It’s an idea which has been long in the making: Faber says she was approached by Marc Desom during one of his tastings, and she was keen to “create something that goes well with the food that I do.” While it was important for her to help create a purely Luxembourg wine, she wanted something with “a little twist”--an approach similar to her recipes.

Faber says that she knew Desom had been playing around with blends, and the one they decided on is 30% barrel-aged, which Faber says gives it an oaky touch. “It’s medium-dry, best drunk cold, and has a peachy-salmony tint to it, from the barrel,” Faber says. 

The chef and cookbook author is also an avid traveler who has experimented quite a bit with Asian cuisine. She says that while the wine pairs well with smoky flavours in Luxembourgish cuisine-- think grilled meats or Judd mat Gaardebounen--it also is “mind-blowing” with a Thai curry, even a beetroot risotto. 

Will there be more wines in the pipeline, should this one prove a success? “Who knows,” says Faber. “Although I’d like to get more into products generally, ones that are local and we can put a twist on.”

A total 1,300 bottles of the 2018 “Anne’s Pinot Gris” have been produced, and Faber confirms there won’t be a second edition of this version. 

The wine is available for purchase via Desom or Anne’s Kitchen, and Faber says orders can be arranged in advance for pickup at the Manzoku ramen shop in Howald during their opening hours. Those interested can also stop by the Desom stand at the 15th edition “Fête des Vins et Crémants” wine fair, taking place on the Glacis 15-17 November.