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L28 A Taste of Chinatown Comes to Gresham Street
36 members gathered around the tables to enjoy a taste of Chinatown, put on by our very talented Bernard Leung with the assistance of James Hill.
Wine report by Stephen O'Halloran
A quite reasonable crowd turned up today to sample Bernie Leung’s Chinese banquet, which was delicious from the canapés through to the main course of stir-fried pork. See the food report for full details.
Canapés — Collector Chardonnay 2021
Wine 1 — Pikes Merle Riesling 2022
Wine 2 — Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2023
Wine 4 — Orlando St Hugo Cabernet 2009
With the canapés, we enjoyed a really nice little Chardonnay from Collector Wines, near Canberra, although the grapes were grown in Tumbarumba, southern NSW.
This region has, in recent years, developed a worthy reputation for excellent Chardonnay. Some of Penfolds’ top Chardonnays are sourced from the region, as are some of our best sparkling wines.
The wine today was the 2021 vintage at 12.9%. A few years of bottle age have produced a rounded, well-balanced wine. It showed a gleaming green-gold colour, clear and crisp, with an abundance of quality fruit. Apple, melon and peach were prominent.
This is an extremely good commercial Chardy, drinking at its peak, with a powerful finish.
Wine 1 on the lunch menu was the highly rated Merle Riesling from Pikes in Clare. This is their flagship white wine, made only in the best years.
A beautiful Riesling at 11.5%, this wine came from the acclaimed 2022 vintage. It was an elegant, restrained Riesling showing real class.
I have no doubt that it will be drinking superbly in another 10 to 15 years. Today, the wine was showing hints of lime and lemon, with perfect acid/fruit balance on the palate, leading to a crisp, lingering finish.
I would really love to drink this wine again in 2036, by which time it will have become a classic.
Wine 2 was the Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2023 at 13.5%, a wine grown in and around the Young district of NSW.
A mid-weight Shiraz, red-brick in colour and showing typical quality Shiraz flavours of pepper and spice. Oak and tannins were nicely in place. This is a cool-climate wine with great potential to develop into a refined Northern Rhône style.
I am sure that, given another five years of bottle age, this wine will become a delightful, elegant mid-weight Shiraz.
Just give it more time.
Wine 4 was a beauty — a 2009 Orlando St Hugo Cabernet at 14.2%.
A lovely 17-year-old Cabernet with all the trimmings. Huge berry-fruit aromas, an intense deep-red to near-black colour, and sweet, chewy flavours of plum, blackcurrant and chocolate.
The oak and tannins worked perfectly together on the finish to deliver great satisfaction. A rich, muscular wine and a real treat to drink.
A very typical example of a high-quality aged Australian Cabernet.
Our wine master also served some “table drop” reds. Our table scored a Deep Woods Estate Cabernet Malbec from Margaret River, which was delicious.
My wine of the day was the St Hugo.
Food report by James Hill
A welcome return to the kitchen today for former Chef of the Year winner, Bernard Leung, presenting a Chinese themed lunch for us today.
Canapés
First up Bernie presented some double fried pork bites:
Yours truly presented a variation on prawn spring roll — shelled and deveined prawns marinated in garlic and ginger overnight. Then smashed on rice paper and deep fried and served with hoisin and soy dipping sauce.
Main
Braised Shanghainese Pork with Rice
Our main was served with Bok choy and rice.
An authentic meal executed with great success highlighting texture, flavours and innovation.
Much appreciated by all attending.
Thanks Bernie.
Cheese
Mark Bradford selected our cheese today, a hard, unpasteurised cow’s milk cheese from France, ‘Comté Symphonie’. A society favourite, it came to the table in perfect condition.
Comté is a type of Gruyere, a large mountain cheese made in the Jura region on the borders of France and Switzerland. This hard cooked raw milk cheese is made at small dairies or fruitieres using the milk from several herds of Montbeliard cows.
Affineur Marcel Petite selects and matures the young wheels under a cold maturation system at 1,100 metres in the old underground Fort of Saint Antoine, carefully grading cheese before, during and after maturation.
Only a few wheels are selected for extra maturation and branded under the special label ‘Symphonie’. These are selected because of the development of intense flavour and supple texture which is in perfect balance.
Simply served with cabbage and crispy noodle salad dressed with white vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil.
Love this salad, simple yet very tasty.
L27 A Food Tour Of Nepal
30 members came together to enjoy a taste of Nepal, put on by our very talented sous-chef Madan & the team in the REX kitchen.
We had our talented kitchen team cooking for us today with Medan ,our sous chef, producing a Nepalese meal based on Newari cooking of Kathmandu Valley.
Canapés BBQ Prawn — served with Nepalese-style mint achar (pickle). The prawns were marinated in ginger and garlic for twenty four hours and then char grilled. Kukhura Ko Jhol — spiced chicken soup made with chicken bones stock coriander,cinnamon,hot oil and cumin. Haas Ko Choila — char-grilled duck, marinated in Nepalese spice, a Newari specialty. The duck was marinated in ginger,garlic, tempered mustard and scallionsand wrapped with Chinese duck pancake.
Mains Aloo Tama — potato and bamboo shoot curry soup made with yellow onion,tomatoes,cumin coriander and chicken stock. Chicken Thigh — Nepalese style marinated in ginger garlic paste Served with basmati rice,daikon radish and cucumber. The chicken was moist and tender with a crispy skin finish. The ‘soup’ was served separately to the chicken and rice and we had to pour it over our meal.It looked great,glossy and inviting ,with a lovely depth of flavour with the right balance of spice and heat. All the food presented to day was very favourably commented on and appreciated by members attending today, high quality, deliciously flavoured and perfectly executed.
