24 September 2024 Steve Sparkes

Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

Our Foodmaster Steve Sparkes was in the kitchen for our monthly wine tasting.

Canapes

Good mix of canapés today all happily devoured by members. One member said the best canapés ever!

• Tuna Pâté

This one consisted of a tin of tuna in oil, anchovies, shallots and onion sauteed until golden, a decent slug of Sherry, bay leaf, and tarragon as well as a good whack of butter and seasoning. All blended together at high speed for 5-10 mins (without bay leaves!!) and served on a tomato and basil cracker.

This was a favourite, and many requested the recipe. It was parfait-like in texture with perfectly integrated rich flavours.

• Duck Rillette

Confit of duck maryland shredded with a blend of herbs, some duck fat and duck stock. Served on toasted baguette.

• Fig and Prosciutto

The third canape was a halved fig stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and baked in a hot oven for 10 mins.  It was then cooled and drizzled with honey, balsamic vinegar and black pepper prior to serving.

Main

A lot of preparation in today’s main, It looked simple “meat and two veg” but what grabbed us first was the presentation, the glaze on the duck and the silky mash. The dish was a great bridge to the wines on taste today.

Confit of Duck

The duck marylands were 'dry marinated' with some garlic, thyme, onion, carrot, tarragon, orange rind, black peppercorns, allspice berries, crushed juniper berries, fennel seeds, star anise, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds overnight.

It was then cooked sous-vide at 75C for about 12 hours and then laid out on trays in its own fat in the fridge overnight.

On the day, the duck was flashed in a hot oven for a few minutes and then painted with a glaze for a few more minutes until crispy and shiny just prior to service. The glaze consisted of brown sugar, sherry vinegar and some marmalade.

The duck was served with a basic mash and green beans dressed with EVOO, raspberry vinegar as well as some toasted almond flakes for a bit of crunch.

The sauce/jus/gravy was a bottle of red heavily reduced with a decent amount of Creme de Cassis liqueur and a lot of diced shallots. A couple of litres or so of intense chicken and duck stock was added and reduced to the required consistency. 

Comments reflected the quality of the lunch today.

Thanks Steve.

Cheese

Our Cheesemaster Mark Bradford managed to secure some Pyengana reserve vintage cloth-bound cheddar.

A cow’s milk from Tasmania, it’s handcrafted from a 130-year-old recipe unique to Pyengana and matured in traditional cheese cloth for 24 months.

A great example of this cheese today, crumbly, bold, bitey and some crystals.

So good, Patto pocketed his leftovers!

The cheese was accompanied by a simple salad of mixed leaves dressed in red wine vinegar and olive oil with some added toasted almonds and a rather intense beetroot jam.

The bread was the standard large sourdough loaf from Bourke Street Bakery in Newtown. 

Wine

A splendid lunch delivered via the skills of one of our multi-talented chefs Steve Sparkes. Le Canard was the dish, for those not familiar with French, Duck. A brilliant main, with some superb pass-arounds. See the Food report for more details. With regard to the wines, our stand-in Wine Master Paul Irwin, had selected for us an array of our finest Australian reds, for our considered opinion, ranging from a 1990 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 to a 2012 Penfolds Bin 389, and plenty of goodies in between. So, let's get started.

The aperitif wine was an aged Lindemans Bin 0555 Sem from the Hunter Vintage 2005 12%. Sealed under screw cap the wine was in great presentation, clear, no browning or deep yellow colour you would expect from a 19 yo white. That is where the praise stops with the first bottle opened. I could almost not drink it, such was the overpowering acidity of the wine. It killed any further assessment of the wine. You would think that after 19 years the acid would be falling away, but not with this baby, getting more acidic as time progresses. However, redemption was at hand with a second or third bottle, which were totally different, and highly enjoyable, as you would expect from a top Hunter Sem from a great year. Talk about bottle variation. Under Stelvin you would think this would not happen, but it did today. I was stunned by the difference between the two bottles I tasted. The “Good” bottles saved the day, delightful, fresh, well-balanced Hunter Sem.

The main/cheese wines were from any objective viewpoint, a cavalcade of great Australian wines of the last 25 years. Read on gentle reader and let me guide you through this cornucopia of our best and fairest First off was a crowd favourite the Penfolds Bin 389 14.5%. Let me put my cards on the table for a moment. We had three Bin 389 today so when I say the wine was in the Penfolds style/formula, tannin, oak and alcohol, you will know what I mean. Their red wines never vary from this format. Very predictable, but you know what you’re getting. This wine was the 2012, very highly regarded by Penfolds. Very dark fruit colour, with hints of mulberry and blackberry. Great balance between oak, tannin and acid producing a firm finish. I would not call this wine “elegant” as it is too muscular at present. Perhaps it may achieve this description when Penfolds says it will achieve its full potential in 2040! If anybody has at that stage some connection with the afterlife, please let me know if Penfolds are correct!

Red wine No 2 was the 2012 Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz Cab.14%. My pick of the litter. Lighter in structure than any of the Penfolds wines, this was a beauty. The brilliant clear colour of cherry red, elegant yet powerful, balanced with some mild oak and tannin showing, leading to a drawn-out sweetish fruit-driven finish. I picked up hints of chocolate and blackberry. A really enjoyable drink.

Wine 3 was another 389 2002 14%. I rated this wine above the 2012. The usual Penfolds style, but in my view better than the 2012 above. Perhaps the 2012 needed more time, as with this wine we had ten extra years of maturity and development. 54/46% split of Cab and Shiraz 14%. Very strong flavours of dark fruits, but combining well with the tannin, oak and residual acid to produce a beautifully balanced wine, dare I say a classic 389 with predictions by Penfolds to drink well until 2045!

Wine 4 the Hardys Eileen Shiraz 2002 14%, was to my taste a somewhat sad wine, at least in so far as the bottle on our table was concerned. Maybe there were other bottles in the room that fared better. The colour was still black/purple but the acid had fallen away to a considerable extent, leaving the wine, to my palate, dull and flabby. Perhaps 22 years is just too long for this wine,10 years would have produced a better outcome for this well-regarded wine.

Wine 5 was another 389 this time a very old one, 1991 13.5%. Drinking very well in the Penfolds style. Strong tannin and oak. This wine to me was a different 389 to the earlier bottles probably because it was 11 years older than the 2002 we had beforehand. It had the usual mix of black fruits and cherry flavours. Despite its age, the wine drank very well.

