This coming August, storied champagne house Maison Mumm is partnering with innovative fine-dining restaurant Cultivate for a two-night-only champagne-pairing dinner ($2,988/person). The experience, called Reserve & Regale, will offer a unique opportunity to experience the full range of Maison Mumm’s most exclusive cuvées (a French wine term that derives from cuv, meaning “vat” or “tank”) alongside eight courses by chef wunderkind Leonard Cheung whilst also enjoying a live classical music performance.
The champagne
If you’re a champagne aficionado, this dinner is for you. The courses are paired with a vintage selection of Maison Mumm’s full range of 100% Grand Cru RSRV champagne:
- RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2014
- RSRV Cuvée 4.5
- RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2012
- RSRV Lalou 2008
RSRV (which stands for“‘ReSeRVed”) refers to the mark used by cellar masters when selecting and identifying the best Grand Cru wines during harvest and bottle ageing. Previously, these wines were only available to select friends of Maison Mumm.
The tasting menu
Chef Cheung is known for regularly mixing up his tasting menus at Cultivate, and it’s this renegade spirit that appeals to the Maison Mumm team. He’s prepared a never-before-seen menu to match the special champagnes presented.
The meal starts with RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2014 accompanying a tangy lemon verbena tomato tart, Thai crab taco and aguachile dish (similar to ceviche). This champagne is known for its adaptability and is able to offset the powerful flavours of these dishes, with the lemon note of the bubbly bringing out the lemon used here.
Guests can experience the white fruits, mineral texture and tangy aftertaste of RSRV Cuvée 4.5, playing an unexpected pairing to seared foie gras with seared Brussels sprouts and yuzu-onion jam topped with hazelnut crumble.
The Cuvée 4.5 also enhances the richness of this New Zealand langoustine tartare with Ossetra caviar, snap peas and champagne gelée.
The chef’s personal favourite champagne is RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2012, which is full-bodied enough to be paired with robust flavours. At this dinner, it’s matched with blackened Brittany monkfish with arroz negro influences (a Valencian and Catalan dish made with cuttlefish and rice).
This cuvée is also served with Barbarie duck accompanied by a beet-Merlot gel, red pearl onion, duck granola, Tardivo radicchio and compressed blackberries.
Finally, the buttery nose of RSRV Lalou 2008 is served with dessert. This legendary cuvée is said to express the best of the Maison Mumm terrior and pairs especially well with Cultivate’s signature banana and caviar dessert and my new personal favourite dessert – Bowl of Summer – made with dehydrated cornbread, fresh blueberries and a pandan-corn cream.
Verdict
This is a very special dinner experience, and fewer than 50 seats are available over 10–11 August. If you’re interested, reservations can be secured via this booking link (a deposit of $1,000 per person is required). Dinner starts at 7:30pm sharp!
27–29 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, 5303 1230
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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