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Lunch report- Nick Reynolds,
by James Hill (food) and Stephen O'Halloran (wine)
Always guarantee a crowd turning up when our cellar master Nick Reynolds is in the kitchen. A good number attending today especially after a long weekend.
Canapés
Yours truly presented oven baked persimmon with cherry bocconcini, a drizzle of garlic and pepper infused balsamic syrup and crispy prosciutto served on spoons. Nick followed with some crisp tart shells made from baked wonton wrappers filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and chopped chives, served garnished with chopped smoked salmon and chives.
Sourdough blinis topped with lime marmalade, sour cream and a cooked prawn as a tribute to Peter Gilmore’s sourdough pikelet with marmalade, sour cream and yabby served at Bennelong’s cultured and cured bar.
Main
The main was slow-cooked lamb shoulder shredded and formed into a roulade cooked like a filet steak and topped with a pickled celery, parsley, and pistachio pesto. Also served was 57° cooked lamb tenderloin seared and cut diagonally. The cooking juices from the lamb shoulder were made into a jus for the tenderloin with the addition of some extra chicken stock, Japanese umami stock, and port wine. The dish was served with a potato pavé with a layer of eggplant through the middle; carrot, cream, and mint purée; and some steamed broccolini.
It had that wow effect!
Many comments suggesting fine dining restaurant quality.
A high standard set today,
thanks Nick.
Bread: organic bread stick from Bonfire bread.
Cheese
Mark Bradford selected a hard cow’s milk cheese from northern Italy near Venice for our lunch today ‘Latteria Perenzin’
In 2015, at the Global Cheese Awards, the cheese San Pietro in Beeswax was elected Best Italian and Best European Cheese. This renowned cheese made by Perenzin Latteria became one amongst the 60 excellent handmade cheeses in the world.
Such cheese, made with 100% cow’s milk cheese, is covered on its rind by natural beeswax and left to age for at least 12 months; the aging preserves humidity within its paste, spreading it in a homogeneous way and giving it a silky texture, as well as a persisting taste, with its aromas of honey, vanilla and toasted notes.
It was served with organic dates and mixed nuts.
Wine Report
A good roll up of 37 or so enjoyed a terrific afternoon. Excellent food via our multi skilled Nick Reynolds who cooked Lamb 2 ways & then backed up as Wine master with some delicious wines. Quite a feat. See food report for full details.
The Canape wine was an excellent Brian Croser Tapanappa Chardonnay 2021 @ 14%. A wine from the Piccadilly Valley in SA near Adelaide. I have always been a fan of Croser's chardonnays since the early days of his Petaluma wines. He makes his chardy in a very definable style, disciplined, restrained & structured. A far cry from the huge chardys we were drinking in the 1980's, just a few years before the first Petalumas were released.
This wine was highly enjoyable, wonderful quality fruit, acid balance just right producing a crisp tantalising finish. A perfect wine for a plate of Melon & Purscuttio on a warm sunny day. Colour was gleaming green gold, peach, grapefruit & nectrine flavours swirling around on the palate. There was however some dissenting views expressed about an excess of oak. A fair point. Whilst I accept the oak issue, to my taste it did not stop me from enjoying the wine. Oak was certainly detectable, but not in my view overdone. Another Bottle Garcon!
First wine on the lunch list was a beauty, the Stella Bella Cab 2019 @ 14.3%. A wine from Margaret River, 94% Cab & 6% Malbec. If anyone has difficulty in picking the Cab grape from other red wines, buy a bottle of this wine & you will be thoroughly educated I what Cab tastes & smells like. The wine presented as a medium bodied elegant wine, redolent with strong aromas of cassis, mulberries & plumbs. A very profound aroma, gorgeous. Firm tannin & some oak showing in a precise finish, utterly delicious. What else can I say? Many years ahead of great drinking. My wine of the day, the others may as well pack up now & go home!
Wine 2 was a Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2015 @ 14.3%. Any red wine following upon the Stella Bella would have the impossible task of presenting itself well, batting after Bradman, as the old saying went. That said & appropriate allowances made, this wine was definitely off the pace. I have always had a high regard for S & S Wines which are universally first rate, however this particular wine was a disappointment. A cool climate Adelaide Hills shiraz, mid weight now fully developed. Mouth feel was velvety & smooth, but it lacked flavour, possibly due to acid fall off. Some nice hints on the front palate of pepper & spice, which however soon vanished in a flat finish. I was surprised the wine did not live up to the high standards of S & S.
Wine 3 the Curley Flat Pinot 2016 @ 13.7%, was indeed a pleasing surprise. I had thought that at 10 yo the pinot might have seen better days, but I was proved wrong! The wine proved to be a real charmer. From the Macedon Ranges in VIC, this wine still had plenty of life, rich cherry & strawberry aromas, light to medium body for a pinot. Curley Flat has earned a well deserved reputation as a top class Pinot producer, amply demonstrated by this wine. I really liked the fruit acid balance & the delightful finish. I like surprises like this!