The final wine, the famed Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 from 1990 was to many the wine of the day at 13%. A Cabernet blend of assorted French Cabernets and a dash of Malbec. I think it is fair to say this wine has achieved cult-like status amongst keen Australian wine lovers. At 24 yo the wine still had plenty of time left, no obvious ageing. Superb palate, rich and complex, with a firm finish. All round a great wine doing credit to its reputation. Near perfect balance, great length. Justly regarded by many as the wine of the day.

17 September 2024 Amosh

Food review by James Hill and wine review by James Tinslay

Food

The talented team of Amosh (Head chef) and Madan (sous chef) were in the kitchen today answering our Foodmaster’s call to help fill a gap in our cooking roster. We welcomed Vice President Frank Liebeskind and Foodmaster Steve Sparkes back to the fold after extensive research and education travel in Europe!

Canapés

Nepalese food in the main is aromatic and canapés and today a great example, full of flavour and not overly spicy.

Cheese-stuffed grilled okra

Okra is in season now and they were stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, smoked buffalo mozzarella, coriander, scallions and a touch of harissa.

Chicken chow mein spring rolls 

Dan dan noodles and chicken thigh fillets marinated in yoghurt and fresh lime juice, seasoning, turmeric, ginger, garlic paste and chat masala.

Some debated whether should it have a dipping sauce, but I thought it had very good flavour, as it was.

Nepalese style pork tostada

Deep fried wonton pastry topped with a slaw of cabbage, vinegar and salt and pepper with pork shoulder curry.

A lot of preparation was involved with the canapés today and they were much appreciated and commented on by members.

Main

Amosh chose to keep it simple with a goat curry and two vegetables.

Spice and heat was evident providing a good layer of flavour and textures, the curry had no bones or gristle and was perfectly tender.

-Alu ko tarkari (potato dish) roasted potato cooked with duck fat, onion, tomato, coriander and spices

-Khasi ko masu (goat curry) mustard oil marinated goat shoulder with Nepalese spices

-Makai ko chyakhla (corn grits) cooked like polenta in milk finished with scallion, coriander and brown butter.

Cheese

Our Cheesemaster was rewarded with a day off and the cheese sourced by our team it was a Binnorie dairy cows milk triple cream brie cheese from the Hunter Valley.

It came to the table a little cool masking the flavour and resulting texture was quite firm. It was served with marinated figs and quince paste.

Wine

Pikes Riesling 2022 (12% al). The zesty purity and precision of this Clare Riesling make it a fine way to start the lunch with the spice of the canapes. Wonderful drinking now but for those that prefer developed flavours then the wine should age well. Why wait when it's so drinkable now?

Soumah Hexham Vineyard Equilibrio Pinot Noir 2021 (13.5% al). A lighter style of Pinot with an already browning meniscus. The Equilibrion range is this maker's top echelon, and this elegant wine shows some mushroom character and was the better of the two Pinots. I would drink now.

Helen’s Hill The Smuggler Reserve Pinot 2022 (12.8% al). Not much of a Pinot character and came across more as a Shiraz et al. However, the heat in the main course played a part in this. Very fruity with solid tannins. Not my sort of Pinot but well liked by some with possibly a more heat-resistant palate.

Best’s Great Western Bin 0 Shiraz 2015 (14% al). A rich and ripe Shiraz typical of the Best’s style so much liked by many members. Black fruits but not stewed or extracted just very familiar old fashioned Aussie red. Drinking well now but some would prefer to cellar it further.

Franklin Estate Isolation Ridge Shiraz 2016 (14% al). This medium-bodied Shiraz has cooler fruit source overtones that befit the region. Quite elegant with some spice evident. At its peak.

10 September 2024 Matthew Holmes

Food review by James Hill and wine reviews by Steve Liebeskind and Charles Hargrave (two for the price of one!)

Food

They say membership has its rewards and members certainly appreciated the first class offering of food and wine for today’s lunch.

In the kitchen, 2023 Seafood Chef of the Year, was Matt Holmes presenting his fish and chips.

We welcomed a new member to our society today, Colin O’Connor, and he was presented with a Society bow tie, our history “A Table of Delights” and a Society badge by acting Chair Steve Liebeskind.

Canapés

The first canape, prepared by Mark Bradford, was roast beef with a grilled red pepper garnish, sat on a bed pesto and a pumpernickel base. The pesto was the dominant flavour, with a good texture, along with cashew basil pesto and pumpernickel.

The second canape was courtesy of Paul Thorne, named “fisheye anchovy” by Greg Chugg it was white anchovies wrapped around pepper-stuffed olives, sitting on blini.

Main

Inspired by his time living in London Matt produced a meal of

reimagined fish-n-chips, laid down on a sheet of newspaper to evoke memories of seaside meals: all we needed were a few seagulls screeching in the background.

The fish was Kingfish with parmesan and panko crumbed crust.

The panko crumbs were given a flavour lift with garlic and parsley and plenty of olive oil to produce a glazed, golden-brown finish. The hidden ingredient to adhere the crumbs to the fish was Dijon mustard, not flour and egg as would be the usual option. The mustard also added to the flavour without overpowering the fish.

You can't have fish and chips without mushy peas and in this case, they were cooked in chicken stock and mint, some said the hero on the plate. The homemade tartare sauce was a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, cornichons, capers and lemon juice.

The chips were triple-cooked Desiree potatoes in a Jenga stack, always well received.

Very well executed and presented there were many comments on the quality of food presented today. A great combination of flavours and texture, as fitting a CoTY nomination.

Bread Bourke Street bakery bread today, soy and linseed served with the main and semi-sourdough baguette with cheese.

Cheese

Cheese master Mark Bradford, in theme, presented a Cropwell Bishop Stilton from Nottinghamshire England a blue cow’s milk cheese. It came to the table in perfect condition today.

This cheese is soft, sweet and savoury with a mild blue mould finish that has notes of honey, leather, tobacco and molasses.

Stilton is one of Britain’s best-known PDO cheeses made in the counties of Nottingham, Derby & Leicester using local, full cream pasteurised milk. Cropwell Bishop Dairy is one of the smallest producers - a family-owned business operating for 3 generations.

Curds are hand ladled into cylindrical moulds; a time-consuming and painstaking process, but one that helps to preserve the structure of the curd and deliver a smooth rich textured cheese. During maturation, the crusty rind forms naturally, encouraged by rubbing and brushing, and after spiking, blueing radiates from the centre.

Simply served with pears Beurre Bosc and Delicious, dates and walnuts.

