If I mention a few numerals to readers in China, Hong Kong and Macau, say 18, 12, 20, 0 & 7, they will immediately think of buying some lucky draw tickets, like the Mark Six in Hong Kong. And if tourists staying in Macau get these numbers in mind, they might put some bets in casinos to see if miracle comes true or not.
Gambling not just needs money but also courage and time, etc. The process of which might be excited prior to winning or losing. However, I am sure that, as far as enjoyment is concerned, tasting a bottle or more of wonderful wine must be more enjoyable since we need not care about the result so much. And tasting the MGM GRAND Macau Grand Opening Memorial Wine 1812, in addition with Vinhas Velhas 2006 White wine & FLP 2005 Red wine which were all produced by Mr Luis Pato in Portugal, was even one of the wonderful tasting occasions in my life.
I was invited to be an honorable guest attending the Luis Pato MGM GRAND Macau 1812 wine dinner event on 16 March 2009 (again here are some more new lucky numbers). The event was hosted by the hotel with the honorable attendance by Mr Luis Pato (the wine maker) and a number of famous wine critics, gastrologists & journalists. Needless to say, the concierge service was excellent that night long. The dishes as cooked under the leadership of the chef de cuisine of Rossio “Chad Ryan Ogden” were very delicious. And most outstanding were the wines as presented by Mr Luis Pato himself.
Mr Luis Pato quitted his career as engineer and founded his own winery in Portugal in 1980. Since then he was recognized as one of the best wine makers in Portugal after the presentation of his prestige wines. He looks like an European royal family member, keeping his patience in a gentle manner while explaining every single detail of his current wine collection to me.
With the passion and knowledgeable traditional wine-making technique, Mr Pato took up the mission of blending a unique variety of Touriga Nacional & Baga red grapes plus a small portion of Bical white grapes (all grown in the Bairrada region), making a remarkable tasty wine named “1812” to celebrate the grand opening of MGM GRAND Macau on 18 December 2007.
Touriga Nacional & Baga used for making this 1812 memorial edition wine are the most well-known red grapes in the said region. They usually release rich and fruity flavor and with the accentuation of Bical white grapes, subtle aroma of cherries & violet can be smelled. And the hue indicates dark red jewel tone with high intensity. The wine was aged in French barrel for almost 18 months, resulting in a body with powerful complexity & rich texture on the palate. Its nose was full of straw berries & vanilla sauce and the tannin was firm but balance. Sweetness & acidity were quite balance and the dryness, spiciness & bitterness were not obvious. The after taste was not quite warm but lengthy with a touch of liquorice. Overall, this wine perfectly matched with the main course of Cabrito Assado (a roasted baby goat with brussel sprouts, carrots & roasted potatoes braised in mustard).
Mr Pato mentioned that he had supplied 1,100 liters of this wine to the hotel which was bottled in three capacity packs, namely the traditional 750ml, the magnum 1500ml & double magnum 3000ml. With such limited supply and simple but elegant wine label design (the golden numerals on black indicate the majestic sign of MGM), I had an impression that this wine would only be granted to VIP guests as a free gift, considering its uncountable value. The charge of this wine per bottle of 750ml in the current campaign would be below a thousand Macau dollar. I found this price very reasonable, thinking of the infinite contribution from Mr Pato and the great efforts & resources from MGM GRAND Macau.
By the way, the Vinhas Velhas 2006 White was interesting, it not only matched well with the entrée called Salada de bacalhau e tomate e salada de polvo e choco (tomato bacalhau & grilled octopus with cuttle fish salads), but also performed as well as an entry-level Puligny-Montrachet. I was so surprised that, with four-month barrel storage, this wine tasted almost like an Italian Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva 2005 (as stored in barrel for eight months). This experience had changed my mind about the simple concept of “Green wine for the ladies only”. Portuguese white can also be so rich and intense!
Furthermore, Luis Pato FLP 2005 Red was also very elegant when I tasted it with the dessert called Doce Combinacao (sweet combination of egg pudding, coconut crème brulee & baked dark chocolate cake). This wine acted like a charming woman at the end of the ceremony.
I must admit that, the wine cellar in the VIP dining room of the venue carries a great variety of fine wines from all over the world. This is probably the largest fine wine cellar in Macau after the one at Don Alffonso, an Italian restaurant at the 3rd floor of Grand Lisboa Hotel.
What makes me thinking of visiting Macau again? Simply the Luis Pato wine collection (making that night so Harmonious & Elegant) and other best-value-for-money wines from all over the world at the MGM GRAND Macau! Cheers!
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Wine Critic & Columnist in China (HK citizen): Kenneth Lo (KEN) 25 March 2009
BACKGROUND OF KEN:
The writer is a wine lover born in Hong Kong who seriously started to taste wine since 1996. Beginning to write wine articles in China since March 2006 for well-known websites called Wines-Info, Winefond, etc. and recognized Food & Wine Magazines like Fine Wine & Liquor Shenzhen, Wine Lifestyle Guangzhou, World Cuisine Shenzhen, Vino Vouge Beijing, etc. The number of published articles has been over 150. Currently importing & distributing Italian & other fine wines in Hong Kong & China. Acting as the Council Member of the GHM Wine Union in Guangdong Province. Aiming at letting wine lovers know the concept of THE WINE WORLD IS UNLIMITED.