Final wine for the room was another Vic wine from the Yarra Valley, the Helens Hill Shiraz 2020 @ 14.8%. This wine initially appeared to be an old style Barossa Blockbuster Shiraz with its huge black opaque colour. Appearances can be deceptive. The wine turned out on the palate to be quite elegant & restrained. I really liked the matching of the wine's oak, tannin & acids leading to a delightfully well balanced, easily drinkable red wine despite its threating initial appearance. This producer has gained a growing reputation for some high-quality reds & this wine is a good example of its skills. Sound buying Wine master.
June 2 Lunch
Review by Jame Hill
On a cool winters day no better place to be than at lunch with Peter Kelso in the kitchen with the promise of a warm Burmese curry.
Bountiful canapés today with our vice president Jonathan Casson first up with cauliflower turmeric purée topped with dukkah sitting atop a crispy prawn cracker.
Good to see James Tinslay back today presenting lamb and pork meatballs made with onion,cumin and paprika and a dipping sauce of Greek yogurt, evoo, lemon juice, cumin and tumeric.
Great flavour with a little residual heat .
Our chef sent out some steamed cuttlefish balls made with sweet chili and soy topped with capsicum.
Peter’s curry was made with pork neck,shrimp paste,onions, garlic and ginger .. ginger heat evident. For those that like it hotter we had bowls of rice vinegar infused scud chili to add. Condiments on the table were home made mint chutney, mango chutney and banana. Many favourable comments today citing a good flavour pairing and a delightful lunch. Bread was loaf and baguette white sourdough from Le Pastissier Neutral Bay.
Our cheese master Mark Bradford selected an Australian washed ring cow’s milk cheese from south west Victoria ‘la artisan rouge’.
Annatto infused brine imparts a bright orangey-red colour to the thin and sticky rind. Originally from the French Alps, Matthieu values the importance of ‘terroir’ in the cheese making process to reflect the local environment and selects the finest organic milk from family owned dairies in the South West of Victoria.
This deep coloured washed rind cheese contains a dense paste that slowly breaks down to a rich, unctuous texture as it ages. With a savoury, meaty flavour this cheese has both strong aromas and robust flavours.
Pears and almonds accompanied the cheese.
A smallish but select group attended for today's knees up by our Chef Du Jour Pierre Kelso, who produced a delicious Burmese pork curry. Just right for a cold wintery Tuesday. The curry had just the right amount of heat to suit most tastes. See food report for full details.
With regard to wine, we kicked off with a lovely Bannockburn Chardonnay 2018 @ 13.5%. The wine is titled 1314 to mark the Battle of Bannockburn between the Scots & the English armies. In a thriller, the Scots prevailed, Robert the Bruce of Scotland 1, King Edward the 2nd of England nil.
Getting back to the wine, it was in my view most enjoyable. Green/yellow in colour, fully mature, well balanced with outstanding fruit on the palate, fleshy & mouthfilling with a clean acidic finish. Some oak treatment noticeable. Perfect for our Canapes. I really liked it.
First wine on the lunch wine menu was the Dr Loosen Kabinett Reisling Sonnenuhr, from 2022, @ 8% from the Mosel Valley (not pictured). In my view an excellent choice for a wine with a curry, a notoriously difficult match. The wine had some pleasant spritzig on the first sip, but then finishing with a dry taste. Good acidity with some quality fruit of a variety of citrus flavours. A very straightforward German good value Reisling from a renowned maker. Perfect wine for a curry.
Wine 2 was the SC Pannell Adelaide Hills Syrah 2016 @ 14%. A bottle from one of our best winemakers. A cool climate Syrah grown at 400 m above sea level in the hills of Adelaide. Medium lightish body, quite elegant with flavours of cherry & earthy spice. Gentle tannin & oak integration producing a most enjoyable wine. A wonderful food wine, just the right balance.
Wine 3 was a gem, the Deep Woods Estate Cabernet Malbec @ 14% from 2020. A really lovely wine from the Margaret River. Rich & luscious with abundant Cabernet flavours of dark fruits, garnet red with some sweet spice overtones. Acid/oak/tannins all perfect for a persisting lingering finish. A top wine. Deep Wood is now the largest producer in the Margaret River, established in 1987 & now also owning several other vineyards in NSW & Vic. This wine won the Wine of the Show award in the Decanter Wine Awards in 2022. How's that in your CV!
