for all In celebration of the largest collection of Argentine Malbec wines in the UK and with the approach of National Chocolate Week (12th – 18th October), Gaucho Restaurants are offering their guests Malbec and Chocolate matching masterclasses.
The artisan chocolates have been chosen from the range created by chocolatier Kirsty Joly, of Perfectly Tempered, who has also designed a number of bespoke Argentina-centric chocolates especially for Gaucho. These chocolates will form a final blind taste challenge.
The combinations included:
Ø Terruño Malbec 2008/9 with [1] Jasmine Tea & [2] Blueberry truffle
Ø Casa Marguery Malbec 2006/7 with [1] Masala Chai & [2] Dark Chocolate truffle
Ø Michel Torino ‘Don David’ Malbec 2007/8 with [1] Lemon and Mint & [2] Passion fruit
Ø Schroeder Malbec 2006/7 with [1] Strawberry and Balsamic & [2] Orange and Cardamom
Selected Gaucho restaurants will be offering chocolate and Malbec pairing masterclasses to their guests for special events. These early evening events will be hosted by Kirsty Joly and Jessica Closs, Gaucho’s Head Sommelier, the first one will be held in Swallow Street off Regent Street in September. Guests will be encouraged to taste and challenge all the pairings to find their favourite combinations.
Red wine and chocolate has long been a favourite combination in top restaurants in France and the UK, but it is not easy to find the right chocolate with the right red wine. After extensive research, Gaucho sommeliers discovered that the most complementary grape variety with chocolate was Malbec, due to the grapes rich fruit characteristics and velvety texture. Gaucho Restaurants stock 63 Malbec wines. Malbec was a major grape from Bordeaux but it’s now Argentina’s signature red varietal.
The cost of the matching Masterclass is £37.50 pp
Ø www.gauchorestaurants.com
Ø www.perfectlytempered.com
Wines (meters above sea level):
Ø Selección ‘G’ Malbec 2008/9 Domaine Vistalba – Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza (990m) – £21.50 (restaurant), £10.25 (Cavas de Gaucho, wine boutique, Swallow Street, off Regent Street)
Ø Casa Marguery 2006/7 La Consulta Uco Valley de Mendoze (1100m) – £29.75 (restaurant), £14.15 (Cavas de Gaucho)
Ø Michel Torino ‘Don David’ 2007/8 Cafayate Salta (1750m) – £28.50 (restaurant), £12.60 (Cavas de Gaucho)
Ø Schroeder ‘Patagonian Select’ 2006/7 Neuquen Patagonia (350m) – £29.50 (restaurant), £14.40 (Cavas de Gaucho)
Chocolate ingredients
Ø Jasmine Tea – a milk chocolate ganache delicately infused with Jasmine tea. This chocolate is finished by hand rolling in dark chocolate to balance with the floral tones of the ganache, decorated with a pink shimmer
Ø Blueberry truffle – blueberry adds a hint of fruitiness to a classic, smooth caramel, hand-rolled in a milk chocolate shell
Ø Masala Chai – Indian tea, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and star anise is used to flavour a simple milk chocolate ganache, before being enrobed in dark chocolate, decorated with cocoa butter stripes
Ø Dark Chocolate truffle – a smooth dark chocolate ganache hand rolled in dark chocolate, finished with lashings of white chocolate
Ø Lemon and Mint – a beautiful combination of fresh lemon zest and English garden mint infused to make a white chocolate ganache and enrobed in dark chocolate, decorated with yellow cocoa butter speckles
Ø Passion fruit – a delicious passion fruit flavoured dark chocolate ganache enrobed in dark chocolate, decorated with cocoa dots
Ø Strawberry & Balsamic – a splash of balsamic vinegar brings out the divine flavour of strawberries in this smooth white chocolate ganache, encased in dark chocolate and decorated with a pink shimmer
Ø Orange and Cardamom – cream infused with fresh orange zest and cardamom pods is combined with milk chocolate to make this delicious ganache. Enrobed in dark chocolate and decorated with orange and white cocoa butter
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