Rescu. experienced Chief Winemaker at Cloudy Bay, Nick Lane’s preview of the 2012 Cloudy Bay Pinot & Duck Trail and he gives us his top tips on what makes a good pinot noir. Plus check out tasty, duck recipes from Golden Century Seafood Restaurant soon to open at The Star.
Rescu: What are the distinguishing characteristics of Pinot Noir and particularly the Cloudy Bay Pinot?
Nick Lane: Good Pinot Noir is melange of ethereal fragrances and an earthy quality, some go as far as saying feral. Aromas of Cherries, blueberry, boronia flower, dried roses are common in young wines. Older wines develop aromas of leather, smoked meat etc. The palate of a good Pinot Noir is structured ie good tannin but possesses a transparency that makes all the flavours accessible. Cloudy Pinot Noir is typically spicey on the nose (sweet spices) with a purity of fruit aroma. The palette always has a well polished feel to it with excellent aromatic persistence.
Rescu: Having lived in France you have a passion for food and wine. How important is this partnership when creating wine?
Nick Lane: I make wine without any direct thought of food but the disciplines of food and wine are very similar. Wine is truly enjoyed when it is best matched with food. Without doubt, France is definitely the place that sparked my interest in food and wine. It is still a source of inspiration for me.
Rescu: We have tasted Pinot Noir with duck. What are some other good food pairings for Pinot Noir?
Nick Lane: Cheese is always good. When thinking of food to match with Pinot, think of birds. Quail, Pigeon, Chicken if prepared right.
Rescu: Is Pinot Noir a wine to drink now or better with age? If aged, for how long and in what conditions?
Nick Lane: Both. The purity and youthful vibrancy of the Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir is most appreciated when young. In my personal opinion a wine only attains its full potential when it has at least some age. In the case of our Pinot Noir this is generally around 5-10 years. With some age the wine becomes more harmonious and there is greater complexity in flavours, particularly when the wine develops earthy/gamey characteristics.
Peking Duck
Ingredients:
2.2kg duck
1 tbsp salt
4 pcs star anise
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp maltose
3 tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of five spices powder
2 slices ginger
Method:
1) marinate duck cavity with salt, sugar and five spices powder for one and a half hours
2) Put star anise and ginger into the duck cavity and stitch the opening with steel pin
3) Shower the duck with boiling water for three or four times
4) Warm the mix the maltose & vinegar, apply to the duckskin side only
5) hang the duck to air dry the skin for two hours
6) heat oven at 200c for ten minutes
7) roast for 45 minutes
Golden Coin Duck
Ingredients:
160g lean pork
160g duck liver
160g pork fat
4 tbsp maltose
Seasoning:
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1⁄4 cup light soya sauce
1 tbsp hoi sin sauce
1 tbsp mei kuei lu chiew
1 tbsp ginger juice
1 tbsp chopped shallot
Method:
1) rinse lean pork and duck liver; wipe dry
2) trim into cylindrical shape and slice into 0.25cm thin rounds; set aside
3) cook pork fat in 1⁄2 pot of boiling water for15 minutes; remove and rinse well
4) Slice into 0.25cm thin round pieces
5) mix marinade together with lean pork, duck liver and pork fat; set aside for 1⁄2 hour
6) heat oven at 220c for 10 minutes
7) thread alternate layers of lean pork, pork fat and duck liver together on skewers (makes two skewers)
8) Place skewers of meat on a rack over a baking sheet; roast in a hot oven for 15 minutes
9) turn over and roast for another 10 minutes until cooked
10) lastly brush meat with maltose and return to the oven for a few more minutes to glaze