Wine

(Editor comment: Sorry boys, neither of you reached the poetry of normal reviewer Stephen O'H's reminiscing of drinking a wine with a beautiful young lady in some exotic location etc etc. Thank you both for putting your hands up in Stephen's absence)

1. Charles Hargrave comments

An excellent fish dish deserves an exceptional selection of wines. This week’s wines were on the money. In fact they were more like a wine lunch. Unfortunately, only 30 very fortunate members joined us today.
 
A 2019 William Fèvre Petit Chablis ($50) was served with the canapés. It’s a popular brand with a wide range of cuvées in their portfolio. This wine, however, was a disappointment. Bottled under screw cap, their characters varied from pale, pure Chablis to yellow and oxidised. Coincidentally, I met with someone from the importer (Negociants) the next day and commented on these faults. Apparently Fèvre have since stopped using screw cap until they resolve these issues. Our most recent purchase of the 2022 version is now under cork (Diam)
 
The main was served with two very different burgundies. The first, a 2018 William Fèvre Chablis (under cork - $65) was in excellent condition. Showing the recognisable mineral Chablis notes with tension, freshness and finesse. Whereas Petit Chablis (20% of production) is grown on the upper slopes (often facing north) on lighter, silty soils, the Chablis (65% of production) is on grown on the lower slopes with much older soils, rich in oyster shell, dating to the Jurassic period. These differences are reflected in the intensity of the wines. 

2. Steve Liebeskind comments

Canapé wine

• 2019 Domaine William Fevre Petit Chablis

Vintage Notes: The 2019 vintage in Chablis was marked by favourable weather, producing wines with excellent ripeness and balance. A cooler spring and early summer were followed by a warmer ripening period, which led to concentrated flavours with fresh acidity.

Tasting Notes: This wine offers bright citrus and green apple flavours with a touch of minerality. Its crisp acidity and light body make it perfect for starting the meal, refreshing the palate and complementing the full-bodied canapés. The surprise here was that there were 2 styles of bottles – 1 showed minerality and freshness, the other, full body, flinty and flabbiness and Burgundian style. Both were good but I preferred the flinty/minerality style.

Main course wines

• 2018 Domaine William Fevre Chablis

Vintage Notes: 2018 was an excellent year for Chablis, with warm weather producing ripe, expressive wines that still maintained good acidity. The growing season led to balanced, concentrated wines with both fruit and minerality.

Tasting Notes: This wine had bright citrus, green apple, and subtle pear notes, with a strong mineral backbone. Its vibrant acidity and clean finish make it an ideal pairing for the fish and chips. Personally, I found the Petite Chablis more interesting and refreshing and would have gone well with the fish and chips as well.

• 2020 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Au Bout du Monde

Vintage Notes: 2020 was a warm year in Burgundy, producing rich, concentrated wines with lower acidity compared to cooler vintages. However, in the hands of skilled winemakers like Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, the wines retained freshness alongside ripe fruit.

Tasting Notes: This wine offers notes of ripe stone fruits like peach and apricot, alongside a slight nuttiness and refreshing minerality. It is fuller-bodied than typical Chablis, which helps it hold up to the richness of the fish and chips, while the minerality and freshness balance out the dish. A wine with tannin and flabbiness, this was a terrific wine and paired with the meal very well. An excellent drink.

Cheese wines

• 2017 Domaine Christian Clerget Bourgogne Rouge

Vintage Notes: 2017 was a classic vintage for red Burgundy, producing elegant, lighter-bodied wines with bright acidity and expressive fruit. The vintage is known for its finesse, with balanced, approachable wines in their youth.

Tasting Notes: This Pinot Noir delivered vibrant red fruit flavours such as cherry and raspberry, with subtle earthy undertones. It has light body and fresh acidity. We had a Stilton today and the cheese slightly overpowered this wine.

• 2017 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
  Vintage Notes: 2017 in Canberra was a great vintage for Shiraz Viognier, producing wines with bright fruit and floral aromatics. The cooler growing season allowed for more finesse and elegance in the wine.

Tasting Notes: This wine combines the richness of Shiraz with the floral lift of Viognier. It presents flavours of red and dark fruit with a silky texture, complemented by spicy undertones. Its aromatic complexity makes it a versatile pairing with cheese, adding depth and richness to the cheese course. The sweetness of the Viognier lifted the fruit of the Shiraz and matched well with the Stilton. A good wine and drinks well now, with years to go.

3 September 2024 James Hill

Food review by the CoTD James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

First lunch of spring with yours truly in the kitchen.

Canapés

First up French onion loaf, a recipe from Helen Goh baked with caramelised onions and a batter of flour, eggs Comte and Parmesan served warm with a dab of French goat’s cheese.

Gary Linnane assisted today with a canapé of smoked salmon mixed with dill, crème fraîche, and lemon zest and topped with Yarra Valley salmon roe.

I loved the flavours of this canapé salmon dominant not overwhelmed by the other ingredients. A great balance of flavour and texture.

Next up was the last of this season’s truffle shaved on some French goat’s cheese on crostini.

Main

Inspired by a Peter Gilmore recipe. Duck breast with prunes Pedro Ximenes sherry, sherry vinegar, black pudding and cauliflower cream.

The duck breasts were seasoned then rendered and finished in the oven, they sat on top of a cauliflower cream that had some cayenne heat.

Prunes were marinated overnight in water and then warmed for fifteen minutes in Pedro Ximenes sherry and sherry vinegar. The prunes were removed and the remaining jus reduced to make the sauce.

Some greens on the plate, snow pears blanched then finished in butter and seasoning. A good crunch!

Black pudding availability was scarce so we sourced three versions Rodriguez brothers Villawood, Sam the Butcher, Bondi and an unknown maker purchased from the Russian deli Bondi. All very good yet different.

The result was a dish showing a layer of sweet, sour, salty flavours, balance and texture.

Much praise to the team in the kitchen assisting with meal preparation and plating.

Cheese

I requested one of my favourite cheeses today, a French semi-hard cow’s milk blue, ’Fourme D’Ambert’ It didn’t present as well as we’ve seen it in the past, today a little dry missing the moist creaminess.

A tall cylindrical cow’s milk cheese made in the twin towns of Ambert and Montbrison and matured in old railway tunnels in the Auvergne.

The cheese is often featured in the original stained glass windows of the local churches and legend claims it was the forbear of the Stilton recipe introduced to the English Midlands at the time of the 11th-century Norman Invasion.Easily recognisable by its shape, which gently concertinas as the cheese matures, the natural rind is a powdery grey-blue, and the texture is soft, dense and sticky with marbled blue veining. Mild and creamy, it has a good blue mould aftertaste.

