Satisfying a discriminating taste bud has long been Half Moon's Sugar Mill restaurant's unique feature, and on Saturday, November 21, when the 40-year-old establishment kicked off its first in a series of celebratory events, it didn't disappoint.

Pairing the dinner with the country's number one distributor of fine wines, Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ), and Chile's Concha Y Toro was obviously Sugar Mill's best move. Food and Beverage Director Ewart McKie delivered an unforgettable menu.

Six-course wine dinner

"It will be the perfect marriage for Concha Y Toro's 2005 Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc; 2005 Amelia Chardonnay; 2006 Terrungo Carmenere and 2005 Don Melchor, Concha Y Toro Demi Sec," stated a confident McKie, days before the dinner.

"Since its inception, CPJ has been a valued partner of Half Moon. They have made their mark in Jamaica by elevating the quality wines available to the market. What better way for us to celebrate our milestone achievement than to partner for an elegant evening celebrating food and wine!" said McKie.

And no one could have predicted that the special six-course wine dinner at the famed restaurant located on Rose Hall's elegant corridor in Montego Bay would have had such an incredible effect on the diners.

So at the end of the evening, which saw the closing of the curtains on CPJ's 15th anniversary yearlong wine dinners and the start to Sugar Mill's celebratory period, the "contemporary Caribbean cuisine at its best" was still paying tribute to the senses.

Those in attendance will speak about the rebirth that is evident in the kitchens at Half Moon and will certainly line up for invitations to the series of events being planned to mark Sugar Mill's 40th year.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com