Cheese Our cheese master, Mark Bradford selected a white mould goat’s cheese from France ‘Buche De Lucay’. It came to the table in perfect condition and a good match for wines on offer. P.Jacquin et fils produce traditional style goats milk cheeses in the Loire region of western France. This typical, french log-shaped cheese takes its name from nearby Lucay-le-Male. Fresh salted curds are covered with p.candidum and ripened in humid rooms to encourage the moulds to form a velvety white coat.
A decent roll up participated in an outstanding Nepalese banquet put on by the very talented REX kitchen team of Amosh & Madan. The Canapes were delicious & the Chicken Main was superb. See food report for full details.
Wine 1 – Minaia Gavi 2021 @ 13% Wine 2 – Gunderloch Riesling 2021 @ 11.5% Wine 3 – Castellania Barbera 2010 @ 14.5% Wine 4 – Magella Coonawarra Cabernet 2004 @ 14.5% Wine 5 – Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet 2012 @ 14%
Wine wise, we got the party started with one of my favourites the Minaia Gavi 2021 @ 13%. A wine from the Piedmont region made from the Cortese grape. A very popular wine in Italy, for good reason. Quite acidic on the first taste, but dry & mouth filling with high quality fruit. Rich flavours of apple & citrus fruits. Perfect wine for the Canapes. Sadly, our last bottles for a while.
First wine for lunch was the Gunderloch Riesling 2021 @ 11.5%. Crystal clear, a delicious quality Riesling, from the home of Riesling. This wine from the Rhinehessin region was a delight. Gleaming gold in colour, crisp on the palate but dry & full of flavour. A slight hint of residual sugar as one would expect, but overall a lovely wine.
Wine 2 was the Castellania Barbera 2010. 14.5%. A 16 yo wine which may have proved a bridge too far for a Barbera. A mid weight wine, traces of red berry fruits such as cherry, raspberry & strawberry. Juicy flavours on the mid palate with the acid still just hanging in there. I thought it was a perfect lunch wine with it's lightish structure & still plenty of flavour. Maybe drunk a few years after it's prime.
Wine 3 was the Magella Coonawarra Cabernet 2004 @ 14.5%. A vineyard with a very long history in that area, producing some high quality Cabernet in good years. Today the wine presented as a big, opaque wine, full bodied with lots of Cabernet flavours. Some signs of ageing with acid diminishing, but still very drinkable. Tannin & oak balancing out equally leading to an enjoyable finish, still retaining it's deep black fruit flavours of that grape. 2004 was a top year in Coonawarra & at 22 yo the wine is still doing well, but I would have preferred to have drunk it in say 2020.
Final wine of the day was the 2012 Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet @ 14%. This was a lovely wine. Great to see one of our most prestigious labels back in action.
In prior years this was one of our most sought after red wines especially in the 60 ' & 70 's. Any self respecting wine lover would have a few bottles of this wine in his cellar. This was the wine that gained enormous fame from it's famous " Peppermint Pattie ", a 1963 Cabernet, a truly unique wine which I was fortunate enough to taste many years ago.
Sadly, the brand became lost in the storm of takeovers & mergers during the 80's & 90's & it virtually disappeared for years eventually reappearing in the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio some years ago. In any event the wine today was in my view first class. Considerably more elegant than the Magella, but still showing strong cabernet indicators. A medium weight wine, deep garnet red & showing lots of blackberry, mulberry & plumb tastes, & was that a hint of mint I detected? Ah the memories!
Now at 14 yo, fully developed with plenty of time ahead, but don't keep it for too long!. Thanks for the memories.
My wine of the day? You guessed it. The Mildara. I plead guilty to being a sentimentalist.
L26 Basque Flavours Meet Cabernet Excellence
A sunny winter's day welcomed 37 attendees to our July wine lunch, with Mark Bradford back in the kitchen for the cohort. The same dish earned him a place in the running for COTY last time—can he do it again?
Our Wine Master, Nick Reynolds, certainly delivered some quality 'oldies' to accompany the food, with a stellar line-up of Australian Cabernets going head-to-head with their French counterparts.
Food report by Mark Bradford
Matt Holmes, Craig Smith and Fabian Dwyer assisted with canapés, with some wonderful Cabernets presented to accompany the lunch.
These were in abundance.
Matt served us smoked trout on blinis, with sour cream and a garnish of capers, dill and diced onion.
Craig provided balsamic, onion and goat's cheese tarts. These had a baked puff pastry base with a topping of butter, sliced onion, thyme and sugar, then were garnished with additional thyme and EVOO.
Fabian presented colourful Caprese skewers, garnished with a high-quality balsamic drizzle.
Some Basque pintxos – Gildas – rounded off the pass-arounds.
To accompany the Cabernets, the chef of the day cooked Basque-style lamb stew.
This was a rolled lamb shoulder, diced and marinated overnight in Chardonnay, garlic and rosemary. After drying, the lamb was braised and then cooked in a stew of sautéed onions and garlic, chopped, skinned, trussed tomatoes, sweet paprika, parsley, roasted capsicum, Cabernet, bay leaves, chicken stock and white radish (daikon) for 3 to 4 hours until tender.