Accompanied by a salad of shaved fennel and apple with parsley, evoo, and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Bread today a sourdough from Humble Bakery Circular Quay.

Wine

The theme for today was essentially duck and Pinot, a union blessed by the Saints. James Hill did a wonderful job with the Duck, which was perfectly presented. A great effort. See Food Report for details.

We started with an Austrian white, a 2017 Gemischter Satz a blend of potentially, 13 grape varieties. I was shown a list of the possible contenders for inclusion and my best guess was that there was some Riesling, some Gruner Veltliner, some Muller Thurgau and possibly some Pinot Gris. This would be the perfect wine to take to a masked tasting, it would torment even the experts. As far as the wine was received today, it was regarded as a pleasing match for the superb pass-around prepared by James. I was baffled in trying to put out a sensible description of the wine, other than to say it was exotic, with lots of mixed fruit, but quite dry, well balanced with a clean finish. My research indicates that the good folk in Austria seem to enjoy it, and good luck to them.  

The red wines. We kicked of with two highly respected Pinots, a Georges Lignier Chambolle – Musigny 2012 12.5% and a Farrside by Farr, 2012 13.5%. The French wine presented as a medium weight Pinot of red brick colour with some hints of dark fruit flavours. An elegant wine, a great match for the duck, but the finish lacked any lingering aftertaste, possibly due to diminishing acid.

The Farr Pinot was a bigger wine, showing great depth of colour and flavour, a beautiful combination of oak, fruit and tannin leading to a balanced silky finish. Great with the duck.  But again like the French wine, the aftertaste disappeared quickly, due to diminishing acid. Perhaps both wines were not suited for long term cellaring, the view around the room was that both wines would have been more enjoyable about 4/5 years ago.

Wine three was a Northern Rhone Syrah, a Maxime Graillot Equinoxe Crozes-Hermitage from 2015, 13%.  This wine poured out of the bottle with an impenetrable blackness through which no light could pass. Indeed it was the colour of black ink. The wine had an unusual taste on the front palate, intense stewed fruit, with very powerful tannins and oak all combining to produce a wine I thought was out of balance. A degree of volatility was noticeable. Perhaps the wine needed more bottle age or be put into a carafe for some hours before being drunk. Either way, the wine was not in my view enjoyable.

The last wine for the day was the Farr Shiraz 2014 13.5%. I really enjoyed this wine from Geelong. A wonderful mix of spicy shiraz, oak and grippy tannins. Tons of flavour and deep dark Shiraz fruit colours, but at the same time all in harmony, leading to a clean, powerful wine with a satisfying and lingering finish. Perfect with the cheese. An excellent wine, my pick of the day.

27 August 2024 Mark Bradford

Food review by James Hill and wine review by Steve Liebeskind

Food

Our cheese master Mark Bradford was in the kitchen today cooking for our monthly wine tasting.

Canapés

We love sausage rolls, and we had two types today. Firstly “Thai style" with red curry, coconut, panko and fish sauce followed by “French style" with French onion soup powder and Dijon mustard.

Both were eagerly devoured by members.

Then came Denys Moore's secret pâte on mini toast with sliced cucumber. I thought I could taste some truffle in the pâte which was somewhat hidden by the largish slices cucumber. Good flavour and mouthfeel.

Main

We sat to an entrée of cream of potato and leek soup with dukkha and fennel frond garnish to enjoy while tasting our wines.

Our main was advertised as ‘coq au vin with a twist’. Mark presented a coq au vin pie, and it was a good match for our wines today.

They were in blind baked shortcrust pastry shells with a stew of chicken thigh, lardons, French shallots, sliced button mushrooms, garlic, flour, Bordeau, Maggie Beer chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme sprigs. The chicken was removed and shredded to fit the pie, vegetables and lardons put on top and baked for 15 minutes. Topped with half ruby burst tomato and seated on zucchini and rice tian (based on Julia Child recipe). Stacked potato gratin with gruyere cheese, Lurpak butter, heavy cream, thyme initially baked in muffin pan.

A lot of thought and effort in today’s lunch and we were well rewarded with flavour and texture marriage perfect for lunch.

Merci Mark.

Cheese

In theme, Mark presented a French hard cow’s milk cheese ‘Bourgogne-Franche-Comté’.

Made from unpasteurised milk, this hard-cooked raw milk cheese is made at small dairies or fruitieres using the milk from several herds of Montbeliard cows.

This cheese was matured in the damp underground cellars of Marcel Petite at Fort Saint Antoine high in the mountains that border France and Switzerland in the Franche-Comte.

It’s specially selected to wear the prestigious red ‘crown’ of quality on the basis of its rich concentrated nutty texture, elegant caramel sweetness, and lingering kaleidoscope of flavours rather than on how long it is aged.

Simply served with some almonds and sliced Packham pears.

Wine

Canapé wines

2009 Hugel Jubilee Riesling, Alsace. This wine was an absolute pleasure for an aperitif. At 13.5% we were presented with a wine showing some yellowing after 15 years of age from a bottle under cork. There was good fresh fruit, slight sweetness and some minerality but this was balanced out with good acid structure. The wine had a level of complexity and balance, good length and thoroughly enjoyable for all. Well received by the members.

Tasting wines

1             2007     E. Guigal Saint-Joseph Vignes de L'Hospice Syrah. The 2007 was a good vintage and this wine showed developed earthy, herbal notes alongside its dark fruit and spice. It was an honest wine and showed well. Mind you as it stayed in the glass it did fade indicating it should be drunk now.

2             2007     E. Guigal Cote Rôtie Brune Et Blonde Syrah and some Viognier. This was a highlight wine of the day. It showed as an elegant, integrated and well-balanced wine with soft tannins and complex layers of florals and smoke. There was good length and stayed strong in the glass.

3             2007     Tyrrell's Vat 9 Shiraz 2007 was the vintage of the decade, and it showed. The wine showed balanced acidity, savoury earth tones with good length, and a smart finish. This was a medium-bodied wine based on 13.5% alcohol, complex, and drinking at its peak with a number of years ahead of itself. A comment about possible VA with lifted acid was made.

4             2006     Tyrrell's 4 Acres Shiraz. While 2006 didn’t reach the heights of 2007 as a general vintage, it was a good year, which allowed the quality of a single vineyard to shine through. Great colour, balance, length, soft structure, and an elegant finish. Good acid and still has its life ahead of it. There were tertiary notes of tobacco and leather. The 4 Acres was a complex wine void of bret and scored slightly higher than the Vat 9. 