Final wine was a "Fridge Drop" & for our table we scored a Pirra Dolcetto d'Alba from 2020. A light to medium wine from Piedmont, very popular in Italy for good reason. Lightish & refreshing with great juicy flavours, oak, acid & tannin in harmony. Perfect food wine, suiting a vast array of meals from light to heavy. The trick is to not over analyse this wine, just drink it! You will enjoy it without worrying too much about its component parts! Buy a pizza with extra anchovy, grab a bottle of this wine & have some fun!
Wine of the day: I was very impressed by the Pannell Syrah, but I really could not go past the Deep Woods.
Report by James Hill
Merv Peacock was in the kitchen today, reprising boeuf bourguignon that he had presented last year. It perfectly complemented the brace of Shiraz we enjoyed with our monthly wine tasting. Merv also crafted all the canapés with Kerry’s inspiration and assistance.
First up was trout pâté served with homemade croutons. The pâté, made with cayenne, sour cream, chives, garlic and dill, had a subtle heat that wasn’t overpowering.
Next were warm zucchini muffins. Grated zucchini, eggs, bacon and sweetcorn made for a light, fluffy and flavoursome treat. I want the recipe!
Moroccan lamb meatballs and a yoghurt mint dip.The meatballs were seasoned with herbs and spices, and cayenne for some heat.
Today’s boeuf bourguignon featured seared beef, carrots, onions, mushrooms and speck. The bourguignon sauce was thick and flavoursome. It was served minted peas and a buttery and creamy mash made with Dutch cream potatoes.
A hearty lunch, it was a great success, with everyone commenting on its deliciousness.
Our cheese master Mark Bradford chose the society favourite, ‘Pyengana’, a cloth-bound cow’s milk cheese from Tasmania’s east.
Produced using the stirred curd method, the cheese develops a fine textured crumbly body and aromas of summer grass, herbs and honey. Maturation on pine shelves for up to 12 months encourages natural microflora, crucial for its long, sweet and nutty flavour.
Merv paired the cheese with a rocket, pear and honeyed walnut salad dressed with sherry vinegar and vincotto.
First wine on the lunch wine menu was the Dr Loosen Kabinett Reisling Sonnenuhr, from 2922, @ 8% from the Mosel Valley. In my view an excellent choice for a wine with a curry, a notoriously difficult match. The wine had some pleasant spritzig on the first sip, but then finishing with a dry taste. Good acidity with some quality fruit of a variety of citrus flavours. A very straightforward German good value Reisling from a renown maker. Perfect wine for a curry.
Reviewed by Mark Bradford
The morning showers cleared for our lunch today, presented by incumbent Chef of the Year Rob Guthrie. Good to have a few guests in the room to enjoy Rob’s pork lunch.
Rob was assisted with canapés by Peter Fitzpatrick, Bayne Kelly and our President, Steve O’Halloran.
Canapés aplenty and of variety and quality. First off came Steve’s signature pass around; goat cheese topped with white anchovy and black olives served on a Jatz cracker. Always a winner.
Peter gave us mini toasts with two different toppings. The first was butternut pumpkin, butter, fresh sage, and olive oil. Delicious. The second topping had sun dried tomatoes, chilli, fresh basil, garlic, coarse salt and EVOO. Also, delicious.
Not to be outdone, Bayne offered up smoked salmon pin wheels, flat bread, spread with cream cheese mixed with capers, dill, lemon juice, chives and tender care. A cracker as well!
Rob chose pork for his protein of the day. In fact, Rob chose six P’s: Pork, Pesto, Prosciutto, Parmesan and Plumbs and Port.
We enjoyed a stuffed pork loin with poached plumbs and balsamic potatoes. The loins were opened and stuffed with pesto, prosciutto and grated parmesan cheese and roasted. The pork was paired with plums that were poached in port, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and brown sugar. The juice was reduced with chicken stock to create the jus.
The potatoes were dry roasted with red onions added later, then all coated in balsamic. These were then served with rocket.
Another great effort from our Chef of the Year 2024.
The Cheese Master vacated the REX fridge of the leftovers from the previous two lunches to serve today. Both well-liked separately, these were goat milk cheeses, but very different. The Brabander is an unusual semi-hard cheese made from the fresh milk of Saanen goats in the Brabant region of Holland. Its porcelain white paste is a stark contrast to the typical deep amber associated with classic Dutch gouda. From the Loire region of western France, the white mould Buche du Lucay has a dry, crumbly centre surrounded by a ring of soft ripened goat’s cheese, all blanketed in a soft velvet-like rind. The flavour is rich and creamy with a traditional goat’s milk tang.
The chèvre accompaniment was red gapes roasted with oil, red wine vinegar and thyme. These were served with walnuts caramelised with maple syrup.
We certainly rode high on the hog today with Rob Guthrie’s magnificent roast loin of pork with all the trimmings. A real feast for the 35+ who were wise enough to be here. See the food report for full details.
