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Published on August 12, 2007

Il Cielo, the hotel's respected Italian restaurant, was the scene for the  relaunch of the wine and food tradition. 

Tuscany's famed Marchesi de Frescobaldi wines and their importer-distributor Italthai Food & Beverage Co helped get things started in style, with senior export manager Giuseppe Pariani, a familiar face from previous wine extravaganzas, present from winery headquarters in Florence, Italy, to discuss the wines.

The Frescobaldi wine empire is worthy of an entire story but, briefly, it owns 1,000 hectares of vineyards spread over nine estates, comprising some of the choicest property in Tuscany. Supplying wine to customers dating back to Donatello and Henry VIII, the family is now 30 generations in the wine business. 

Initiative coupled with economic success resulted in the purchase in 1989 of Castel Giocondo in Montalcino, one of the premium producers of Brunello grapes. The mid-'90s saw a joint venture with California's Robert Mondavi winery called Luce della Vitae, now completely owned by Frescobaldi upon the failure of the Mondavi international ventures. 

Awards and accolades received by Frescobaldi over the decades fill volumes and walls through all of the estates.

The fun at Il Cielo started with chef Paulo Collavini's elaborately decorated centrepiece table, brimming with antipasti and free pour of Frescobaldi's Danzante label pinot grigio and merlot.

Both wines are pleasantly simple and perfect starters for an evening of progressively more complex wines. An appealing presentation of swordfish carpaccio, razor clams and crabmeat opened the formal part of dinner, accompanied by surprisingly mild but well-balanced '06 Pomino chardonnay.

Earthy rich porcini mushroom soup might have been better served with Chianti or cabernet rather than the chardonnay. The '03 Nipozzano riserva sangiovese was nicely paired with fusilli, peppers and chicken slivers. 

Chef Collavini gets my award for creative bravery, serving braised ostrich instead of lamb for a change, which was complemented nicely by a rich, somewhat closed-in, but structurally sound '00 Giocondo Brunello.

Adding more Italian lustre to an already bright evening were intermittent selections from opera classics.

Promising the return of regular wine and food events was "new" general manager Danny McCafferty, who provided the second excuse for a welcome-back party.  Recently rejoining the Dusit Group after having managed the property a decade ago, McCafferty said, "A lot has changed since I was last here, but one thing that was always a part of the Dusit tradition was wonderful parties. We're going to make sure that reputation remains intact."  

Rounding out an evening of welcomes was the surprise visit by former food-and-beverage director Frank Grassman, whose creative and energetic initiative was largely responsible for the Dusit's popularity as a quality wine and food venue several years ago. Grassman is now resident manager of a Dusit property in Manila. 

Welcome back, everybody. You are integral parts of Bangkok's delicious image.

Reservations at Il Cielo at (02) 200 9000. Frescobaldi wines are at Italthai, (02) 319 2795.