5             2006     Seppelt St Peters Grampian Shiraz. Moving to the Grampians in Victoria and one of Stephen O’Halloran’s favourites, we had a wine from an excellent vintage. The St Peters had a firm, spicy profile with added complexity and cedar/leathery nuances. Showing extremely well for an 18-year-old wine under screw cap. A please to drink and close to being a gold medal wine.

6             2006     Penfolds RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz. Moving into South Australia we were expecting the alcohol to dominate. In fact, this wine had great richness and complexity, with the wine evolving into dried fruit and chocolate and had a velvety texture. This was an excellent wine with its life ahead of it. While the alcohol was there it was elegant and with extra breathing, the wine softened with breathing. Like the Vat 9 was there a bit of VA to lift acidity (an old Penfold trick)? This created good discussion and interest. 

All wines were good to very good and in fact it was up to the individual persons' style and preference when assessing a ranking. All wines were high-scoring and certainly, there were no duds. All in attendance enjoyed the wines and personal preference created great discussion. While some may not enjoy some Shiraz, the audience gave praise to the wines and the order served. These wines complemented the terrific main and cheese presented. Standouts were the Brune et Blonde, RWT and 4 Acres.

20 August 2024 Amosh and REX team

Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

A full house for our truffle lunch today with new head chef Amosh at the Royal Exchange preparing our main course with truffles very generously donated by member David Gregory. Steve Liebeskind and yours truly prepared the canapés.

Canapes

Canapés were topped with scraped and shaved truffle.

• Warmed leek and potato soup aka vichyssois in a shot glass.

• Goat’s cheese on crostini.

• Vic’s meats black truffle salami kurobuta rare breed pork pinned with radish.

• Seared roast beef topped with enoki mushrooms and truffle sitting on pea purée and toasted bread. The truffle pea purée was made a day before for a flavour boost.

Main course

Chicken pithivier on chicken cream sauce with bowls of pomme purée and lashings of truffle!

Breasts of chicken were seared and then marinated overnight with seasoning and paprika. The pie filling was made with truffle, shiitake mushroom, bechamel sauce, seeded mushroom and tarragon.

Butter pastry was used for the and it sat on a sauce made from leftover bechamel sauce, chicken stock, Dijon mustard shredded truffle and cream. It was an interesting observation that salt highlighted the truffle aroma.

As many commented it looked simple yet a complex dish, as Richard Gibson said “the ultimate comfort food yet fine dining quality”.

A flavoursome pie filling with not overly creamy delicate texture and perfectly presented.

It was Amoush’s solo first lunch cooking for us since being made Head Chef and he was presented with a chef’s toque as a token of appreciation by our Society.

Canapés and main were highly commended and enjoyed by members at lunch today.

Cheese

Many had an idea of the cheese (French origin?) today presented by our master Mark Bradford however when revealed it was a pleasant surprise as it was a high-quality Australian cheese. It was Woombye Cheese Company Triple Cream Brie Artisan Cow's Milk White from Queensland.

Woombye Triple Cream Brie is made using this fine quality local milk to which extra cream is added. This extra cream means that below the delicate white bloomy rind found on the outside, there is a deliciously rich and creamy paste. This cheese is turned by hand every day throughout its maturation to allow the rind to develop perfectly.

Accompanied by a salad of mixed leaves and tomato and a dried fig softened with brandy and star anise.

Wine

Today our resident sous Chef Amosh, became our resident Head Chef with the departure of Rob Doll. So today it was Amosh on the high wire, without a net, and boy did he come through with flying colours! The main course was a chicken and mushroom truffle pithivier with creamy truffle mash, in a word magnificent! Congratulations to our new Chef. Steve Liebeskind and James Hill created some superb pass-arounds, so we were well fed, to say the least. See the full food report for more detail.

The aperitif wines were two top Chardonnays, first a Curley Flat and the second a Yabby Lake, both from 2015. Of the two, the general consensus favoured the Yabby Lake. To my taste, the Curley Flat had a hard to identify problem on the first sip. The wine was fairly deep yellow and now being 9 yo, perhaps a little oxidised? The flavour was still good, very buttery with some oak evident. Very much like a Chardonnay made in the 1980s. By no means unpleasant, the wine left me thinking, was there a winemaking fault or just getting on a bit?

The second wine presented no such issues, it was a delight. Much lighter in colour and texture, well balanced with generous fruit and acid, taught and disciplined on the mid-palate, finishing with a crisp lingering taste. A top wine. More please.

For the main course, the first was a Tolpuddle Pinot 2014 from Tasmania 12.5%.  Great PN nose, with a medium weight. A very good Australian PN, however when compared to the following wine its one dimensional character became obvious. Nothing wrong with the wine at all, left alone would be well regarded, but the contrast with the following French PN showed its lack of complexity.

The second wine was the Cheron Chambolle-Musigny also from 2014 12.8%. These French folk really know how to make great PN. Considerably denser in colour than the Tolpuddle, with a more alluring mouthfeel, and a clean finish. Beautiful balance of fruit, acid, soft tannins and gentle oak. In my view a really lovely wine, wish I had some. A great choice for today’s lunch.

Third wine was a Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo 2014 13.5%. Apparently an entry-level Nebbiolo which to me was more than just acceptable, indeed I really enjoyed it. Medium weight and quite elegant despite the usual strong tannic and acidic taste of this particular grape. A perfect food wine, as the Italians are such masters in creating. A smooth but firm finish with hints of tar and licorice for which this grape is well known. If this is entry-level, please escort me to the next level!

The final wine for the day was a beauty, the Tyrrells Vat 9 Shiraz 2014, 13.9%. The vintage of 2014 is widely regarded as one of the best in the Hunter for decades, perfect growing conditions produced wonderful reds and whites in that year. For this reason, I was really excited about tasting this wine, one of Tyrrell's top reds. The wine presented in glass with deep black/purple hues, and a strong aroma of dark fruits and spice. On the palate, the wine was superb, great balance, elegant yet powerful with restrained oak and tannin aspects. Plenty of acid still, resulting in a clean satisfying aftertaste.  No sign of ageing, I see this wine drinking with excellence well into the next decade.   Whilst I was a great fan of the Musigny, I was super impressed with the Vat 9, a classic Hunter destined for greatness.

13 August 2024 Steve Liebeskind

Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

Chef of renown Steve Liebeskind was in the kitchen today cooking for our mixed lunch, he was assisted by member David Simmonds.