For starters, with our delicious canapés, we were served an Italian white from Tuscany: a Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2021 (13%). The wine, made from the Vernaccia grape, was the latest in a series of Italian whites our Wine Master has introduced over the past year. Generally, they have ranged from good to very good — but not this one. A strange honey‑like sweetness was the first and most powerful impression, although it did not persist as the wine travelled through the tasting process. It showed strong acidic crispness with citrus overtones and finished quite dry. I suspect my overall assessment was negatively influenced by that initial taste.
The first wine on the lunch list was a powerful Chardonnay: Kumeu River “Ray’s Road” Vineyard 2021 (13.5%). From the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand — a district recognised for its excellent Chardonnay — this was a very good wine. To my taste, an “old‑style Chardy”: big oak and buttery flavours, peach and other stone‑fruit notes, high acidity, and a gleaming gold colour. Very clean and crisp on the finish. Rich, mouth‑filling, opulent.
Wine No. 2 was a Chianti Classico from Pargliarese 2016 (13%). This 10‑year‑old Sangiovese showed some loss of acidity, leading to a somewhat unexciting finish. In many respects it was a typical food‑oriented Italian wine — unobtrusive and not aggressive, sitting quietly in the background and allowing you to enjoy your meal without storming onto your taste buds the way many Australian reds do. A nice food wine with earthy spice and cherry flavours. Still enjoyable, but not a keeper.
Wine No. 3 was Lindeman’s Limestone Ridge Shiraz Cabernet 2012 (14%). One of the three wines that made up the famous Coonawarra trio — Limestone Ridge, St George, and Pyrus — created in the mid‑60s by Ray Kidd with significant input from our very own Phil Lafter, who assures me he still has calluses from the backbreaking toil of establishing this vineyard. Today’s bottle was a monument to Phil’s efforts. Phil was with us, and I’m sure he took great pleasure in drinking it. A wonderful wine: dark, rich, with noticeable oak and tannin. Spicy from its 70% Shiraz component, with hints of mulberry, plum, and blackcurrant from the Cabernet. Rich and exotic on the finish. Now 14 years old, fully developed, and offering many more years of pure drinking joy.
The final wine on the list was Wynns “V & A” Shiraz 2008 (14%). A medium‑bodied, deeply coloured wine still showing considerable oak and tannin. Spicy, vibrant dark fruits produced a strongly flavoured wine showing no sign of ageing despite its 18 years. To my taste, a classic Australian Shiraz.
Because our table had nine people, we were given an extra bottle: Yalumba “The Cigar” Coonawarra Cabernet 2008. A wine we have enjoyed here in recent times, and today’s bottle was just the same — delicious.
Our most recent Life Member and multiply awarded Chef of the Year and Alexiou Trophy winner, James (Jaime), put together a cracker of a lunch with some great wines to match. Bucking recent trends of delegating responsibilities, Chef of the Day James prepared the entire meal himself.
Food Report - Mark Bradford
James served us three delightful canapés with a southern European theme.
The first was Wagyu bresaola with Fuyu persimmons. The persimmon was baked for 15 minutes with EVOO and served with balsamic vinegar.
Second to appear was baby bocconcini with anchovy and stuffed green olives, baked with oregano and topped with baby Roma tomatoes. Both of these canapés were held together by toothpicks.
Finally, we were served tiger prawns with Marie Rose sauce on lettuce in spoons — reminiscent of retro prawn cocktails.
All were tasty, not too filling, and a good match with the canapé wine.
The main meal — Catalan‑themed — was a real gem. It featured skin‑on, bone‑out organic chicken thighs cooked with a sauce of tomato, spring onion, garlic and white wine. James added a Catalan picada during the cooking process.
Lastly, freshly steamed clams (vongole) were added, with the sauce served over saffron rice. This was accompanied by al dente snow peas and more picada on top of the chicken.
The picada was made with garlic cloves, blanched almonds and hazelnuts, ciabatta slices, parsley and EVOO.
The chicken was cooked to perfection — moist inside with a firm, crispy skin. Understandably, comments in the room were highly favourable.
As requested by James, the Cheese Master sourced L’Amuse Brabander Gouda, an artisan goat‑milk cheese from the Netherlands. It has been some three years since this popular cheese last appeared on our tables.
The porcelain‑white paste of this cheese is a stark contrast to the deep amber colour synonymous with classic Dutch gouda. Brabander comes from the Brabant region in the south, not far from Antwerp in Belgium.
The fresh milk of Saanen goats is used to create large wheels of gouda that age for three weeks before selection by oplegger (ripener) Betty Koster for maturation at her facility just outside Amsterdam. Betty’s unique technique of maturing gouda in warm rooms is unusual in the Netherlands. The higher temperature and humidity encourage complex flavours of sweet cream and toasted nuts, while the texture remains creamy and dense with a smooth finish.
