The Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel played host to Jamaica’s chapter of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, which is the world’s oldest international gastronomic society.

The Chaîne brings together professionals (such as chefs, winemakers, sommeliers, restaurant and hotel owners and managers) and non-professional members from around the world who share in the ‘spirit’ of the Society and who appreciate and enjoy fine dining. Membership in the Chaîne offers the opportunity for new members to meet people who share a common interest in fine dining and good fellowship.

For the professional members, it offers opportunities to demonstrate their exceptional skills and creativity to a discerning, appreciative audience.

The hotel’s culinary consultant and stylist Ardelle Dalla Costa, along with Executive Chef Kenard Swaby delivered an impressive multi-course dinner simply titled Petit Bouche.

On arrival, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members and their guests were offered the refreshing Sparkling Cocktail French 75 — a combination of gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar. Platters of hors d’oeuvres, including delicious savoury macaroons — were definite precursors of what was to come.

Once inside the elegant Regency dining room and formalities out of the way, it was time for the first of six courses, most consisting of three ‘petit’ dishes, to be served. My maths suggested that we sampled about 16 different items.

Stags Leap Stags Leap is a wine-producing district in the Napa Valley, which is home to 20 different wineries. There is some confusion around this name as there are two wineries using the name: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (made famous from winning at the now historic Judgement of Paris in 1976) and Stags’ Leap Winery which we enjoyed at the dinner.

In the early ’80s both owners, who later became friends, sued each other over the use of the name. The two wineries were founded in the same year, and both claimed first use of the name

‘Stag’s Leap’.

The court decided that the wineries were named after the area, so both were allowed to use the name. The judgement included a provision for who would keep the apostrophe before the ‘s’ in the winery name, where the other would use the apostrophe after the ‘s’.

Stags’ Leap Winery

Stags’ Leap Winery, now owned by Treasury Wine Estates, is a winery located near Yountville, California, in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members and their guests enjoyed three great wines from this producer at the dinner.

Stags’ Leap Chardonnay Napa Valley 2013 — This is a beautifully aromatic wine with stone fruit flavours of fresh peaches and nectarines mingling with pineapple, a hint of mandarin orange and other citrus fruits.

Stags’ Leap Merlot Napa Valley 2012 — The 2012 Napa Valley Merlot is at once complex and approachable, opening with generous aromas of dark plum and bright red fruit, with enticing hints of clove and cinnamon throughout.

Juicy red fruit flavours are effortlessly integrated with notes of caramel and savoury spice that contribute depth to the polished palate.

Smooth, velvety tannins and a refined texture give this Merlot a distinct level of sophistication while still being very approachable in its early years.

Stags’ Leap Petit Sirah Napa Valley 2010 — this wine has a blend of 77% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 2% Carignane, 2% Mourvèdre, 1% Viognier.

This is what The Wine Advocate had to say about this wonderful wine: “The 2010 Petite Sirah Napa, a blend of 77% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah, 6% Grenache and the rest Carignan, Mourvèdre and Viognier, is widely available as there are nearly 20,000 cases.

This beautiful effort exhibits notes of raspberries, black cherry liqueur, crushed rocks, blueberries and other black fruits.” At this stage it is still very much a fruit bomb, but I think the inclusion of the other varietals has toned it down and made it more approachable than a 100% Petite Sirah would be.

This is a fascinating, pure, impressive wine to enjoy over the next two to three decades. It was an excellent evening and Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members are excited about the next stop on the culinary journey.

Christopher Reckord – Information Technology Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope @ chrisreckord and on Twitter @Reckord