Celebrity Life

Fifty metres underground — this is the depth that local winemakers chose when they decided to store 10,000 wine bottles in the Aven d'Orgnac caves, an underground tourist attraction located at the southern end of the limestone plateau of the Gorges de l'Ardèche.

The experiment began in March 2018, when a new storage facility was specially created in a disused access tunnel to allow wine to mature in what amounts to a highly stable and peaceful environment.

A living product that ages best in undisturbed darkness, the wine will have benefited from ideal conditions: A constant temperature of around 12°C and an all-year-long rate of humidity of over 95%.

On December 12, 1,000 bottles of Côtes du Vivarais "Grand Aven 2017" from this treasure trove will be passed from hand to hand by a chain of human volunteers who will bring them back to the surface after two years underground. Thereafter, they will go under the hammer with a range of other local vintages in an auction with modest reserve prices.

Lots on offer will include 150 magnums of Terra Helvorum 2017 starting at 30 euros, 350 bottles of 2015 Terra Helvorum for as little as 15 euros and 350 bottles of Grand Aven 2016 from just 10 euros.

On land and sea

These days, experiments to store wine deep underground are very much in vogue in France. On June 3 of this year, 500 bottles were placed in racks at a depth of 103 metres in caves in Padirac under the watchful eye of Serge Dubs, the Best Sommelier of the World in 1989.

The first of these to return to the surface will be brought up for an initial tasting in the spring of 2021. And let's not forget that this experiment is focused on a very particular wine: A Clos Triguedina Cahors, christened Cuvée Probus, which has been produced to honour the 130-year anniversary of the Padirac Chasm.

Surprisingly enough, this new approach to maturing wine was initially inspired by a find at sea. In 2010, divers in the Baltic discovered a wreck containing what turned out to be a cargo of champagne, which was probably on its way to 1840s Russia.

The wave of experimentation that is now ongoing began when the bubbly, which was made by such houses as Veuve Clicquot, Heidsieck and the now defunct Juglar, was discovered to still be delicious after some 170 years under water.

In Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the French Basque country, winemaker Emmanuel Poirmeur has registered a patent for a process that involves vinifying wine in special vats at a depth of 15 metres under water. For its part, Leclerc-Briant set a record when it vinified one of its champagnes at a depth of 60 meters under the Atlantic in 2012, not surprisingly the vintage was christened "Abyss."

The post 18 of the Best Hong Kong Mooncakes To Indulge in This Mid-Autumn 2020 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Annual mooncake mania has once again descended upon us all and as we gear up for Mid-Autumn festival, which falls on 13th September this year; there are quite a few cakes to get through.

From the undefeated classics to more contemporary and creative delights -- indulgence is the name of the game. But fret not friends, as we've done most of the hard work for you (someone has to!) with our top 10 list of Hong Kong mooncakes, to try yourself or gift to others, that are definitely worth the calories.

The post 10 Hong Kong Mooncakes That are Worth the Calories this Mid-Autumn 2019 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

In a city that can’t and won’t slow down, new restaurants are constantly springing up in Hong Kong. With its success in four locations already, the French bistro Dalloyau crosses countries and cultures to open its fifth and latest location smack in the middle of our city’s CBD in Entertainment Building.

The modern French bistro has been an ambassador for creating delicacies from age-old recipes -- dating back to 1682 -- which were served in the royal court of the Palace of Versaille. Fast forward to 2019 and the same classics have been recreated for this Century, along with an inventive vibrant menu with items that are low in calories, salt and free of dairy too.

Compared to other outlets, the Central location has a more sizeable menu with exclusives only available at this branch. The appetiser section is spruced up with an elegant Crab meat salad of jellied tomato consommé, pickled green tomatoes, avocado ice cream and crispy beignets, artfully plated together to resemble a vermilion crab. Another newcomer is the Truffle Soup Élysée, a reinvented lighter version of the classic; using ham stock, a chicken stuffed dumpling, foie gras and black truffle.

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The mains also get a makeover with bigger dishes designed to be shared amongst the table. The all-time favourite Beef Wellington is consistently delightful with its meaty and moist steak centre wrapped in expertly made golden and flaky puff pastry. If you’re cutting back on red meat, the Salmon Coulbiac is a nice seafood alternative and an exclusive to the Central branch. It's also wrapped in puff pastry and enclosed with seven distinct layers of flavour – salmon, mushrooms, risotto, spinach, gherkins, egg whites and yolks – striking a balance of textures and tastes. But the hero of the meal is unarguably the Hen in a Pouch. This emblematic poultry dish pays tribute to the late culinary legend Paul Bocuse, who is probably most known for his chicken cooked in a pig bladder. Duck foie gras and black truffles are stuffed under the skin of the hen before being placed within the bladder to contain and preserve its flavour and juices while it cooks. It's served tableside with a luscious Madeira truffle sauce.

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Then comes the dessert. Maybe the most anticipated part of the meal as the name Dalloyau is synonymous with pastry excellence. Like all other branches, Entertainment Building offers the most signature staples like homemade macarons, molten chocolate cake and strawberry mille feuille. The Rum baba topped with mascarpone cream cheese and Apple turnover with green apples and raisins are new additions to try. Baked fresh daily, the apple turnovers come piping hot out of the oven at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm and quantities are limited, so if you intend on picking one up, it's best to go at tea time to guarantee a piece. For those more health conscious, you'll still be able to satisfy that sweet tooth with dairy-free options of originals like the signature Crêpe Suzette without compromising flavour, making desserts as guilt-free as can be.

Dalloyau, G/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 3185 8392

The post More Than Just Cake: French Bistro Dalloyau Opens in Central appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.