Marques de Vargas Wine Dinner at The Press Room Bistro Pavilion

[Event]

My partner in crime for the evening with Diana Fernandez, Export Manager of Marques de Vargas

Headed over to The Pressroom in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur recently for the Marques de Vargas x Iconic Wines pairing dinner. In 1840, Don Felipe de la Mata, 8th Marquis of Vargas, decided to plant the first grapevines at the Hacienda Pradolagar. Since then, four generations of this family lineage have cultivated the vineyards on this estate. Don Pelayo de la Mata, Count of San Cristóbal, and his brother Don Francisco, 9th Marquis of Vargas, who was elected mayor of Logroño, kept the passion for the vines at Pradolagar alive.

Today, Bodegas y Viñedos del Marqués de Vargas has become a solid family project established in three Designations of Origin of great prestige: Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Rias Baixas, with wines sold in over 40 countries across the five continents.

Florian from Iconic Wines (left) with a friend

Amuse Bouche

Crab aioli stuffed in cannelloni with pickled kyuri and herring caviar

Kir Royale with Resso Cava

Sous Vide Salmon

Marinated with Asian herbs, pak choy and spicy tamarind sauce

Pazo de San Mauro 2o15

Rias Baixas, Albarino

Margret de Carnard

With brie and sun dried tomato polenta cake served with cinnamon, apple and ginger sauce

V by Vargas 2oi4

Crianza, Rioja, Tempranillo

Cajun Lamb Steak

With crispy sweet potato, red pepper and onion marmalade

Marques de Vargas 2o11

Reserva, Rioja, Tempranillo

The handpicked grapes used for the Marqués de Vargas Reserva come from the 50 ha vineyard “Hacienda Pradolagar”. Marqués de Vargas subscribes to the environmentally friendly concept and practice of sustainable winegrowing. Herbicides and pesticides are not used in their vineyards, occasionally only organic fertilizers are employed.

The wine is made traditionally according to the old-world methods side by side with the state-of-the-art technology. The wine is bottled without any fining or filtering resulting in an unprocessed and fully natural wine.

On the nose there are aromas of ripe fruit and liquorice. On the eye it is Red ruby colour, while on the palate it has a hint of a fresh and vibrant character, and a spicy touch of truffle and mint. The wine has a good structure. It is complex, silky and balsamic. Sweet and elegant tannins, that have been polished during the ageing in American, French and Russian oak.