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Published on December 16, 2007

Events featuring some of the world's most recognised wines have been popping up like Christmas trees in shopping malls as we approach the zenith of holiday madness.

Bangkok's newest hotel, the Pullman King Power, is wasting no time climbing the trellis to popularity among oenophiles.

Holding its second significant wine dinner since opening barely three months ago, the hotel staged an event for VIP customers featuring the wines and principals of two Bordeaux powerhouses, Chateau Pichon Longueville-Lalande and Chateau Angelus.

Gildas d'Ollone, director of Pichon-Lalande, and Hubert de Bouard, chief oenologist and seventh generation of his family's ownership of Angelus, were on hand representing their respective wineries. 

This was one of those rare opportunities to experience predominantly merlot vintages from Angelus and the primarily cabernet-sauvignon blends from Pichon-Lalande with an eclectic four-course menu.

Both chateaux are considered among the best of the best with Angelus from St Emilion challenging Cheval Blanc and Ausone while Pichon-Lalande is a much-revered neighbour of Latour in Pauillac. 

Two second-label properties - Chateau Bernadotte from Pichon and La Fleur de Bouard from Angelus - shared the first course of scallops marinated in pistachio oil. The '99 Bernadotte, still showing notable tannins, held its own, while the fruitier young vine '03 Le Fleur proved a bit light against the stronger scallop flavours.

Luxury was evident when savouring rack of lamb with the opulent '96 Chateau Pichon-Lalande, filled with subtle flavours of coffee, black fruit and still zippy tannins to the creamy, enveloping cherry flavours of the '98 Chateau Angelus and its sensuous finish. These are choices to die for.

Warm brie on rocket salad with '01 vintages of both chateaux provided a spectacular finale. From a superb vintage, both oozed massive black cherry fruit with the cabernet dominant Pichon-Lalande showing a stoic tannic background, while the Angelus cloaked the olfactory with finely balanced flavours backed by sweeter tannins - a toss-up in sensory pleasure.

Fans of fine wines need to monitor future Pullman wine events.

Enterprising management from the Mall Group, owners of the in-crowd Emporium and Paragon shopping centres, assembled a tasting for prospective holiday shoppers last week at their fifth-floor food court at the Emporium.

Major wine distributors assembled to pour their modestly priced wines from all major producing countries, including Thailand, and offered handsome discounts on everything from Romanee Conti to Monsoon Valley.

Mall Group senior supermarket manager Pira Pirom invited 150 preferred customers to the event.

Wine promotions will continue through the New Year holiday at both Paragon and the Emporium wine shops with periodic special tastings at both sites.  

Call Pullman King Power regarding wine events at (02) 680 9999.