Japanese-Inspired Canapé Menu Paired with Grace Wines

In June, we embarked on a delightful culinary journey, crafting a Japanese-inspired canapé menu to complement the exquisite wines from Grace Wines, a distinguished Japanese winery. This was my first encounter with these wines, and they surpassed all expectations with their spectacular flavors and incredibly well-balanced structure. The wines were delicate and subtle, yet possessed a profound depth that underscored their elegance.

Tuna

Our venue for this event was the Strata Plus office in Surry Hills. Setting up in an office kitchen always presents challenges, but with meticulous organization, we overcame most of them seamlessly.

We kicked off the evening with the Extra Brut Serena Sparkling, made from 100% Chardonnay, which boasted delightful white peach notes. This was paired with a classic dish: freshly opened Smokey Bay oysters topped with fresh wasabi cream and N25 Osietra caviar, creating a well-balanced harmony with the standout wine.

Next, we introduced the Koshu Kayagatake 2022, a wine made from 100% Koshu, a native Japanese grape. This wine was delicate, pure, precise, and elegant, with an accessible, lively, and delicious profile and fantastic structure that was particularly appealing.

Kosho

Dishes:

Sashimi Kingfish with ponzu, coriander, sesame, and shiso

Torched scampi on rice cake with nori and salmon caviar

Oysters with wasabi cream and caviar

Following this, we served the incredible Misawa Vineyard 2021, also 100% Koshu. This world-class wine was serious, elegant, yet powerful, with much more flavor and depth while maintaining a level of subtlety that is hard to compare with anything else.

Dishes:

Seared tuna with green olive, eschalot, and basil, served on a crouton

Grilled Toothfish with miso and lemon salsa

The fourth wine of the evening was the Akeno Rouge 2020, a Cabernet Franc blend crafted in the Bordeaux style. This Merlot-based wine (63%) also included Cabernet Sauvignon (28%), Cabernet Franc (8%), and Petit Verdot (1%). It was incredibly smooth, with subtle notes of red fruits and berries, a hint of forest floor, and no overwhelming tannins. Everything was well integrated and settled beautifully on the palate.

Wagyu Robata with shitake cream, truffle and pancetta crumbs

Dish:

Wagyu “robata” with shiitake mushroom cream, pancetta crumbs, and fresh black truffle

This culinary experience, paired with the exquisite selection of Grace Wines, made for an unforgettable evening of elegance and flavor.