Oh duck, it's wine

Moorish duck kebabs with duck fat and fig chutney

American wine critic Eric Asimov is his article titled, Pinot Noir and Duck: A Match Made in Heaven writes, "Let's not mince words: the conventional and excellent pairing for duck is pinot noir." It is precisely this philosophy that has helped sommelier Nikhil Agarwal of All Things Nice and chef Amit Bharadwaj craft the duck and pinot dinner that will be laid up for gourmands tonight at a well-known leisure club in the city.

Duck and waffle

"The two go really well together because pinot noir has a good amount of acidity which is required to cut though fatty duck meat," Agarwal tells us. Pinot is almost synonymous with the historical eastern region called Burgundy in France. However, New Zealand is fast catching up to that title, too. Bearing this in mind the four-course meal is split to feature two pinots each from the two countries.

Nikhil Agarwal

The first course offers a serving of moorish duck kebabs that is paired with Maison Joseph Drouhin Laforêt Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015 from France. The charcoal grilled duck meat flavoured with parsley and served with pickled onion and fig chutney goes well with the aromatic and refreshing wine. The second course includes the surfer duck, a grilled brioche served with pulled duck, fennel and celery slaw and duck fat chips. This is paired with another favourite from Burgundy, the full-bodied and well- balanced, Bouchard Aîné and Fils Pinot Noir Les Vendangeurs AOC 2015.

The third course features a buttermilk waffle served with spiced crispy duck and dill orange hollandaise. This unique preparation is paired with a smoky and spicy pinot from Marlborough called the Framingham Pinot Noir 2015. And the final course includes the forest floor, a duck confit served with fresh gnocchi, pancetta, thyme ash, and thin white mushrooms called enoki. This is paired with Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2015, again from Marlborough, which has a dark and velvety cherry redolence that is taut, supple and crunchy all at the same time.

On Tonight
Time 8 pm
At The A Club, India Bulls Centre, Lower Parel.
Call 62888222
Cost Rs 5,000

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