Last Saturday night the fermentation hall at the Delicata winery on Paola waterfront was fleetingly transformed into a fully seated restaurant area serving food and wine to over 180 people. Delicata’s very first ‘November Nouveau Night’ which was fully booked was a resounding success in an environment that was truly unique.
Subsequent e.mails from diners have stated “We were treated as if we sat in a five star location, the food was fresh, genuine and very tasty and the wine was excellent”. “This event has presented to us a unique experience”. “What a fantastic event, the food was great, the wines were exceptional and the music was excellent”. “Our table had a wonderful evening and what a great experience to try wines directly from their tanks, they were outstanding, so fresh”. “Loved the balloon idea, slick, simple and efficient, every time we pulled it, wine would appear in a flash”.
This last comment praises the innovative, novel, idea which was introduced for ordering the wine. On the back of the chairs long stringed balloons were attached and all people requiring wine had to do was pull down the balloon and one of the Delicata ‘wine girls’ would race over to re-fill the empty carafe with either red, white or rose wine depending on the customers preference.
A spokesperson from the winery said “We were delighted with the turn out and the very positive comments we received from people after the event. All went according to plan on the evening, making it a great success. In particular we would like to thank Maypole for serving up good honest, tasty food, in ample portions; George Curmi and his partner for their fantastic (as always) performance; All the Delicata staff involved in setting everything up, especially Marco Falzon, and the waiting staff who did such a great job under a lot of pressure. Finally we would like to thank the ‘wine girls’ for their attentive service of wine from ‘the tanks to the tables’ and of course all the people that came, without whom the event would not have been the success it was.”
‘TAINT’ MIGHT NOT BE CORK RELATED.
Scientists in France have unmasked the culprit responsible for contaminating untold bottles of wine with the musty, corky odour generally known as taint. More than 20 years after the isolation of MDMP, a compound that can make fine wine deteriorate and the identity of the offending microbe is now in hand.
The next step is figuring out where the bug thrives and when in the journey from vine to bottle contamination is most likely. One theory is that the bug could be getting into wine via oak chips, which many wine-makers who don't use oak barrels use to impart tannins and flavour. Producers who employ oak chips should be sure to toast their chips: 10 minutes of toasting at 220° Celsius eliminated 93 percent of MDMP, the research team found.
This discovery follows recent advances in understanding the sources of TCA, another molecule that can foul even the finest wine with a similar corked flavour. The team also found that about 40 percent of untreated, natural corks sampled had detectable levels of MDMP.
DIPLOMATIC WINE THEFT
According to a BBC News report the French consulate in Hong Kong and Macau has refused to comment on reports that the consul there stole two expensive bottles of wine.
The Consul has been recalled and suspended, the Foreign Ministry said last week, without giving specific reasons for the decision. Hong Kong media reports say the wine bottles were worth up to €5,000. The Consul apparently hid them in his trousers before removing them from the restaurant, the French newspaper Le Monde said, quoting sources close to the case. The main evidence in the case probably comes from CCTV footage of the restaurant, the newspaper adds.
Sources in Hong Kong said the alleged theft took place in the restaurant of a private club in the Chinese territory.
Foreign Ministry spokesman said last that an administrative investigation had been launched into the circumstances which led to the consul's recall.
"Judging by the file, these facts are likely to be incompatible with the professional conduct required of a French diplomat," he said.