James accompanied the cheese with fennel, apple, cucumber, celery, parsley, apple cider vinegar and EVOO.
Today’s bread was from Iggy’s in Bronte, and the chicken and Wagyu were sourced from Sam the Butcher in Bondi.
A reasonable turnout of 30+ sat down to a superb meal prepared by one of our finest chefs, James Hill, who never fails to deliver in the high‑quality food department.
For the very tasty canapés we drank a wine that was not on the list — namely, the Orlando Steingarten Riesling 2013 @ 11%. The anticipated wine, the Vickery Riesling, was nowhere to be seen. A missed delivery perhaps. In any event, thanks to some quick work by our acting wine master for the day, Rob Guthrie, disaster was averted and we secured sufficient supplies of Steingarten off the reserve bench to jolly us along with the canapés. It just goes to show the strength of our cellar when the reserve wine is one of Australia’s finest whites.
The Orlando Steingarten Riesling has developed a cult following since its first release in 1968, the vineyard having been established by the legendary Colin Gramp in 1962. A rocky hill amongst the otherwise flat ground of Rowland Flat in the Barossa, the vineyard stands 1600 ft above sea level and is home to one of the best Rieslings we have. The name translates from German as “Garden of Stones”, and having been there, I can say the name is very apt.
Now at 13 years old, the wine is still fresh, clean, and in great shape. Green‑gold in colour, with sufficient acid to deliver a crisp finish. Powerful flavours of lime and other citrus fruits — a joy to drink now, and seemingly with many years of wonderful drinking ahead. A top cool‑climate wine.
The first wine for our meal was a cracker: the Yabby Lake Pinot 2014 @ 12.5%. What a treat. A wine from the Mornington Peninsula — elegant and classy. A great bouquet of typical Pinot Noir red fruits, spice, and earth; very aromatic with a lifted nose. On the palate, silky, generous, and inviting. Light red‑brick colour with a tantalising finish. Mild tannin and oak interwoven seamlessly. This must be one of our top Pinots. An inspired choice by our wine master.
Our second wine was the Scorpo Chardonnay “Aubaine”, from the ancient French name for Chardonnay. Another wine from the Mornington Peninsula. Vintage 2017 @ 12.9%. Wow — what a big wine, leaving you in no doubt that you were drinking an Australian Chardy. Big fruit, buttery, with strong oak influence and sharp acidity. Redolent of stone fruits and very mouth‑filling.
To my taste, I found the wine overwhelming — too muscular and dominating for my palate. I found myself wishing for a much more restrained Chardonnay, such as a Brian Croser Tapanappa. There was some talk around the room about where on the wine list this wine should have been placed — first, second, or down with the cheese. I’m glad it wasn’t our first wine, as I’m sure it would have crushed the living daylights out of the more elegant Pinot.
The third wine was a perennial Society favourite: Wynns Black Label Cabernet. 2009 @ 14%. A very typical Black Label — the wine our members love in any vintage. Winemaker Sue Hodder has the recipe just right, producing year after year a wine of consistent appeal and high quality.
Over the years I’ve often thought that the Black Label series has become a bit like a can of Coke — you always know it will be good. But on a serious note, the winemaking team at Wynns deserve congratulations for their consistency of excellence with this Coonawarra Cabernet.
The wine today, now 17 years old, with colour not fading in any noticeable way, is a delight to drink. Rich and opulent, medium‑bodied, cellared for six years before release, allowing the wine to develop its typical Wynns composition of dark red/black fruits, tannin, and oak — all well integrated, leading to a powerful and satisfying finish. The room loved it.
The final wine of the day was the Bruno Rocca Barbera d’Alba 2021 @ 15%. Rich and intense. Opaque in its black darkness, this is a wine made by one of Italy’s top Barbera producers. To my taste, some slight tannic and acidic overtones (nothing like a Nebbiolo) were noticeable. The wine was lush, with cherry, plum, and mulberry flavours.
From the Piedmont region, the wine today gave the impression of being in a brooding phase — now only six years old, pausing in its structure until full development in ten years or so. Enjoyable, but with more to offer in the years ahead.
My wine of the day: the Yabby Lake. But I suspect the room would have gone for the Wynns.
If you’d like, I can also format this into a clean, board‑ready tasting report layout consistent with your Society’s style.
May 5 Lunch
Amosh and REX team
The canapes were prepped by our kitchen team.
Spinach and mushroom quiche made with button mushrooms, spinach, garlic and puff pastry.
Crispy prawn roll served with sriracha mayonnaise. A little heat in both the prawn and the sauce however not too dominant, great texture.
Cheesy beef ragu wonton cup made with Nduja, a spicy, spreadable cured pork sausage originating from Calabria.
