HOOFED RESTAURANT,
18A Lorong Rahim Kajai 14,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-77288567
Business Hours: 4pm till late.
INSPIRED by a 15-month trip from the United Kingdom to Africa and the green pastures of New Zealand in a Stanley Rover, the husband-and-wife team of Steve Pellet and Bridget Ennals decided to open a boutique vineyard in Marlborough’s famed Awatere valley.
With degrees in horticulture in hand, the two share more than just a love for adventure. The vineyard represents their journey of more than 30,000km and is called Stanley Estates Ltd in honour of the Stanley Rover that brought them there.
Currently, Stanley estates has two brands in its stable — Stanley and Intrepid.
“The beauty of New Zealand captivated our attention and, in 2003, we bought 11ha at the foot of Mount Tapuae-O-Uenuku (the footprint of the rainbow) and began planting grapes,” Pellet said.
They planted the Sauvignon Blanc, a dominant variety in Marlborough which has proven to be the most successful internationally.
The vineyard is located on a river terrace full of humus from the volcanic mountains whcih adds minerals to the wine, making it unique. Currently, the vineyard produces more than 5,000 cases a year.
Pellet was in town recently to host a wine dinner together with local distributor Dionysus Asia Sdn Bhd at the Hoofed Restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
The dinner saw guests enjoying a special three-course meu paired with three different Stanley Estates wines.
Hoofed co-owner Ernest Ong said the menu was chosen for its simplicity and to cater to the tastes of regular customers.
First on the menu was the Intrepid Sauvignon Blanc 2010 which was paired well with a creamy Prawn Bisque.
“The Prawn Bisque works well with the Sauvignon. The delicate flavours of the prawn match the fruit-driven mineral taste of the wine,” said Pellet.
The Intrepid Sauvignon Blanc 2010 recently won the trophy award for the best Sauvignon Blanc in the Sydney International Wine competition in February.
For the main course, guests were given a choice between the Pan Seared Salmon served with Pineapple Sauerkraut and Hoegaarden Beurre Blanc paired with the Intrepid Pinot Gris 2010 or the Blue Cheese Crusted Tenderloin served with Bacon Mash and Black Pepper Sauce and paired with the Stanley Estate Pinot Noir 2009.
The Intrepid Pinot Gris 2010 works well with oily fish like the salmon as the sweetness of the fruit complements the oily fish.
The beef with its unique blue cheese crust is a good companion for the 2009 Pinot Noir that has been aged in French Oak for eight months.
The wine has berry compote flavours that integrate with the smoky oak spice and savoury notes.
Ong said they decided to do something different for the fish sauce and had three different sauces that best complemented the dish and the wine.
“The Hoegaarden sauce was the best as it had a nice wheat flavour to it,” he added.
For dessert, there was a Red Wine Poached Pear served with Ice Cream and Wine Reduction to round off the lovely evening.
Although the dishes are not part of the regular menu, the wines are available at Hoofed, Denise Wine Shop as well as various hotels.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