Canapes

• Fennel puree on puff pastry with salmon on top – fennel and fennel seeds cooked with butter and stock, pureed
• Marinated herring on pumpernickel – the herring was combined with red onion, grated green apple and cream
• Steak tartare on pressed puffed pastry – eye fillet finely chopped, onion, cornichons, anchovy, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and tabasco sauce

Bountiful interesting and flavoursome canapés today were much appreciated and commented on by members and guests.

Main

This was a fine dining quality dish today with lots of ingredients that came together on the plate eye-pleasing, flavoursome and textural.

Eye fillet (seared and then in oven) with pepper sauce topped with parsnip chips served with mushroom, red cabbage, potato, parsnip mash and brussel sprouts (last two in bowls for table). The eye fillet was perfectly cooked, and we loved the pepper sauce. The mushroom had some soy sauce in the cap to add another flavour burst to our palates.

Many favourable comments on all aspects of our meal today, a lot of effort and preparation evident today. Thanks Steve and David.

Cheese

Presented by yours truly and requested by Steve, one of his favourite cheeses, Fromager D’Affinois Florette.

A goat’s cheese from France, the name d’Affinois is a play on affinage, the French word for the ripening polices of cheese.

Florette is a hexagonal-shaped goat’s milk cheese with a silky consistency made near Pelussin in the Rhone Valley. As it ripens, the cheese becomes quite runny retaining its delicate creamy goat’s milk flavour. It came to the table in perfect condition and temperature.

Steve accompanied the cheese with a salad of green leaf with roast capsicum and roasted slivered almonds and dressed with a vinaigrette.

We were lucky to have a homemade almond biscuit with a walnut top and dark chocolate base to go with our coffee today.

Wine

It was a mixed lunch at the WFS, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable afternoon indeed. Steve Liebeskind put on a terrific meal of roast fillet with all the trimmings, as well as some delicious pass-arounds. An excellent meal, see Food Report for more details. With regard to the wines, we got the party rolling with the best party starter in the game, vintage Champagne! Us blokes only dream of having Vintage Bubbles, but there it was for the ladies a 2012, Ch Duperrey Brut from Epenay, and very nice it was too! Despite the wine now being 12 yo, it had plenty of fizz and great flavour. An excellent match with the herring.

There then followed a dry white from France, a Blouctet Garnier Bichot Aligote 2021 from the Burgundy. A modest 12%, an enjoyable wine, firm and with a crisp finish due to quite a high acidity. The wine is very popular in France as an aperitif wine, lighter in body and flavour compared to a Chardonnay, but nonetheless a pleasing pre-lunch wine.

We then moved on to our main course wines, three Shiraz all from 2010. No problems with ageing, all bottles were in peak condition.

First, was the Lindeman’s Bin 1003 13%, made from grapes grown on the company’s famous Ben Ean Vineyard, one of the oldest in the Hunter. The wine opened with a massive dark colour, huge fruit flavours of cherry and dark plumb. Some sweet oak was present in the mid-palate. Mild tannin and just enough acid to ensure a smooth, clean finish. An excellent wine.

The second wine was my pick of the bracket, the Tyrrells Old Patch 13.4%. This vineyard was originally planted in 1867 and is the oldest producing vineyard in the Hunter. Tyrrells purchased the land from the Stevens Family several years ago, and Bruce Tyrrell considers it to be his favourite bit of dirt.  To my taste, this was a wonderful wine, much lighter in body, colour and structure than the preceding wine, yet more flavoursome and powerful in the mid-palate. A velvety combination of oak, tannin and acid producing a wine of elegance, flavour and power, despite its lighter presentation when compared to the Lindemans. I think we have all been fortunate to partake in some of this wonderful wine.

 The third wine was the Rosemont Balmoral from McLaren Vale 14.5%. Drinking after the Old Patch was always going to present a challenge to any wine, but in fairness, I think the Balmoral did a fine job. A big wine storms out of the bottle with inky dark fruit flavours of plum, blackberry and black currant. Lots of evidence of oak influence, with strong tannins at the finish. Yet, the wine in its own way was well-balanced and a joy to drink

The final wine was the Tyrrells Bin 63 Semillion/Chardonnay blend 2017,  12.5%. As I made clear in my summation of the wines, I have always disliked this wine right from its inception in the early 1970’s.  With the excellent pedigree of Chardonnay and Semillion as its parents I had high hopes for this style, which were soon dashed with my first taste. A boring wine with no appealing aspects. Why ruin a nice Chardy or a nice Sem by mixing them together? The best features of its parent wines were not reproduced in their offspring, a nondescript, flavourless dullard of a wine to be avoided if at all possible. However, being a fair man, giving credit if and when due, I must say that the wine was a reasonable partner for the pungent strong flavours of the excellent goat’s cheese. Despite this throw away parting gesture of a few crumbs of praise, I can assure you all that there has never been a bottle of this wine in my cellar.

6 August 2024 Greg Sproule

Food review by James Hill and wine review by James Tinslay

Food

Greg Sproule former Food Master was in the kitchen today allegedly preparing a meal of (allegedly) Persian Lamb.

Greg told us his inspiration came from some young Persian people who he had met recently. He was interested in their food and culture.

They help source the ingredients and recipe for today’s lunch.

Canapés

First up some Dolmas – vine-wrapped rice, beef spiced with cinnamon, cloves and lemon juice (note Persian/ Iranian variation of this dish is square wraps with beef added) all the flavour was there, the vine leaves needed some steaming to make it easier to bite into as they were quite chewy and very moist.

Then some chicken kababs – Greek yogurt, saffron, lime, lemon and onion chicken skewers again flavoursome however a tad dry.

Main

Greg arrived for prep at 12:35 pm which made things a little hectic in the kitchen. All the ingredients were but there they just needed to be put together.

President Bill Alexiou rolled his sleeves up and directed the proceedings. It was Amosh’s first lunch as Head Chef and they did a great job getting the food out albeit later than usual. This dish should have come with a content warning as small sour cherries were used unfortunately, as some found out, still seeded.

Persian jewelled rice – cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, apricots, pistachio, onion, saffron

Khoresht e Ghormeh Sabzi – (King of Persian cuisine) – Beef, onion, leek, parsley, cilantro, fenugreek, lime turmeric

Fesenjam – (Queen of Persian cuisine) – Duck, walnuts ground, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, onion, pomegranate seeds.

The flavours and aroma were authentic it came together with a blending of fresh and dried ingredients to create the dish.

Cheese

Our cheese master Mark Bradford sourced some Persian feta from the Yarra Valley.

Fetta cheese made with pasteurised cow’s milk, salt, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and bay Leaves.