Members thought the last canapé was outstanding …a lot of effort and thought in the canapés, all favourably commented upon.
Our main was confit duck leg with brown-butter celeriac, nepalese style mixed beans ragout and duck sauce.
The duck was nigh on perfect with crisp skin with meat falling off the bone, its glaze was made with sugar balsamic and orange.
A silky celeriac purée sat on top of the six bean mix made with duck fat juniper and star anise.
The sauce was made tomato, chicken stock white wine butter with cumin and coriander, elegant and delicious.
Tremendous amount of flavour in our dish today without too much heat.
Bread sourdough with our main and seeded served with the cheese.
Cheese master Mark Bradford selected a French white mould goat’s cheese ‘Buche de Lucay’.
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.
Transported in a special ‘cloche’ to ensure the mould continues to ripen, this chevre has a dry, crumbly centre surrounded by a ring of soft ripened goat’s cheese, all blanketed in a soft velvet-like rind. The flavour is rich and creamy with a traditional goat’s milk tang.
Our cheese was served with green apples and walnuts.
A modest crowd of around 30, including four guests (excellent work, Tony Scott and James Hill), dined in fine style today with some delicious duck presented by Amosh, the Rex chef, in one of his occasional lunches for our Society. What a talent he is — truly outstanding. See the Food Report for full details.
For the canapés, we enjoyed the Brokenwood 2023 Semillon (11%). We have had this wine before and it continues to be very popular. Fresh, clean, with excellent fruit–acid balance. Remarkable drinking for such a young Hunter Semillon, which would normally need five to six years of bottle age before approaching drinkability. A clear example of modern winemaking technique. A great canapé wine.
Wine 1 – Seppelt Sparkling Show Shiraz 2008 (13%)
A terrific start. This wine, made by our very own winemaker Chilly Hargrave — who regrettably was not with us today to enjoy the fruits of his skill — was universally regarded as outstanding. A wonderful example of this unique Australian style. Now fully mature, soft and embracing, with still‑generous mousse (aka bubbles). Glorious dark fruits wrapped in a voluptuous mouthfeel, perfect with the duck. From a great year, this was a rare gift for all to enjoy. Our guests certainly picked the right day to join us — come again, we hope to see you soon.
Wine 2 – Willunga 100 Bush Vine Grenache 2024 (14.5%)
Grown in McLaren Vale from 50‑year‑old vines, this wine was luscious and sensual. Mid‑weight, red‑brick in colour, spicy and acidic, but excellent on the palate with plentiful hints of strawberry and cherry. An excellent partner for the duck. This wine reflects the modern approach to Grenache — a grape once dismissed as a “weed” suitable only for cheap bulk flagon wine. We have certainly come a long way. The team at Willunga are among the top Grenache producers in the country.
My only criticism of the grape is that it lacks follow‑through — no lingering flavour, unlike a great Cabernet or Shiraz. That’s my view anyway. Fire at will.
Wine 3 – Greywacke Pinot Noir 2015 (13.5%)
This New Zealand Pinot provoked mixed reactions. I quite liked it, notwithstanding that it was an unusual Pinot. Very dark in colour for PN, medium‑bodied, with an alluring aftertaste not typical of the variety. A big wine, probably nearing the end of its good drinking window. Made by the legendary NZ Pinot grower Kevin Judd. At the end of the day, I was not entirely sure what to make of it — certainly unusual, but still drinkable. Definitely a drink‑now proposition.
Wine 4 – Helen’s Hill Shiraz 2021 (14.8%)
From the Yarra Valley, Victoria. Very deep in colour, almost opaque. Intense Shiraz with dark berry fruits, some tannin and spice. A powerful wine, but in balance — fruit, acid, oak and tannin all working together to produce a very pleasant wine, enjoyable to the last mouthful. The sort of wine to drink with a rare rump steak and chips.
No need to guess — of course, the Sparkling Shiraz.
Wine Lunch 28 April 2026
Steve Liebeskind
A pleasant autumn afternoon for our third wine tasting lunch of the year, with the theme being Spanish. Chef of the day Steve Liebeskind also went Spanish in the kitchen, with a little flamenco here and there while preparing the meal. David Simmonds assisted Steve by assembling the canapés.
Steve served us three Spanish canapes, or pinchos (pintxos in Basque).
These were marinated mushroom with roasted capsicum with an olive on a spoon. Then came a sardine, tomato chutney and sun-dried tomato on toast. Finally, zucchini with tarragon, a small bocconcini and topped with a white anchovy on a spoon.
Ole! A great start to the afternoon.
The plato principal was lamb, or cordero.
Steve slow cooked lamb shoulder for10 hours following a 24-hour rub of garlic, smoked paprika and olive oil. It was then cooked on a rue of onions, celery and carrots.
