MW banquet: the wines and food consumed

Masters of Wine from around the world gathered in London last night for a sixtieth anniversary banquet where they enjoyed wines from Austria, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

As many as 300 people, including 150 MWs, attended a dinner at the Banqueting House in Whitehall, which was held to celebrate 60 years since the Institute of Masters of Wine was founded.

Attendees enjoyed Bollinger from magnums with canapés, before sitting down to a feast starting with Salcombe Bay crab accompanied by Grüner Veltliner and Meursault.

They were then treated to British beef with first and second growth Bordeaux, as well as Cabernet from Napa Valley.

A pudding of crème brûlée followed, served with late harvest Gewürztraminer, before diners were given a selection of English cheeses with vintage Port and aged Oloroso.

The full menu including the exact wines served can be viewed on the following page.

Banqueting House

The wines served at the banquet:

With canapés: Bollinger Special Cuvée Magnum

With starter: Grüner Veltliner, Loimer 2008 Magnum
, Meursault Charmes, Louis Jadot 2006

With main course: Château Margaux 1999
, Ridge Monte Bello 1990 Magnum, Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 1988 Magnum

With pudding: Gewürztraminer Hengst GC, Vendange Tardive 1989 Magnum

With cheese: Cockburn’s 1955, Matusalem 30-year old Oloroso

The menu:

Canapés:

Smoked salmon bonbon filled with truffled curd cheese and topped with black caviar

Pressed foie gras on brioche with plum jelly and nibbed almonds

Gilded quails eggs with homemade celery salt (v)

Scottish smoked salmon on beetroot toast with sour cream and fennel fronds

Starter:

Salcombe Bay crab with celeriac mayonnaise, samphire, English prosciutto and parsley cress

Charred baby leeks with beetroot, crumbled Ragstone, rarebit crumbs, kale crisps and beer mustard vinaigrette (v)

Served with fresh bread and unsalted butter

Main course:

Rare roasted sirloin of British beef with buttery mash topped Scotch pie, wilted spinach, parsley and garlic buttered wild mushrooms, confit parsnip and ale reduction

Butternut, spinach and chestnut wellington with buttery mash topped mushroom Scotch pie, wilted spinach, parsley and garlic buttered wild mushrooms, confit parsnip and rosemary cream sauce (v)

Pudding:

Mango brûlée with roasted pineapple, mango marinated in passion fruit vanilla syrup and honey cress

Cheese:

Colston Bassett Stilton
Keen’s cheddar
Golden Cross goat’s cheese
served with a selection of crackers, fruit and preserves

Tea, coffee and white and dark chocolate truffle petit fours.