The meat was accompanied by yellow onion rice, featuring long-grain white rice absorption-cooked in chicken stock with turmeric, butter and onion powder. A green pea and mint purée, strained to remove the roughage, also accompanied the lamb.
The Cheese Master selected a Merco Iberico for the lunch, nominally 50 per cent cow's milk, rounded off with half goat's and half ewe's curds. This hard, blended-milk cheese is typical of those once traditionally found in many parts of Spain, where mixed herds of dairy animals were common and the ratios of milk types used in cheesemaking constantly altered according to seasonal availability. The cows' milk provides the volume, goats' milk gives the cheese a white colour and lingering piquancy, whilst the use of ewe's milk provides a rich, buttery texture. Iberico is commonly found all over Spain today.
The cheese was accompanied by Bengali rusk biscuits and honey to offset the piquant fromage.
Today was one of those special days when being a member of our Society really pays dividends!
The format for the day was a comparison of three top Australian Cabernets from the 1991, 1996 and 2002 vintages. The three French wines were from Bordeaux, all from the famous 2000 vintage, which many regard as one of the best vintages since the famous '82.
For the purposes of my report, I will depart from my usual practice of detailed assessments of each wine and will provide an overall summary of each region's wines.
Before I start, I should mention that with our delicious canapés we had a 2019 Tyrrell's HVD Semillon, which I thought was quite acceptable. However, when pouring the wine for members before lunch, I received some adverse comments. Perhaps we have some fussy drinkers. See the food report for details of our lunch.
On now to the comparison tasting. One of the early comments from the room crystallised the comparison: flavour vs elegance and structure. A worthy comment.
Dealing with the Australian contingent, the standout was the Seppelt Barossa Dorrien Vineyard Cabernet 1991. Put simply, a wonderful wine. Now at 35 years old, the wine was superb: vibrant, dark crimson, with powerful, sweet, chewy flavours of quality fruit. Tannins and oak combined perfectly to deliver a memorable, lingering finish. A real treat. A rich and intense wine.
Second Australian was the Yeringberg 1996 Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. A blend of the five classic grape varieties of Bordeaux reds. Lightish in colour with medium to light structure, this was a very elegant wine with strong hints of dark berry fruit, cedar and earthy overtones. Needs time in the glass.
Third Australian was the Penfolds Bin 407 2002, a straight Cabernet from the Barossa and McLaren Vale at 14.5%. I have often regarded 407 as my least favourite Penfolds red, as to me the wine has always been dull, opaque and unyielding. This continued today until the wine had been in my glass for at least 1.5 hours. At that time, the wine began to show some typical Cabernet indicators such as blackcurrant, mint, cedar and leather. Quite a recovery from a poor start.
Now for the French contingent. All of these wines were at 13%. The Australian wines ranged from about 13% to 14.5%.
First of the French was Château Talbot, a Fourth Growth from St Julien, one of the most respected regions in Bordeaux. A medium-bodied wine, mostly Cabernet, with that intoxicating Bordeaux aroma of cigar box, cedar and leather. God, how I love that unique smell of quality Bordeaux. I think sometimes I would be happy just to smell that aroma and not taste the wine! A graceful wine, with wonderful structure between oak, tannin and acid; it just wants to go on forever! Loved it.
Next was the Clos du Marquis, another St Julien wine. Mainly Cabernet with a hefty slug of Merlot (24%). Mid-garnet colour, redolent with the aromas of Bordeaux Cabernet, cassis, tobacco, cedar, leather and plum. Smooth tannins, with a velvety final taste leading to an alluring finish.
Last of the French was probably the best, the Ch Puy - Lacoste, a Fifth Growth from the Pauillac region, regarded as the pick of Bordeaux. Again, mainly Cabernet, but with a generous slug of Merlot (20%). Once again, medium-bodied and balanced, with an exquisite taste of cherry, leather and cedar. Does it get any better? Now a delight to drink, with no sign of ageing, and indeed all of the French wines have the key elements to continue as superb drinking for another 10 to 20 years at least.
So, after this awesome collection of fine wine, how do we emerge? It is, I think, a matter of personal choice. Powerful flavours from Australia against restrained elegance from the French. I feel that in 20 years' time the French will still be superb, whereas our wines will have long peaked some years previously.
My overall review: the star of the show today was the Dorrien. Silver medallist was the Puy-Lacoste.
Final comment: sincere thanks to Nick Reynolds for putting all this together, and to Greg Chugg, who had the foresight years ago to purchase these outstanding Bordeaux wines.
New Members Introduced
We also had the pleasure of introducing three new Society members to those attending the lunch.
Please take the opportunity to welcome our new members when you see them at future lunches.
A welcome return to the kitchen today for Leigh Hall as our chef of the day.
Food Report
By James Hill
Merv Peacock and Hilton chapman were on hand to assist in assembly .
First up
Sun-dried tomatoes some cream cheese topped with anchovy on a croustade.
Guacamole and smoked salmon toper with capers on brown rice crackers.
Pork meat balls with dab of eggplant pickle. A little heat in the pickle that went well with pork.
Main course
A good choice for main on a cool winter’s today, day stuffed rolled pork loin with potatoes dauphinoise.
It was served with a wine and stock reduction that had an sweetness lingering on the palate and perfectly complimenting the pork ..
The roll was stuffed with figs,dates and crasins . A lot of effort evident preparation for lunch today ..there was some table variation as to ‘doneness’.
