I’m already a fan of Wakanui, having visited its old haunt along Boat Quay, and then again when it moved into classier digs smack in the CBD at Marina One.
So, when an EDM popped into my inbox about a wine dinner at Wakanui, I knew I had to make a reservation.
Not only because of Wakanui but because it was a Burgundy wine dinner, featuring the wines of Bouchard Père et Fils.
You might have read my recent posts about Driving Burgundy’s Route des Grand Crus or How to Taste Wine in Burgundy, but if you haven’t, just know that I proclaim Burgundy to be the best wine producing region in the world. Totally biased, yes.
I didn’t visit the caves of Bouchard Père et Fils when I was in Beaune in July this year, so I thought this would be a good way to try their wines as well as enjoy a guaranteed lip-smacking dinner at Wakanui.
For the ORA King Salmon Sashimi that was the 1st course, we had the 2016 Pouilly Fuissé. It’s a structured wine, with grassy green notes, and as you taste the fish, the minerality becomes even more pronounced.
That was the only white, naturally, since Wakanui is known for its red meats, so the other pairings were all red.
The 12-hour Slow Cooked Kagoshima A5 Wagyu was a stunner – mmm, I can still taste how tender the lightly marinated meat was, accompanied by such a smooth sweet potato purée.
We had the 2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges with this. Burgundy fans know that 2015 is recognised as a good year but I’ll be damned if I could tell this time. The wine was bold, alcohol overpowering the nose and it took me some time to get a feel for this wine. Well, it certainly paired well with the meat though.
3rd course was the famous Wakanui Spring Lamb Chop. I extolled the virtues of this dish in my previous article on Wakanui, suffice to say it’s yummy, not too fatty, and don’t be surprised to see elegantly-dressed women sucking the meat off the bone. 😊
The lamb was paired with the 2016 Beaune du Chateau. I could immediately sense the earthiness and noted a mushroom presence. As I ate the lamb, the cherry and chocolate notes became more prominent. The representative from the winery mentioned that this was made of 17 Premier Cru grapes, and that it should reach its peak in another 5-10 years. Good thing the dinner included a bottle of this wine for all as well, I’ll be sure to check in on it in 2025.
Then the main course, both for the food and the wine. Two beautiful pink slabs of Canterbury Grass Fed Fillet Bourguignon accompanied by the 2014 Le Corton Grand Cru.
Between the village wine and the Premier Cru, I honestly couldn’t tell too much of a difference, but with the Grand Cru, the aromas were more interesting – I even discerned jasmine, amidst the licorice/aniseed scents.
Needless to say, the beef was outstanding and the jus, little bit different from the usual smooth sauce, a bit textured but very delicious with the beef. It’s a less stew-y version of the classic bourguignon, I guess.
We ended off with a simple dessert of Purple Sweet Potato ice cream. Despite not being a fan of root vegetables, I must say the chef did a good job presenting an authentic version of ice cream, really highlighting the taste of the sweet potato.
A very enjoyable wine dinner indeed, and regardless whether you are a Burgundy lover or not, do check out Wakanui for its wonderful execution of meat dishes.
Wakanui Grill Dining Singapore
Address: 5 Straits View, Marina One The Heart #04-02, 018935
Contact: (65) 6384-2665
Website: http://wakanui.sg/
Opening Hours:
Lunch (Monday – Saturday) : 11:30am – 3pm
Dinner (Monday – Saturday) : 5.30pm – 11.00pm