Tasting some fizz

Paolo Fassina believes the key ingredients to making fine wine is a blend of passion, good grapes and rich soil. His passion for wine-making knows no bounds and so is his obsession for Indian food, especially chicken tikka masala.

He hosted an evening of wine tasting for a chosen few at a city hotel last week where the guests got to savour a five course Western menu (including a cheese course) which was paired with select Italian wines.

A native of Italy, Paolo Fassina has many years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Previously working as the wine director for Elite Concepts Hong Kong, Fassina was responsible for selecting fine wines from overseas. “Wine-making is an art that requires a great deal of patience and you should be able to work your way to perfection with a good sense of smell and eye for detail,” says Paolo.  

The Banfi Toscana of Castello Banfi estate, with whom Paolo is associated, includes wines that are vinified at Castello Banfi; though not always sourced completely from estate vineyards, they are made with care and dedication.

Paolo says he’s been travelling the world to expose Italian wine culture, food and tradition. “Wine tasting is our way of letting our culture and richness tickle down to the rest of the world,” he says.

Wine lovers, who turned up in large numbers for the tasting session, observed that it’s only on occasions like this that people get to exchange and share their thoughts and tastes on wine and wine drinking.