Many favorable comments on all food presented today.
Thanks Leigh.
Mark Bradford selected a blue cow’s milk cheese from Italy today ‘Dolce Gorgonzola’.
Dolce is the term used for young or sweet cheese.
Typically made from a single milking, the white interior has thick green lines of mould and a soft creamy flavour. The crusty rind bulges as it matures and develops distinct yeasty flavours reminiscent of Taleggio. Gorgonzola Dolce is soft, sweet, with a subtle creamy texture, and piquant finish.
Leigh accompanied the cheese with some sliced apples and pears, dried apricots, figs, cashew and walnuts.
James Hill
Wine Report — 21 July 2026
By Stephen O'Halloran
Today saw a modest turnout of 25 for Leigh Hall's roast Loin of Pork with all the trimmings; we had hoped for a larger number. We did, however, have a large attendance last week and a likely solid roll-up for next week, so I think that perhaps today was a victim of "lunch fatigue."
Canapé wine: Cherubino Margaret River Chardonnay 2022 @ 13%. His Folklore Chardy is excellent value, right up at the top end of good commercial Chardys. On presentation the wine was a gleaming gold colour, with still plenty of acid supporting quality fruit with melon and apple hints. A nice clean, crisp, persistent finish, driven along by the quality of the fruit base. A well-made wine from one of our top winemakers.
Wine 1 — 2015 Curley Flat Chardonnay @ 13%, grown in the Macedon Ranges, Vic. This vineyard has a well-deserved high reputation for its Chardy and Pinot. The wine today is now 11 years old and has developed into an elegant, beautifully balanced aged wine. The first sip shows its class — restrained flavours of peach and grapefruit, with a lingering finish. Acid falling away a little but still sufficient to deliver a rewarding experience. A lovely wine.
Wine 2 — Teusner Grenache 50%, Mataro 30%, Shiraz 20% blend from the Barossa @ 14.5%. Dry-grown and aged vines sourced by top winemaker Kym Teusner were used in this GSM. Light to medium body, lots of earthy and spice overtones. Not too heavy on the palate, an easy-drinking style. Good integration of tannin and oak — a good lunchtime wine.
Wine 3 — Pagliarese Chianti Classico 2016 @ 13%, a Sangiovese from Tuscany. I have developed over the years a very strong attraction for some of the better-quality Chiantis we have had at our lunches. For this reason I was really disappointed by this wine. To my palate it was flat and dull. A medium-bodied wine showing strong earthy, mossy flavours, but the taste and finish were, to me, a let-down. At 10 years old I suspected the wine had lost a significant amount of its acid balance, leading to a flabby and unexciting finish. To me, a big let-down — but as the old saying goes, "into each life a little rain must fall."
Wine 4 — Gilles Robin 2011 Crozes-Hermitage @ 13.5%. A very well-regarded northern Rhône producer, this wine a straight Syrah. I was full of hope for this wine, having an excellent pedigree. Sadly, my hopes were for a second time today dashed by a wine that had very little to offer. Colour and aroma were okay, but very little flavour — another flat and flabby wine, drinkable but unexciting. I was beginning to wonder if it was the wine or my palate having an off day. Very fortunately our table was able to scrounge a half bottle off the adjoining table, which we sparingly shared around. A remarkable difference between the two bottles — the second wine was terrific: lively fruit and acid, a good oak/tannin mix. Our table had obviously had a poor bottle first up! Reputation restored by a decent bottle. Bottle variation in older wines is a very real issue, as was evidenced today.
My wine of the day: the exquisite aged Chardonnay from Curley Flat.
Stephen O'Halloran
A cold winter's day for Tuesday 14 July: Bastille Day! Vive la République!
Who better to prepare a hearty meal with a Francophile focus tham Steve Sparkes? It is well-known that Steve attracts a large turnout, and today was no exception; we had a full house and a wonderful, lively lunch, including a marvellous rendition of the first verse of La Marseillaise from Keith Steele:
"Allons enfant de la patrie Le jour de gloire est arrivé Contre nous de la tyrannie L'étendard sanglant est levé L'étendard sanglant est levé....."
Steve noted the high-level theme was rustic farmyard/country French fare — no truffles, no foie gras, no frills; just a celebration of Bastille Day. James Hill assisted with a canapé, and recent member Gary Doherty did a sterling job assisting Steve by jumping in with the canapés and main course service.
Steve turned out some delightful rabbit rillettes. This canapé was a slow braise of wild Australian rabbit, pork belly and some aromatics. The meats were left to cool with the addition of some cooking liquid and fresh tarragon, thyme and parsley. It was left to rest for a couple of days and then served on crackers. Steve thought a simple slice of baguette would have been a better choice.
James presented a country terrine, based on pork and chicken and the usual goodies, topped with cornichon and red pepper sitting on toasts.
Steve also gave us onion tarts — a simple rendition of onions (filling and base) with apples, fresh herbs and a touch of red wine vinegar.
Great rustic French pass-arounds from two chefs of renown.
Chicken chasseur — hunters' chicken! Steve told his butcher "off with their heads!"
This is a traditional dish based on the hunter's bounty: a fresh bird with wild-gathered mushrooms slowly braised in a tomato-based broth. Today's main was an interpretation of the famous Marco Pierre White chicken chasseur recipe. Steve told us that, as with most of these traditional recipes — boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, bouillabaisse etc. — there are nearly as many variations as there are cooks preparing them. This was yet another, but true to the basics, with chicken, mushrooms, a tomato base and plenty of fresh herbs.