Greg accompanied the cheese with almonds, dates, apricots, pistachio mixture and a

Shirazi Salad – Cucumber, Lettuce, Tomato

Bread today was sourdough from a humble bakery Circular Quay.

Wine

Having written well over 200 wine and food reviews for Society lunches I am somewhat reticent to get back on the treadmill. However, our friend Stephen O’Halloran was unavailable for lunch, so you have my review.

You will see that my review misses the entertaining comments, his research and ‘taking the piss’ approach that Stephen does so well and is much appreciated by members. His entertaining style of writing is a bit weird for a lawyer but then again, I’m a boring engineer! Thank you, Stephen.

As has been happening most weeks Nick our Winemaster is clearing the wine fridge at REX of orphan wines of which we have many. So, only those wines that all tables had will be mentioned.

We had two main wines with canapés. We started with the Günther Steinmetz Kestener Herrenberg Riesling 2011. This German Mosel wine of 13 years of age was more than interesting with solid Riesling fruit on the palate with a slight touch of residual sugar despite being predominantly dry in style. Very German. It had developed a degree of complexity over the years and was most enjoyable.

The second wine was Tyrrell’s HVD Semillon 2014. This wine was enjoyed around the room with the canapés, and it ticked all the boxes for a 10-year-old Semillon from Tyrrell’s. It has a future, and we hope to see it again.

The first of two wines shared by all at table (as I recall) was Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2016 from the Macedon ranges. Their wines have a very good reputation and are not priced for the bargain bin. The meniscus was quite brown, and the nose was mature. Surprisingly, I found this wine past its best. Unbalanced with some sweetness the major component. It improved marginally in the glass. Others like that old over-mature style.

The second was the Seppelt Drumborg Riesling also 2016. This wine had everything you wanted in a Riesling, dry, with good acid balance and obvious Riesling character.

30 July 2024 Peter Kelso

Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

Today was the last Tuesday for popular REX head chef Rob Doll, regarded highly by the Society members who opt to cook at our weekly lunch.  He will be missed.  Longstanding member and former President, Peter Kelso, was the final COTD in the kitchen with Rob, assisted with canapes by Jonathan Casson. “A chef and two lawyers” for this wine tasting lunch.

Canapés

First up, Peter presented gravlax salmon with a mustard dill sauce on toast, assembled by the Cheesemaster on the day.

Jonathan prepared an antipasto canapé comprising a baked salami cup holding Philadelphia cream cheese, finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and red peppers with a sliced olive on top. The salami had been arranged into a shallow muffin tray and baked for 10 minutes at 185°. 

Both received praise and were a good match with the canape Chardonnay.

Main

Peter served us kangaroo loin fillets, marinated in olive oil and crushed juniper berries, then seared quickly, rested and warmed up at the last moment before being sliced and served on a bed of roasted beetroot, carrot and red onion with brown lentils and a touch of cumin, sweet paprika and minced fresh turmeric. It all depended on the ‘roo, and that came to the plate suitably rare, thanks mainly to the ministrations of Rob Doll. Comments were favourable.

Cheese

The cheese today was Le Duc Vacherin, selected by Will Studd. It was an artisan soft surface-ripened washed rind cow’s milk cheese, made in the mountains of the Franche-Comte region of France, using a recipe adapted from the seasonal spruce-bound cheeses of the region.  Bound with a thin ring of bark, skilfully cut from local pine trees during the summer months, then ripened in a traditional wooden box, Le Duc Vacherin is best enjoyed when the smooth pinkish rind starts to ripple and bulge.  Inside, the cheese softens to a rich, creamy melt-in-the-mouth texture with just a hint of forest. Appreciated by the Members.

Wine

Today’s Board of Fare consisted of fillet of kangaroo and selected vegetables prepared by one of our ex-presidents Peter Kelso. I had images of our intrepid former President in full camo gear and pith helmet, with his trusty Winchester. 243 by his side and a box of 75-grain hollow point ammo in his bandolier, stalking around the plains of NSW searching for a couple of prime Eastern Greys for our meal. Dear members, you will understand my letdown when I was told that our lunch came from the Meat Emporium here in Sydney! Standards are slipping!

In any event, after I had regained my composure, I thought the meal was well presented and tasty, the pass-arounds were excellent and the cheese to finish was superb. Now for the wine.

With the savouries, we drank an agreeable WA Chardonnay made by Larry Cherubino, one of our best winemakers. The wine was called Folklore, 2022 13%. A bit above an entry-level Chardy. The wine was seemingly approved by the room, crisp and fresh with typical Chardonnay flavours. Went well with the pass-arounds. I was doing some wine pours and the wine was well received by all. Perhaps our Winemaster could order some more if the price is right.

Moving onto the first of our lunchtime reds, we had a bracket of two Penfolds favourites, a 2013 Bin 389 and a Bin 407 2012. Both 14.5%. The 389 was a blend of 51 % Cab and 49 % Shiraz, a multi-area wine, as was the 407, a straight Cabernet. To my taste, the 389 was a medium-bodied wine showing typical Penfolds oak and tannin flavours. Dark fruits of blackcurrant flavours were there, but the wine was dominated by the tannin and oak. A bit unbalanced. Acceptable, but in my view not up to the usual high standard for this wine. About the 407, I must declare my hand and advise that I have always regarded this wine as my least favourite of all the Penfolds red wines. The wine presented today as a huge coloured black thing, almost sucking the light out of the room. Inky and fleshy, with again large tannin and oak overtones. To me, 407 has never shown any of the delightful aspects of quality Cabernet. Flat and boring is par for the course I must say about 407. The wine limped along to a tired finish. Overall very underwhelming, but that’s what I have always felt about this particular wine.

Wine no 3 was a Bordeaux from St Emillion, a Ch La Serre 2010 14.5 %. Vintage wise a pretty good year in that region, I enjoyed the wine, a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. Juicy and plummy from the predominant Merlot composition with a smooth velvety tannin finish. Very nice indeed, I actually think I will have another glass, merci garcon.

 Wine no 4 was a strange dude, an Italian Super Tuscan, a Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet blend, but unfortunately, this was not a super wine. The wine was a Poggio Mediterra 2010 14%. To my taste, the wine initially presented well, but soon thereafter developed some odd flavours, hard to identify, but unappealing. The finish was dull, possibly due to acid falling away. A disappointment.

