Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

Half Moon pasta filled with lobster, served on tomato and squid ink sauce.

WESTERN BUREAU:

The invitation said, 'An Evening with the Masters', and Half Moon's executive chef, Stephen Sowa, 1876 Wines' Paul Hanworth and Adrian Garforth weren't about to lose that bequeathed title.

The three recently collaborated and provided an outstanding selection of fine Italian wines, paired with an amazingly simple combination of dishes in the elegant resort's Indo-European restaurant, Il Giardino.

Chef Sowa's Goose Liver Tronchon with pomegranate and jackfruit marmalade, fig bread and aged balsamic reduction, was paired with Cantine Due Palme, 2006 Primitivo vintage from Puglia, by wine connoisseur, Adrian Garforth.

Excellent match

The most common pairing of Foie gras, is to use a sweet sauterne. But in keeping with the innovation of the evening, the wine of choice was an off-dry red Primitivo (known elsewhere as Zinfandel) from Southern Italy. This proved to be an excellent match, due to the combination of fruit sweetness and refreshing acidity, which complemented the rich liver dish and its marmalade and balsamic sauce.

Taking the tradition of great food to the next level, the executive chef served fresh Porcini mushroom Risotto and parmesan biscuit, while Garforth, who made the long trip from England to share his passion for wine, paired it with Marchesi di Barolo, Gavi di Gavi, 2006.

Only the best grapes from the best vineyards in the Gavi region are used to produce this excellent wine. The combination of complex citrus and herbal notes was a wonderful match to the delicately flavoured, nutty risotto.

The foodies that turned out for this once in a lifetime event, were just about getting into course number three of Half Moon pasta filled with Lobster served on tomato and squid ink sauce, when the 1876 master drew from the backyards of Italy; the 'Walch, Pinot Grigio 2006, from the Alto Adige, all the way from the north eastern region.

The long cool growing season of the Alto Adige, has helped create a wine of exceptional complexity and concentration, particularly as so many of today's pinot grigio's can frankly be quite dull. The soft peach flavours and refreshing acidity was the perfect complement to the seafood pasta and tomato sauce.

Prowess in the kitchen

With two dishes to go, chef Sowa and his team seemed set to ingrain their prowess in the kitchen. And like magicians, they presented a succulent roasted venison sirloin in Barolo wine sauce, presented on soft polenta with black truffle and tallegio cheese.

The venison sirloin simply melted in the mouth and with its rich sauce and truffle accompaniment, only a wine of extra-ordinary complexity would work. Thankfully, the superb Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo Riserva, 2000 vintage, paired with it, came from an excellent vineyard. Eight years of maturation have produced a wine of exceptional complexity (cigar box, truffle and spice flavours abounded) and this combination was an outstanding success.

The evening was completed with a mouthwatering Sicilian Cassata, with nut brittle and amaretto biscuit, accompanied by fresh peaches, poached in white wine. Isole and Olena, Vin Santo, 2000, from the Chianti region, was paired with the final meal. This sweet wine is a real rarity made only in great years and involves a traditional wine making practise that dates back over 500 years. The wine was deep amber and incredibly sweet. The Cassata itself was outstanding, positively brimming with strong sweet flavours, but when combined with the wine, the two elements complemented each other exceptionally well.

An outstanding way to finish the meal!

Left: Roast Venison sirloin on barola wine sauce, presented on soft polenta with black truffle and teleggio cheese, paired with Marchesi di Barolo, 2000. Right: Goose Liver with pomegranate and jackfruit marmalade, fig bread and aged balsamic reduction opened the taste buds of diners at an 'Evening with the Masters' at Half Moon's Italian restaurant, recently. - Photos by Janet Silvera