The dressed chicken Maryland was roasted in a very hot oven, with the drumstick parted for service. The sauce was based on shallots, tomato and chicken stock, with vast quantities of Swiss brown and button mushrooms as well as fresh herbs. The garnish was pan-fried oyster mushrooms. A simple mash, perfumed with spring onions, cream and plenty of butter, was served alongside basic petits pois which included bacon and shredded lettuce.
A "rustic" dish perhaps, but worthy of any fine dining establishment in town.
The Cheese Master selected a farmhouse cheese — a traditional-style French brie — produced on the farm and presented in a wooden box.
Ferme de la Tremblaye is located south-west of Paris and produces a range of goat's and cow's milk cheeses. Today's was a cow's milk cheese. With a focus on environmental responsibility, the B Corp–approved farm has adopted the agroecology model of sustainable farming that works with nature.
A traditional-style brie with a soft, buttery paste and complex savoury flavours, contained within a delicate, thin rind.
The brie was served with a salad dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, roasted spiced almonds and morello cherries.
The bread was a baguette from Taste Providores in Woollahra, served with the main and cheese.
Wine Report by Stephen O'Halloran
A splendid crowd of 50+ gathered to enjoy the 237th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on this day in 1789. The room had great energy and a very positive atmosphere in anticipation of a wonderful afternoon that awaited us. Our theme of French food, wine and cheese was a natural choice, delivered to us in fine style by our excellent Chef du Jour Steve Sparkes, whose Chicken Chasseur was outstanding. See food report for full details.
The canapé wine was a white Côtes du Rhône 2022 @ 14%. A blend of Viognier 60%, Roussanne 15% and Marsanne 10%, with a few other bits and pieces thrown in.
Those familiar with this column will be aware that I have written harsh words about this Rhône white wine, as basically I just do not like the style. Heavy, unctuous and oily — it does just not appeal to my taste. Give me a crisp Riesling as a canapé wine any day. Being a harsh but fair marker, I must say that today's wine was not too bad! Certainly not my cup of tea for an aperitif, but nonetheless a reasonably enjoyable wine for the delicious canapés. I found the wine rich and full-bodied with powerful flavours of apricot and peach. Just too heavy for me, but it was clear that many in the room enjoyed it. Vive la différence!
Wine 1 was totally different — a Moreau Chablis 2018 @ 13%. Lovely light gold colour, flinty and restrained, dry but with flavours of stone fruit obvious. Great balance between acid and fruit, a crisp delightful finish. A top wine from a leading producer in a good 7/9 year.
Wine 2 was the Bouland Morgon 2023 @ 14%. This is a Beaujolais wine, but very much at the upper spectrum of the Beaujolais clan. Whilst many Beaujolais are designed to be glugged down without too much thought, this is a serious wine and deserves respect. Made from the Gamay grape, this is a mid-weight, strongly flavoured wine redolent with fruit flavours of cherry, plum and raspberry. Vibrant acid mixed with silky tannins and quality fruit make this wine a delight to drink. Great balance and a lingering fruit-driven finish made this wine the perfect partner for our Chicken Chasseur main. Mid-weight, never heavy on the palate, but powerful flavours lift this wine to its deserved status as a much sought-after luncheon wine.
Wine 3, the Ch. Rochemorin 2019 @ 13.5%, was a Bordeaux blend, 50/50 Cabernet and Merlot, from the Graves district. A lightish, quite elegant wine showing all the usual aspects of both grapes. Crimson red in colour with a noticeable plummy flavour from the hefty proportion of Merlot; dark cherry and blackcurrant from the Cabernet. Velvety and plush, it was an easy-drinking Bordeaux from a reasonable 6/8 year.
Final wine for the day was a Ch. Cruzeau 2019 @ 14%. Another Graves Cabernet/Merlot blend, 55%/45%. Medium body, very typical Bordeaux aroma and taste. Some stewed fruit aromas from the Cabernet balanced by the plummy Merlot. Strong, grippy tannin and a firm, lively finish with good acid. Another enjoyable, easy-drinking Bordeaux from a good 7/9 year.
Our member Tony Scott has once again, like last week, been very kind in donating these last two reds. Thank you, Tony — you are a very generous man.
My star of the day: the Morgon.
Chef of the Year
2025
Report by James Hill
Full house of members and guests in our club rooms for our 2025 Chef of the Year awards evening.
Our ‘night of nights’, celebrating what we do at our Society, high-quality food, fine dining standard, and masterfully executed.
2024 Chef of the Year, Rob Guthrie, was assisted by former seafood Chef of the year Chilly Hargrave , Nigel Burton , Denis Redfern , Paul Thorne and the Royal Exchange kitchen brigade.
Chef of the Year Presentation
President Stephen O’Halloran welcomed us, and Bill Alexiou-Hucker was our MC, introducing our finalists, taking us through the meals that were cooked to earn the nomination for ‘Coty.’.
Our finalists were Nigel Burton, Paul Irwin, Jonathan Casson, Leigh Hall and Steve Sparkes.
The award of Chef of the Year, voted by members, went to Jonathan Casson for his dish of shredded brisket, topped with a great mash, topped with a portabella mushroom, with spinach and a silky red wine jus.
There were no nominees for Seafood Chef of the Year this year.
