InterContinental Hong Kong's popular STEAK HOUSE winebar + grill will present its first wine dinner of 2016 on January 22nd – showcasing US boutique winery Saffron Fields Vineyard from Willamette Valley, Oregon, best known for its outstanding Pinot Noirs.  The 5-course dinner menu by STEAK HOUSE Chef Chiu Ming Chan (HK$1,388 + 10% service per person) will feature six Saffron Fields Vineyard wines.

The evening will begin with a welcome reception in the STEAK HOUSE winebar showcasing Saffron Fields Vineyard, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2014, with owner SanjeevLahoti personally introducing his wines. The highlight of the dinner will be a vertical tasting of the flagship wine of the estate, the Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir. The Yamhill-Carlton AVA was established in 2004 and is a sub region of the Willamette Valley AVA.

Other featured wines include:

-       Saffron Fields Vineyard,  Willamette Valley, Chardonnay 2013

-       Saffron Fields Vineyard. Yamhill-Carlton, Pinot Noir 2010

-       Saffron Fields Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Pinot Noir 2011

-       Saffron Fields Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Pinot Noir 2012

-       Saffron Fields Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Pinot Noir 2013

The 4-course menu features:

-       Irish Salmon With Spinach & Cream Cheese Terrine

-       US Blue Crabmeat & Mango Timbale,  Spicy Lobster Jelly

-      Brown Onion Soup

-   Slow Roasted Spanish Iberico Pork Rack Wrapped in Apple Wood Bacon Potato Gratin, Sautéed Vegetables & Balsamic Jus                                                                      

-     French Cheese Platter, Pear Mustard, Artisanal Bread and Dried Fruit

Please click here for the wine dinner menu.

About Saffron Fields Vineyard

Saffron Fields Vineyard is owned by Dr. Angela Summers and Sanjeev Lahoti, both chemical engineers, who have made Houston, Texas their home for the past 21 years.  Angela, originally from Jackson, Mississippi, and Sanjeev, who grew up in Mumbai, India, had their eye on the Pacific Northwest as their next home.

As wine enthusiasts, Angela and Sanjeev are passionate about Pinot Noir. They made their first excursion to the Willamette Valley in Oregon in 2003, not knowing much about the area aside from the fact that Oregon was the place for great Pinot Noir. During their visit they met with a realtor to look at some properties with vineyard potential. In particular, they visited a grass seed farm on Laughlin Road that made quite an impression. Four months later, they were proud owners of a grass seed farm with vineyard potential.

In the course of transition, Angela and Sanjeev would visit their property a few times a year, staying in a small shack on the property they endearingly called the “caretakers cottage.” In reality, it was a cold, concrete bunker that never reached over 60 degrees F, which they decided would be a great place to store wine.  In 2007, they planted the first ten acres of their Pinot Noir vineyard with the Pommard clone, followed by four acres each of Dijon 777, 115 and Wädenswil clones in 2009, the same year of their first harvest. The grapes were purchased by Tony Rynders. The intent was to be growers for a few years, however, after barrel tasting the first wine from their property, they changed the business plan and asked Tony to make them fifty cases in 2010. Thus began Saffron Fields Vineyard wines.

In addition to cultivating a vineyard, Angela is planning a beautiful, sustainably maintained farmstead, including an orchard, a vegetable garden and more. She is passionate about her garden and art collection, with plans to incorporate both of these passions into the property with a landscape designed by Hoichi Kurisu, former director of the Portland Japanese Garden and designer of some of the best Japanese gardens in the country.

Sanjeev Lahoti

An accomplished engineer and entrepreneur Sanjeev Lahoti brings leadership and vision to Saffron Fields. His enthusiasm for both the technical and aesthetic aspects of winemaking involve him in establishing Saffron Fields as a top Willamette Valley wine destination and producer of quality wine.

Sanjeev's appreciation for wine began while vacationing in Napa Valley with his wife Angela Summers. As the interest turned to passion and the idea of developing a vineyard became a reality, Sanjeev was drawn to Oregon, having experienced the natural beauty of the land on previous business travels. Dedicated to having a hands-on role in the development of Saffron Fields, Sanjeev received a Certificate of Winemaking from University of California Davis in 2012 and continues seeking gaining experience in enology and viticulture practice.

Saffron Fields derives its name from India where Sanjeev spent much of his childhood. In the region, saffron evokes a sense of serenity and purity. “The first time I saw a vineyard after harvest, I was overwhelmed by the saffron-colored field,” says Sanjeev.

THE STEAK HOUSE winebar + grill is open daily for dinner and on Saturdays and Sundays for lunch.

For reservations, please contact our Restaurant Reservations Center at Tel 2313 2323 or

E-mail: fb.hongkong@ihg.com.

Please click here for images of Saffron Fields Vineyard.

For a full range of STEAK HOUSE images, please click here.

For further press information, please contact:

Carole L Klein

Executive Director of PR & Communications

InterContinental Hong Kong                              

Tel: (852) 2313 2335 /  Fax : (852) 2721 5964                  

E-mail: carole.klein@ihg.com