Food, Wine and Spirits

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Fine Dining at 30,000 Feet

A new partnership between Lufthansa and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is bringing a new fine dining experience to First and Business Class passengers traveling from the airline’s 17 US gateways to Germany.

The collaboration, part of Lufthansa’s “Star Chefs” program, will feature the food of Executive Sous Chef Annie Hongkham of  Mandarin Oriental San Francisco, Executive Chef Toni Robertson of Mandarin Oriental New York, and Chef de Cuisine Joel Huff of Mandarin Oriental Miami. Each chef’s menu will be featured for two months and the food will arrive fresh onboard. The First Class menu will offer five courses while the Business Class menu will feature three courses.

The first featured chef will be Chef Hongkham from Mandarin Oriental San Francisco, blending European techniques and Asian flavors. The menus will be available on Lufthansa flights from January 2012 through February 2013. http://www.mandarinoriental.com

Indulge Wines introduces the “AstraPouch”

Indulge Wines, based in Buellton, Santa Barbara County, California, is offering a 2009 Pinot Noir and a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc in 1.5-liter bags (equivalent to 2 regular-sized bottles). The “AstraPouch” makes the wine easy to transport — perfect for parties. The wine is supposed to keep for 30 days after opening. Currently, the wines are only available in California and sell for $20 for 1.5 liters.

Isabella’s Islay releases the world’s most luxurious whisky

Luxury Beverage Company of the United Kingdom recently launched Isabella’s Islay (www.isabellasislay.com) and touted it as the world’s most luxurious whisky. There are two editions available: The Isabella Original is in a fine English Crystal decanter, covered in the equivalent of nearly 2 bars of white gold, then encrusted with 8500 diamonds, and nearly 300 rubies. The stopper is solid white gold. The whisky is the Very Old Single Malt cask strength Islay whisky. The Isabella Original retails for £3.8 million (about $6.2 million). The Isabella Special Edition sells for £450,000 ($740,000). It is made of crystal and white gold and features diamond lettering and banding around the neck. The whisky in both editions is refillable and insurance is available through Lloyds of London.

Harrods’ much-expanded wine and spirits department

Harrods claims it is taking drinks retailing ‘to a new level’ with the unveiling of its much-expanded wine and spirits department. The new 7,000 square foot space will offer more than 3,000 wines, spirits, and beers, with an increased focus on education. Harrods intends to offer tasting events and masterclasses, as well as Champagne and spirits rooms, a new Wine Vault and an expanded selection of ‘eclectic’ products.

Innovations include the Aroma Zone, an interactive area created in partnership with wine accessories retailer Le Nez du Vin and using aroma technology to pinpoint and explain wine’s different flavor components. The Tasting Room will be the venue for tasting events and food and wine paring evenings, while customers can sample up to 18 wines more informally at the Tasting Bar. The finest wines are housed in the Wine Vault, a glass-walled, temperature-controlled room housing a rotating selection of rare and old wines, plus verticals of the most sought-after names. Finally, the Eclectic Selection offers obscure wines from emerging countries such as Slovenia and Japan, and curiosities including Fondillon from Alicante and grapes such as Grignolino and Verdanel.

“We believe that we have created the ultimate destination for customers of all tastes and levels to experience the world of wine and spirits,” Harrods head wine buyer Alistair Viner said. “With the new Wine Shop, our aim is to share our real passion for wine, to demystify, educate and make great wines accessible to all.”

France’s Rhône Valley recognized for its exceptional wines

Wine Enthusiast Magazine named France’s Rhône Valley in the southeastern part of the country as 2010 Wine Region of the Year. The Rhône Valley has over 6,000 vineyards and produces over 400 million bottles of wine every year.