The Ross MacDonald trophy for the best accompaniment to the cheese course, selected by our Cheesemaster, was won by Steve Sparkes.
The finalists were presented with gourmet French cast iron skillets and our chef of the year a set of Kasumi knives.
The evening started with Champagne and canapés:
Duck Breast with Toast, Hoisin and Mandarin by Nigel Burton
Blinis with Mascarpone, Wasabi and Sardine by Paul Thorne
Black Truffle Foie Gras on Toast by Denis Redfern
Chilly Hargrave presented an entree of home made Gravlax Salmon.
Rob Guthrie’s main tonight was crusted Lamb Rack, Mash, French Beans, Hazelnuts and Vine Tomatoes.
Cheesemaster Mark Bradford selected a Quicks Cheddar. Rob accompanied the cheese with a rocket salad with a balsamic dressing and mandolin sliced pear.
Denis Redfern followed with a dessert of raspberry tart and mascarpone cream.
The Wines
Our cellar master Nick chose a great selection of wines from our cellar .. we are fortunate to have this opportunity to taste some great wines
Appetisers/on Arrival
NV Bernard Bremont Evidence Brut Champagne
NV Bernard Bremont Brut Rosé Champagne
Entrée
2018 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Aligoté
2018 Domaine Vincent et Francois Jouard Chassagne-Montrachet Les Champs-Gains Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru Chardonnay
Interlude wine
2015 Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir
2010 Chateau Sociando-Mallet Grand Bourgeois, Haut-Medoc Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
2013 Tyrrell's Wines Vat 9 Shiraz
2010 Tenuta di Ghizzano Terre di Pisa Veneroso Sangiovese Cabernet
2009 Charles Melton Nine Popes Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
Dessert
2007 Chateau De Myrat 2me Cru, Barsac Sauternes - 375ml
A Great Night
A great night was had by all, showcasing the talent of our members.
The American Lunch 7 July 2026
On a day when Belgium beat USA and it wasn’t fake news, our talented kitchen team prepared an American-themed lunch for our enjoyment.
First up, some corn ribs seasoned with salt and pepper and condensed milk then grilled.
Then came mini hot dogs in a potato bun with lashings of ‘ball park’ mustard and ketchup
To finish our canapé service we had beef sliders in a milk bun topped with ketchup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, malt vinegar and melted cheese.
Our main today was 24-hour marinated beef short ribs with a wicked mac and cheese and sautéed green beans.
There was plenty of meat on the ribs. They were slow-cooked for three hours, and the marinade was brown sugar, honey balsamic and malt vinegar.
All the food served today was high quality, deliciously flavoured and perfectly executed.
A big thanks to our kitchen brigade led by executive chef Amosh KC.
Our cheese master, in theme, chose a Cabot clothbound cheddar .cheese from Vermont in the USA
This clothbound cheese is the result of an unusual collaboration and is now recognised as one of the finest traditional cheddars produced in the USA.
Cabot Dairy Cooperative makes the cheese with milk from a single herd of Holstein cows and their own unique starter cultures at their huge facility in Vermont. The wheels are then transported to Mateo and Andy Kehler’s picturesque farmhouse dairy at Jasper Hill for expert ageing. After being carefully bound in cheesecloth and smeared with lard, the 16kg wheels are matured for at least 12 months in the underground caves carved out of the green hillside.
The result is crystalline-flecked, moist and crumbly cheddar with a sweet, tangy caramel flavour.
A salad of rocket and pears accompanied the cheese.
Wine
Wine report by Stephen O’Halloran
A modest crowd of 25 or so tucked into an American-themed lunch to mark America’s national day on 4th July, just a few days previously. We had some great American-style food prepared by the very talented Amosh & his team in the REX kitchen. Well done boys, see food report for details.
With regard to wine, we started brilliantly with a Brian Croser Tapanatta Chardy 2021, 14%. This was a really nice wine, indeed a high-class wine from the famous Brian Croser from grapes grown in the Adelaide Hills region of SA. Clear & clean with lively acidity, a gleaming green/gold appearance. Traces of citrus & peach on the palate. Impeccable balance of acid & quality fruit. A beautifully made wine from one of our top Chardonnay makers. Say no more!
The first wine on the lunch list was an American Chardonnay from Kendall Jackson, a Californian wine at 14.5%. The comparison with the previous wine was stunning, to put it mildly. I have always known that Americans like their Chardy to be on the sweet side, but this wine took sweetness to the next level. If you like your Chardy with lots of sugar, then this wine is for you. Go ahead, knock yourself out! To me, the wine was just drinkable, a mouthful more than enough. Impossible to do a review of the wine as all I could taste was overpowering sweetness, blotting out any other flavours. Sorry, just could not write in any more detail.
Wine 2, also from America, was much better. A 2021 Murphy Goode Zinfandel at 15%. This was a good wine, a perfect partner for the excellent Beef Ribs we had for lunch. A full-bodied red, dark ruby colour, bursting with black fruit flavours. A powerful wine, but quite in balance with its oak & tannin flavours. Rich & luscious with a nice, clean finish. I would like to see more of this wine in our cellar, just for something different.
Wine 3 was a Chateau Bonnet 2020, a Bordeaux Blanc at 13%. This wine & I just did not get on right from the start. A Sav Blanc/Semillon blend, mostly Sav Blanc, was to my taste overpowering with what I describe as the smell of just crushed Lantana leaves, pungent & strongly vegetative, off-putting. I did not enjoy the wine.