During plating, the vegetables were processed and used as a base for the lamb. The broth from cooking – excluding the fat - was reserved and used for plating. The meal was accompanied by ratatouille (Spanish style), duck fat roasted potatoes and beans.
A great match with the Spanish wines on show today.
As requested by Steve, a society favourite – Ossau Iraty – was sourced by the Cheese Master. Although French, it is from the Basque region of the Pyrenees.
Basque cheese making traditions date back at least 4000 years. Onetik is the largest dairy cooperative in the French Basque region collecting milk from 250 dairies across the Ossau Valley and Iraty Forest. Only milk from the local breeds of sheep: Manech and Basco-Bearnaise and traditional techniques can be used under PDO conditions. An uncooked, pressed curd cheese, the rind is washed and hand salted during six months maturation which encourages a hard crusty rind. It develops a succulent firm texture and complex flavour, developing notes of hazelnut and a slightly sweet finish.
Steve – or Esteban as he had become by now – served a wonderful salad of mixed lettuce with a dressing of oil and white balsamic and served with pear to accompany the cheese.
Today we were treated to some very fine Spanish fare from Steve Liebeskind. Wine Master Nick Reynolds scoured Spain for wines from a range of regions, and Mark Bradford rounded things out with his usual delicious cheese from the Basque country.
We opened proceedings with a Society favourite canapé wine, the Valminor Albariño 2022 (13%). We have seen this wine on several occasions and it always hits the spot with the canapés. Quite acidic, with a lively blend of excellent fruit and biting freshness. Mouth‑filling but dry, with a persistent and enjoyable finish. Pale yellow in colour, clean and refreshing — a wonderful partner for our Spanish tapas. A great way to start.
Unfortunately, that is about as far as the favourable comments go regarding the wines, with one exception.
The luncheon wines — six in total — were drawn from different regions of Spain and made from different grape varieties. They were all quite expensive. No dead wood here; only the best for the best. Very sadly, in my view, five of these wines did not live up to the hype. So much so that I do not intend to review the first five individually, as they were, in my view, well below the standard of red wines we regularly enjoy at our lunches.
I accept that these comments will disappoint our Wine Master, who put a great deal of time and effort into procuring these wines, providing each table with a map of Spain showing their origins, along with commentary on each wine. However, as I have said on prior occasions, I value my integrity when reporting, and I call it as I see it on the day.
The only wine of any class was Wine 6, a straight Tempranillo — Antídoto 2020 (14.5%), from Bertrand Sourdais. An enjoyable wine with excellent fruit and plenty of tannin. Sufficient acidity to give it good balance. Smooth and very drinkable, though not in any way outstanding.
So that’s it — certainly my shortest report ever.
To finish, I should note that at the end of lunch, in accordance with tradition, we drank a delicious Armagnac in a toast to our recently deceased member, Peter Karr.
The wines not reported upon were in order of service; 1 Guimaro Mundin { Rio Mino } 2020 Mencia. 2 Guimaro San Pedro {Rio Sil } 2020 Mencia. 3 Luis Anxo A Torna dos Pasas 2023 Brancello. 4 Alvaro Palacious Camins del Priorat 2020 Garnacha / Carinyena. 5 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2020 Garnacha / Samso.
Wine Report by Stephen O' Halloran
A modest turnout of 34 would have regarded themselves fortunate for making the decision to attend. Nigel Burton’s duck main was certainly a winner. This was the final COTY of the year, and I am sure those attending will rate the meal highly on their score sheets. For more about the food, see the Food Report.
Aperitif
We began in fine style with a Society favourite: Minaia Gavi 2021 (13%). Not only is this wine a favourite here at the WFS, it is also highly regarded in Italy. From Piedmont and made from the Cortese grape, it shows high acidity balanced with quality fruit, producing a delicious, mouth‑filling wine—dry yet very flavoursome. A perfect partner for antipasto and an excellent aperitif.
Main Course Wines
Wine 1 – Cherubino Margaret River Chardonnay 2022 (12%)
This wine proved a lightning rod for diverse opinion—some loved it, others sneered at it. Intense, rich and voluptuous, verging on overpowering. Huge quality fruit: peachy, buttery, gleaming gold in colour and in excellent condition. Heaven for those who enjoy that style and made by one of our finest winemakers.
On the negative side, many in the room felt it was an abomination of quality Chardonnay fruit. Fair enough—battle lines drawn. To the cognoscenti, compared with a good White Burgundy, it was coarse, uncouth and vulgar. I can understand those assessments. On the other hand, many enjoyed its huge, fruit‑driven style, leaving no doubt that they were drinking an Australian Chardonnay.