Wine 5 was a beauty, my wine of the day by far, the Lindeman’s Pyrus, a  Cab blend from 2008, 14%. Of the famous Coonawarra trio, St George, Limestone Ridge and Pyrus, I have always found the Pyrus to be the most attractive, at least to my taste. Whereas St George and Limestone have always followed a predictable path taste-wise, the Pyrus is different, exotic, alluring, wanting to show you more. This no doubt comes from the mixed composition of the wine, Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and at times Cabernet Franc. Lighter in texture than the others, the wine is elegant, yet complex in its array of flavours, black currant, cedar and spice. Deep crimson colour, medium body weight, and a lingering, fine tannic finish with sufficient acid to see it through to a clean finish. In a word, delightful.

The final wine was the celebrated Yeringberg Cabernet Blend 1999 13.5%. A very historic vineyard in the Coldstream region of Vic, originally planted in the 1860s. The wine today was a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cab Franc and Malbec. The wine is now 25 yo and is showing its age. At my table, the consensus of opinion was that the wine was long “past it”, as evidenced by an offensive odour and poor finish. I let some of the wine sit in the glass till the end of lunch, and to my surprise it made a bit of a comeback finishing with a reasonably pleasant finish of stewed fruit consistency. Maybe we were judging the wine prematurely. I heard it suggested from a member that perhaps the wine should have been opened yesterday!

23 July 2024 Nick Reynolds

Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran

Food

Our Cellar master Nick Reynolds was on the hobs presenting a Spanish-themed lunch. Nick always draws a crowd when he’s cooking and today was no exception.

Canapes

Nick presented three variations on traditional tapas/pintxos for canapés.

The first was 30-sheet patatas bravas. The potatoes are very finely sliced then layered, baked, and pressed. They are then sliced into individual serves and deep fried, then topped with crème fraîche and a bravas sauce of tomatoes, sweet paprika, and olive oil.

Next was another deep-fried tapas, this time panko-crumbed blue cheese and walnut croquettas.

Our final offering was a platter of gildas of guindilla peppers, stuffed olives and Yuritta Cantabrian Anchovies.

Steve Sparkes assisted with the canapés and James Hill provided much welcome assistance with both preparation of the gilda pintxos and plating of the main course.

Main

The main was a deconstructed paella with bomba rice cooked in chicken stock flavoured with saffron and a tomato, garlic, and red pepper sofrito. The protein on the dish comprised sous vide-cooked chicken winglets and drumettes, two La Boqueria Chorizito (small chorizo), steamed mussels, and prawns. The chicken and mussels were drizzled with a lightly thickened saffron, paprika, and chicken stock sauce while the prawns were dredged through a butter and garlic sauce and served topped with chopped parsley. Because the paella was not traditionally cooked and didn’t have the slightly burned crunchy socarrat crust, Nick created a socarrat chip to his own recipe. This was made from paella and tapioca starch, recooked, flattened in a tortilla press then dehydrated and deep fired.

There was an incredible depth of flavour in the rice, while all the other ingredients were perfectly cooked.

Nick created a fine-dining interpretation of a classic Spanish dish.

As Chilly said it ‘wasn’t great it was sensational!’

Cheese 

In theme Cheesemaster Prof.Mark Bradford presented a ‘Mahon Curado’ a hard cow’s milk cheese from Menorca Spain. Mark advised that the rind is edible. Nick accompanied the cheese with warmed almonds and raisins soaked for three days in Pedro Ximenez sherry.

Vahon is the capital of the rocky island of Menorca, the most, northerly of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. Cheese has been made on the island since 3000BC. Today, two ancient) breeds of dairy cattle, red Menorquin and black/white spotted rison, graze on dense island grass and are milked on small 'family fincas' or farms which total 600 on Menorca.

Traditionally this cheese was bound in cloth before pressing, which is still done on a small scale on the island. A larger proportion of production is now made in a more efficient modern way which uses square moulds instead.

The result is a consistent cheese that captures the true essence of the original. The rind is still rubbed with olive oil and paprika which imparts a rusty-orange colour to the exterior. The wheels are then ripened for a minimum of 6 months on wooden shelves. When mature oi curado, the cheese maintains a milky character and has developed a nutty flavour and characteristic tangy finish.

Wine

The theme for today was Spanish, which is just about my go-to style of cooking these days. Nick Reynolds was wearing two hats today, taking on the cooking role as well as his normal duties as Wine Master. The pass-arounds and main were delicious, well done Nick. For more details see Food Report.

For starters, we enjoyed an Albarino, a white from Spain 13%, 2022. An excellent choice, fresh with prominent fruit flavours of pear and citrus, but quite dry, with a firm crisp acidic finish. The wine was perfect for the pass-arounds. I think we should congratulate our Wine Master for introducing us to this style of wine from Europe, which along with the Soave we had a few weeks ago makes a rewarding alternative to our usual entrée wines such as Riesling and Semillon. Nothing at all wrong with these, but a change is enjoyable as well as being an insight into wine styles we are not familiar with. I was assisting with the wine pours and this wine received uniform praise. More, please.

The lunch wines were a collection of four good quality Spanish reds of various vintages ranging from 2010 to 2022. First was the La Vendimia 2021 14%. A blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo, spicy, medium body, tannic and acidic overtones, a lightish wine style built for immediate consumption, a happy wine, just the drink to go with a big plate of garlic prawns. Nice clean flavours, very drinkable.

The second wine was the Joven Mencia from the producer Guimaro 2022 12.5%. Sadly, a bottle of this wine did not find its way to our table, so I am unable to comment further.

Wine no 3 was the Marco Abella Priorat Loidana 2013 14.5%. A very impressive wine in my view. A blend of Garnacha and Carigan drinking beautifully.  Very well rounded fruit flavours of black cherry and leather. Strong robust colour of deep red.  Some gentle tannin and acid carried it through to an appealing finish. A very rewarding drink.

Wine 4 was the 2010 Torres Salmos 14.5%. This was by any yardstick, a big wine. Deeply coloured red/blackish, with an alluring aroma. The bottle had one of the longest labels I have ever seen, running nearly the length of the bottle, written in both Spanish and English in fine print. Despite all this information the label failed to tell anyone what the wine was made from! This seems to be a habit of European winemakers who seem loathe to share the composition of their product. Not to be deterred, I consulted Dr Google and found that the wine was a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Carignan. I really enjoyed this wine with its sweetish chewy dark berry flavours. Well balanced combination of tannin and oak produced a strong, powerful finish that lingered. For a wine that is now 14 yo, it showed no sign of ageing, although it was clearly a wine with plenty of bottle age. A great choice.

I noticed that some tables shared a bottle of Ch Rochemorin 2014 from Bordeaux, however, I did not taste the wine, so there is no news on that front.