What is evident is that Sav Blanc grown in Bordeaux has a vastly different taste to the same grape grown in the Loire, such as a Sancerre, which is quite delightful.
Wine 4 was another Chateau Bonnet wine, a 2021 Diane Rose at 12.5%. Fresh & clean, showing delicate fruit on the back palate. A nice aperitif wine on a warm afternoon with a good terrine. I must say that my taste buds had been smashed by the previous wine’s pungency, so that it was hard for me to get a real grip on this light rose, which however was quite enjoyable. Both of these French wines were kindly donated by Society member Tony Scott.
My wine of the day was the Tapanatta, by a whisker over the Zinfandel.
Full house for our monthly wine tasting as we welcomed longstanding member Bruce Tyrrell to showcase Tyrrell wines from our cellar.
Former President and current Food Master Bill Alexiou-Hucker was in the kitchen with his nephew Tom Squires, also the grandson of well-known member Peter Squires.
Tom presented some smoked trout pâté topped with dill and set on a blini.
Bill followed with white bean purée made with some chilli oil, topped with an anchovy and parsley, on a water cracker.
Next, some meatballs made on Sunday to ensure the flavours were integrated. The meatballs were made with pork, lamb and beef, seasoning spices and grated raw onion. A tasty roasted capsicum dipping sauce accompanied.
Eagerly devoured and praised by members today.
A perfect winter dish to accompany the wines on taste today.
Bill presented a six-hour roasted lamb shank marinated in lemon juice, EVOO and salt. It was served with a tomato sauce and a silky parsnip purée underneath. It was topped with a crusty panko and sultana gremolata — the meat fell off the bone!
A hearty lunch, executed with great success and very much appreciated by all today.
Cheese Mark Bradford selected an Italian cow's and sheep's milk cheese, 'Occelli in Foglie di Castagno'. This semi-hard Italian masterpiece is crafted from a blend of cow's and sheep's milk and matured in Valcasotto. Wrapped in chestnut leaves, it develops a syrupy, nutty, and slightly sweet flavour profile.
This is one of my favourite cheeses, and it came to the table in perfect condition. Bill served it with figs poached in orange juice, water, sugar, honey and pistachios … a great complement to the cheese.
Wine Report by Stephen O Halloran
Today we had one of our best days at the Society for a long time. A large crowd, 50+, some truly excellent wines from Tyrrells, a terrific lunch from our Food Master, all spiced by the presence of our Guest of Honour, Bruce Tyrrell.
The room had great atmosphere with our members warmly welcoming our five new members: Chris Switzer, Tom Squires, Dr Simon Poole, Gary Doherty and Terry Johnston
All in all a memorable occasion!
We got the party started in the best way possible, with bubbles from Tyrrells' 2017 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc, followed by a 2018 Stevens Semillon. Both wines were suitable partners to the canapés. Nothing like a few bubbles to lift the mood of any occasion. We were all anxious for the main course, so as to enable us to enjoy the glittering array of the wines for lunch, which were 3 whites & 3 reds, all selected by Bruce as some of his favourites from the best years. All of these wines came from the WFS Cellar, purchased years ago by our former Wine Master Paul Ferman, now sadly deceased. This clearly demonstrates the depth & quality of our Cellar, which has been maintained & developed further by our current Wine Master Nick Reynolds. It is a Cellar our members can be proud of.
The first bracket consisted of the 2013 Vat 1 Semillon @ 11.5%. Pure & clean, very faint green/gold in colour, restrained fruit flavours, with steely acid, a firm finish. Hints of the famous grassy overtones with some lime there somewhere! A multiple trophy winner.
The second wine was the 2013 Johnno's Basket-pressed Sem @ 10.3%. A vineyard established in 1908. Again, pure & clear appearance, smooth mouth feel with citrus hints & that unique lanolin overtone, so typical of quality Hunter Sems of age. The wine was slightly darker in contrast to the Vat 1, but not by much.
Wine 3 was, in my view, the odd man out, as you would expect, being a Chardonnay — Vat 47 from 2013 @ 13.5%, a very different wine indeed. I really liked this wine. Considerably more colour than the 2 Sems, but still bright green/gold, a vibrant-looking wine. Lovely buttery hints with some oak influence on the palate. I detected some stone fruit flavours such as white peach, along with grapefruit. A firm finish with plenty of acid to keep it going for a while yet. A wonderful Chardonnay, rich & graceful, with tons of flavour. My pick of the 3 whites.
Wine 4 was the 2014 Vat 9 Shiraz @ 14.5%. We were indeed a lucky bunch of campers to be able today to sample 3 of the Hunter's finest Shiraz from an iconic year. This Vat 9 was a medium-bodied, typical, classy Hunter Shiraz, with plenty of acid & some finely integrated oak/tannin flavours. Earthy spice on a great dark fruit base. Opulent, yet at the same time giving the impression that further development is ahead.
Wine 5 was the Johnno's Vineyard 2014 Shiraz @ 14%. Another medium-bodied, elegant Hunter Shiraz, packed with spice flavours on top of hints of cherry & blackberry fruit. Oak/tannin blend just right. Of the 3 Shiraz served, this was the one with the denser structure, suggesting a long-term slow further development lies ahead. This wine had more concentrated flavours than the Vat 9. A sumptuous wine, with more in store.