Wine 2 – Girardin Pinot Noir 2012, Côte de Beaune (13%)
For me, this wine was overpowered by the lingering flavours of the preceding Chardonnay. An entry‑level Pinot from a year that produced some good wines, though patchy overall. Now at 14 years of age, it showed light structure, some cherry fruit and fine tannins. Pleasant drinking, but a little nondescript, leaving the impression that it had peaked a few years ago and was now beginning to fade.
Wine 3 – Yalumba “The Cigar” Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Coonawarra (13.5%)
A very big wine: dark, almost opaque, brimming with ripe fruit and strong tannin and oak overtones. Hints of mulberry and blackberry—rich and powerful, though possibly over‑extracted. At 18 years old, I felt that this once big and muscular wine was beginning to fade. Acidity dropping off slightly, and the finish was disappointing.
Wine 4 – Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz 2007 (14%)
A good‑quality wine, consistently reliable over many years and excellent value. Today, however, it showed the hallmarks of 19 years of bottle age. Still very drinkable but not offering much excitement.
Pick of the Day
The Gavi.
A full house on Orthodox Easter Tuesday saw our food master Bill Alexiou in the kitchen with friend Voula Price, presenting Greek Easter fare for the first mixed luncheon of the year. It is well known that nobody leaves hungry when Bill is involved in a lunch, and today was no exception.
They were aplenty.
We started with taramasalata topped with caviar on toast.
Following this was quality anchovies on a bed of tomato on sourdough toast. Very tasty…Voula said the tomato salsa was made with tomatoes from her father’s garden.
Finally, we were served spanakopita bites , a buttery filo pastry filled with spinach, feta, onion, herbs, and eggs.
All canapés were delicious and eagerly devoured.
A very good match for the aged Prosecco, our canapé wine.
Entrée
Sitting down to an alternate serve entrée, one was Lahanodolmades, cabbage rolls sitting in a light sauce of lemon and chicken stock with beaten eggs. The cabbage rolls were stuffed with ground beef and rice.
It’s not a complete lunch with Bill in the kitchen if there’s no octopus; today was octopus on skordalia that were braised for one hour then charred with sweet paprika oil.
Texture and flavours perfect.
Bill passed on information about the significance of the painted Greek eggs on our table ,including their significance and the etiquette of cracking them and eating them in a group.
Today we were served a deconstructed moussaka of béchamel and eggplant slices with seared pink slices of lamb back-strap and eggplant chips. The food came to the table at a perfect temperature.
This was served with Marouliesalata (lettuce salad), having lettuce, dill, lemon, and olive oil with apple cider vinegar.
As someone said, it’s great when Bill cooks and sensational when Voula is the executive chef.
As Voula said, you should always cook with love.
Thank you, Voula and Bill – much thought and effort went into today’s Greek-themed lunch – a lively atmosphere around the room today with good company, wine, and food.
Dessert
The cheese master was given the day off, and we had a tasty version of baklava and galaktoboureko ( baked custard ) in a Kataifi nest served with ice cream and pomegranate molasses .
Delightful.
We welcomed a new member to our society today, Stuart Macwhirter. Stuart was proposed by Miles Hedge.
Miles is pictured under the portrait of his great-grandfather, George Cohen.
He was presented with a society pin and our society publication, ‘A Table with Delights’, by our Vice President, Jonathan Casson.
Today the Society and its guests (mixed lunch) were treated to an array of wines from around the world.
We started with a 2021 Riva Dei Frati DOC Prosecco Rose Extra Dry Millesimato from Vento. A bright and vibrant pale pink prosecco. Aromas are delicate, with typical floral hint of rose, fruity with notes of peach and red berries. Flavours are soft and well structured, fresh and harmonious with a fruity finish. The ladies across the board enjoyed the bubbles. The bubbles complemented the canapes which were varied from anchovies on toast, Taramasalata and Spanakopita.
A 2015 Tyrrells Belford Chardonnay 13% was selected to go with the entrée. Pale, bright green colour, the nose is intense with white peach, some citrus, dry straw and delicate oak in the background. The palate is not unlike a Semillon in that there is a dense and robust nature to the fruit weight, with bright acidity. These rich flavours are balanced nicely by the textural elements from the solids ferment, and extended time on yeast lees.
Main was served with the often-seen wines at the Society:
2021 Domaine Melanie & Daniel Bouland, Morgon Bellevue Sable Beaujolais Cru (Gamay) 13%. This was a medium-to-deep ruby colour, nose of red cherry, strawberry, black pepper, and a bit floral; palate is medium-bodied, smooth, dry, acidic, with mild yet noticeably tannin; pleasant, long finish, with fruit followed by spice. A number felt it was a flavour bomb.
2016 Massolino Dolcetto d’Alba 14%. This was aromatic and fruity, with flavours of plums and black cherries, as well as aromatic violet and herb characteristics bouncing around the palate. Soft tannins and balanced. It has a long freshness with chalky acidity, made from Dolcetto vines.
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