Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

Wild orange cooked in heavy cream served with orange butter sauce and paired with Concha y Toro Demi Sec. - Photos by Janet Silvera

WESTERN BUREAU:

"White wine is like kissing your brother or sister; red wine is like kissing your lover." This is the view held by Sharron McCarthy.

When you think carefully, it really makes sense and proved true last Thursday night as McCarthy, a wine connoisseur, paired the very sexy Chianti, a seductive Cabernet Merlot, and a sensuous Brunello di Montalcino with the most exciting Italian food that Half Moon's Il Giardino has prepared in years.

All but one of the wines came from the vineyards of Italy's Castello Banfi, known for expressing a profound respect fora heritage that now graces the Jamaican tables courtesy of Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited.

Marriage made in heaven

Skilfully titillating the taste buds, Half Moon's Executive Chef Steve Sowa opened the fare with the best-tasting, chilled, king scallops lifted with garlic, lime juice and served with crisp vegetable salad. For this meal, McCarthy paired a warm, round and rich 2006 San Angelo Pinot Grigio.

A home-made tortelloni pasta filled with asparagus and baked ricotta cheese finished with aromatic butter, found its way next in front of the 25 guests who intimately invaded the elegant restaurant and, like a marriage made in heaven, this meal was paired with the deep cherry leathered flavoured subtle wood, supple tannin lingering finish 2004 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva.

Satiating the appetite

Trying extremely hard to outdo themselves, the chefs at the Il Giardino unveiled the perfect oven-baked fillet of Chilean sea bass with parmesan crust on roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach.

The presentation alone was enough to satiate the appetite, but was not complete without a full, soft, velvety wine tagged 2002 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, which is also perfect with red meats, wild game and aged cheeses.

Epicurean experience

As if one entrée was not enough, Half Moon's Food and Beverage Manager, Georgia Ruschoni, boastfully added an extra braised lamb shank. But McCarthy was efficiently prepared for this combination and she drew from the impressive wine list, a 2003 Excelsus.

This intense ruby red wine, with garnet tones, is well-structured with remarkable fruit concentration and supple tannins, and pairs fabulously with red meat.

Coasting down to a sinful wild orange cooked in heavy cream dessert, a Concha y Toro Demi Sec was the 'sacrificial lamb' that closed an Epicurean experience that will live on for years to come.

Home-made tortelloni pasta filled with asparagus and baked ricotta cheese, finished with aromatic butter, and paired with 2004 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva.

Oven-baked fillet of Chilean sea bass with parmesan crust on roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach, paired with 2002 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino.

Braised lamb shank served with soft polenta, paired with 2003 Excelus at the Banfi wine dinner at Half Moon's Il Giardino Restaurant, on October 2.

Chilled King scallops with garlic, lime juice and vegetable salad paired with 2006 San Angelo Pinot Grigio.