Final wine was the 4 Acres Shiraz, a Society favourite. From grapes grown on the oldest vineyard at Tyrrells, planted in 1879, this 2014 Shiraz @ 13.7% was a delightful wine, considerably lighter than the other two. Fresh, lively, spicy Shiraz, redolent with peppery dark fruit of cherry & red plum on the final palate taste. An exquisite, stylish wine with surprising power & grace, for a wine with such light appearance. Once again, room for further development.
What was interesting to me was that all 3 of these wines held the promise of more bottle development, notwithstanding the fact that they are now 12 years old. My pick, impossible to say at present, but I suspect that the Johnno's may get the prize in say 8 years' time.
reviewed by Mark Bradford (food) and Stephen O'Halloran (wine)
A cold winter’s day saw Jonathan Casson – crowned Chef of the Year 2025 just two days earlier – in the kitchen today. Well done, Jonathan! While winning the accolades for last year’s brisket stack treat, Jonathan presented juicy baked ham cooked two ways today.
Our President Steve O’Halloran helped out with his signature dish of white anchovies on goat’s cheese with a black olive. Always a good starter, this dish originated from Steve’s boating buddies.
Jonathan came good with two canapés: an asparagus on Philadelphia crostini – with crushed pistachios – and smoked salmon rosettes on cucumber slices with crème fraiche and topped with roe.
All good, tasty, light and well-matched with the Coal River Riesling on the table.
Ham baked two ways today: steaks and rotoli di prosciutto e porri (ricotta – leek parcels), with greens aplenty. Jonathan served his ham with broccolini and spinach leaves. This was accompanied by champagne-mustard cream sauce, using one bottle of dry sparkling wine, four shallots, 800 ml of chicken stock and twice as much cream, and a hint of Dijon mustard to allow the sparkling wine to shine. Tarragon and lemons were included as well.
The Cheese Master sourced a Gruyere Heidi, a hard mountain style cow’s milk cheese prepared by Frank and Elizabeth Marchand, originally from Switzerland, who established a dairy farm in northern Tasmania in the 1980s. The cheese has a fine, smooth textured paste and a firm, elastic texture with excellent melting properties and is perfect for grilling, soufflés, and for fondue.
Wine Report
Today, on a crisp late‑June afternoon, we sat down to a delightful lunch of ham done two ways by our recently crowned COTY winner, Jonathan Casson. An excellent choice for a cold afternoon. The crowd of 32 certainly enjoyed this hearty meal, along with the canapés and the cheese to follow. See the Food Report for full details.
With regard to the wines, we started with a terrific Tasmanian Riesling from well‑respected winemakers Bubb & Pooley in the Coal River region near Hobart. The wine was their 2022 Riesling (12.5%). From old vines, this wine was a joy: complex, delicate fruit flavours including apple and grapefruit, crisp acidity, and a lovely light‑gold appearance. A first‑rate canape wine, drinking at the beginning of its prime period.
First of the lunch wines was the Tiger Tiger Chardonnay from Collector Wines near Canberra, although made from Tumbarumba fruit, as are many top‑quality Chardonnays these days. The wine was the 2021 vintage (14.5%). Now fully developed, it was a delight: intense fruit flavours, great acid balance, and a powerful finish with vibrant acidity. This wine won Best Chardonnay at the Canberra Wine Show in 2022. A lovely, complex wine we were fortunate to enjoy.
Wine 2 on the lunch list was the Willunga 2021 Trott Vineyard Grenache (14%) from Blewitt Springs in SA. We were very much in Silk Purse territory today, with this wine winning Best Grenache at the National Wine Show in 2023. This is Australian Grenache at its best: light in colour but packing powerful flavours of cherry and strawberry, plus some spicy plum. Mild tannin and fresh acidity. A great food wine. Grenache has certainly come a long way in the last 40 or 50 years, when it was regarded merely as a wine for the flagon trade rather than a serious table wine.
Wine 3 was the Wynns Coonawarra Black Label Shiraz 2012 (13.5%). I am aware that Phil Laffer was very impressed with this wine, which he regarded as the top of today’s reds. I beg to differ—a courageous decision, as Sir Humphrey Appleby would say. To my taste, this wine showed itself as a graceful, well‑aged Shiraz with fine tannin and good oak integration, with some spicy overtones, but the finish was disappointing, perhaps due to acid loss over the last 14 years. In any event, perhaps Phil had a better bottle at his table than ours, which can sometimes explain differing opinions about the same wine. Nice try, Steve.
Today’s final wine was the 2012 Yalumba Menzies Cabernet (14%). A wine from Coonawarra and from a very good year. Now fully developed, rich, intense, and lavish in its array of blackberry, mulberry, and earthy spice flavours. Concentrated power, yet at the same time an exquisite aftertaste. The structured acids, oak, and tannin were just right. A lovely wine.
INVITATION
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CHEF OF THE YEAR DINNER CELEBRATION ════════════════════════════════════════════════════
This special evening
will showcase a menu designed to highlight the skill, creativity
and culinary philosophy of our Chef of the Year, Rob Guthrie.
Members and partners are very welcome
Date: 19 June 2026
Time: 6.30 for 7pm
Venue: REX
Dress: Smart Casual
Cost: $140
Wine & Food Society of NSW
Celebrating excellence in food, wine and fellowship
For help with the WildApricot app or this website please contact Bill Alexiou-Hucker
To contact a member of the Committee please go to WFS Committee page
