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

Food

Our Chef of the Day was David Madson. He’s now claimed this lunch as his own, he’s cooked it for the third year in a row after the AGM.

Stephen O’Halloran, our new President, hosted the lunch. He thanked our immediate Past President, Bill Alexiou, and the Committee for all their hard work in ensuring our Society’s sustainability and continued success.

Steve Liebeskind was elevated to life membership. He’s been a long-standing member and valued contributor to our Society, and his nomination was voted on by the members on the day.

Congratulations, Steve. Well-deserved.

Canapés

Keith Steele prepared prawns in Marie Rose sauce and served them in cos lettuce cups.

James Tinslay, back for the third week in a row, baked puff pastry cups stuffed with halloumi, prosciutto, and peanuts. The pastry was washed with honey and apricot jam.

Both were popular with members today.

Main

David presented his version of Poulet Basque, or Spanish chicken. Chicken breasts and legs (skin on) were braised in white wine and stock with baby potatoes, oranges, chorizo, tomatoes, onions, olives, and peppers.

The dish had great flavours, with some heat on the palate. The chicken was perfectly cooked and moist. Dave advised that there was a lot of preparation involved, including chopping and cutting, two days in advance.

Roger Straiton, who spends a lot of time in the Basque region of France and Spain, commented favourably on the authenticity of the dish. Many comments reflected this, as well as the food being a great match for the wines today.

Two types of freshly baked bread were served this morning: a sourdough white and a black bread from Harris Farm.

Thanks, Dave!

Cheese

Mark Bradford, in theme, presented “Mahon Menorca,” a hard cow’s milk cheese from Spain rubbed with olive and paprika.

Named after Mahon, the capital of the rocky island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands.

Cheese production on the island has a history dating back to 3000 BC. Two ancient dairy cattle breeds, the red Menorquin and the black and white spotted Frison, graze on dense island grass and are milked on small family farms called ‘fincas’. Traditionally, this cheese was bound in cloth, giving it a distinctive square shape. The rind is rubbed with olive oil and paprika, which imparts a rusty-orange colour to the exterior. The wheels are then ripened for a minimum of six months on wooden shelves.

When mature or ‘curado’, the cheese retains its milky character, develops a nutty flavour, and has a characteristic tangy finish.

Accompanying the cheese were some mixed nuts and white chocolate buds, which worked well.

Wine

Today's lunch followed upon the conclusion of the AGM of the Society. Thank you to those who attended the meeting, a vital event for any Corporation. A very healthy turnout ensured we had a full quorum for the meeting. After the formalities of the meeting were complied with, we proceeded to a delightful lunch prepared by Dave Madson. The main was a Spanish-style chicken dish, which, put simply, was bloody delicious! Well done Dave. 

First wine of the day was a Spanish white, a Valminor Albarino 2022. We enjoyed this wine a few weeks ago, and it was a winner then, and nothing has changed since then. I think that this wine is a perfect aperitif wine, fresh, crisp and full of fruit flavours, but all in perfect balance, resulting in a satisfying finish. Mr Winemaster, can we have some more please. 

The next wine was one of several wines donated by the cook himself from his Hunter Vineyard. Many thanks Dave, for your generosity. 

The wine was a Glandore vineyard 2011 Tempranillo 13.9%. A medium to light weigh wine with strong fruit flavours, lively acidity and a rounded finish, typical of this grape variety. An enjoyable, easy drinking style of wine, perfect for a lunch. 

The third wine of the day was a cracker, the Dehesa La Granja Familia Rivera Tempranillo 2000, 14%. A wonderful wine now 25 yo, but still vibrant. Fully mature, but no sign of ageing. Silky smooth with complex tastes of plum, spice, leather and tobacco, all blended in together to produce a brilliant wine. Can we get some more please Winemaster? 

Next wine was the Glandore Vineyard Savagnin 2022. To my knowledge, this is the first time we have seen one of these wines. A quality white grape from the Jura region of France. A crisp, dry wine with strong citrus flavours and high acidity. It would be a great aperitif wine. A zesty clean finish. 

The final wine was the Glandore Ginger Rose Shiraz 2022 13.8%. Just 3 years old, this baby is headed for a very bright future. Would love to see it in say 5 years. A very typical Hunter Shiraz, medium weight, full of spicy flavours and high acidity. Even at this stage, an elegant wine with a seductive finish. Full of promise for future years.