Lunches
27 May 2025 Jonathan Casson
Food review by Frank Liebeskind and wine review by Stephen O’Halloran
Food
This was a wine tasting lunch, with the food worthy of Chef of the Year cook-off.
Canapes
We started with three canapes, prepared by Paul Thorne and Gary Linnane.
The star to me was Paul’s brilliant duck consomme, Paul’s is the master of duck consomme, full of flavour, and clear as…. Paul said, “duck consomme with star anise raftered through egg white”. Thank you Paul.
Paul also did an explosion in the mouth goat's cheese tart, with pea puree, honey, and topped with pickled radish.
Gary did a very tasty French bean and anchovy blend, on crisp savoury biscuits topped with chopped chives. It was a great accompaniment with the King Valley Blanc de Blanc wine.
Main
Jonathon served a “stack” of shredded brisket, topped with a great mash, topped with a portabella mushroom, with spinach (Popeye eat your heart out) and a jus.
Jonathon told us the recipe itself was suggested by James Hill though it turns out he hadn't tried it himself ????
Its official title was shredded beef brisket on creamy potatoes topped with confit mushrooms. Thanks to the team in the kitchen the mash was so creamy we changed the order so that the brisket formed the base with the mash on top and then the mushroom over that. I think that not only made stacking easier, I think it made the stack visually more enticing.
The brisket was cooked at 130/140° C for eight hours, then shredded by hand. The mushroom was baked at 150°C for 40 minutes with thyme, garlic and olive oil (bloody outstanding).
Jonathan went to Bunnings and bought 9mm wide PVC tubing and cut the tubes (6cm lengths) to provide the 9mm mould to stack the layers, the layering looked beautiful on the plate. Beautiful meal, and to me the mushroom was the hero. How did you get 40+ mushrooms all the same size? Answer, he trimmed some to fit.
The kitchen plated 10 at a time. Each tube was filled with the brisket and then the potato purée and set the mushroom on top. We drizzled the sauce on it and around the plate. To accompany there was shredded spinach.
Jonathon obtained the brisket from Australian Meat Emporium (one of my favourite butchers) and yes, he put on the coat to enter the Emporium’s huge cool room. Mushrooms from his local Orange Grove markets.
The bread was from a Balmain bakery, not the one Jonathan wanted because he hadn’t ordered on-line, but excellent bread it was.
Cheese
Mark presented us an excellent English Montgomery Cheddar from Somerset, though some complained that were was “aggressive looking” mould on some pieces, as is it was a “blue”. The Cheddar was presented with a Chutney and the last of the season’s red and black grapes.
The chutney was a commercial brand with a fiery touch to it. It was primarily for the sauce but was also presented with the cheese.
“Montgomery’s Cheddar is one of just three traditional English cloth-bound cheddars recognized as ‘artisan Somerset cheddar’ by Slow Food. Made on Manor Farm, Cadbury, for over 3 generations. Cheeses are made with milk sourced from the farm’s Friesian-Holstein cows every day to ensure freshness. Drier than most traditional cheddars, flavours are meaty and rich, with savoury/sweet notes.”
Wine
Today we were treated with a brisket “pie” by our chef du jour, Jonathan Casson, with some very excellent Italian wines from the Piedmont district.
Our Winemaster Nick Reynolds produced some top-flight Nebbiolo, all well aged for our critical assessment. It's hard work, but someone has to do it!
We got the party started with an aperitif wine for the nibbles. An unusual wine from the King Valley in Vic, a 2024 Schmolzer and Brown, Pret-a-Blanc, blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sav Blanc and Sylvaner. An unusual blend, I have not seen it before. The name translated into English means "ready white", designed for easy drinking at an early age. The wine certainly matched the label, fresh and clean, crisp on the palate, pale yellow colour, and some nice citrus fruits were noticed in the mouthfeel. Clean acidic finish. A very acceptable aperitif wine, helped along by some bottles of two of our best Rieslings, a Leo Buring and Tim Knappstein. Everyone had the first wine, but I'm not sure how many tasted the other two. They were both excellent.
We then moved on to the main event, a wonderful line-up of Nebbiolo wines, five from Piedmont and one from down here (which was masked).
I do not intend to dissect each wine, as writing in detail about the same grape, six times over, is a real challenge to keep interesting and avoid saying the same thing over and over. So I will limit my dissection to three wines as noted hereunder. Before I do that, I thank our Winemaster for giving us the opportunity to put these wines under the microscope to test if they live up to the lofty title of "the King of wines and the wine of Kings", as Barolo is often named. Let's see if under the harsh glare of 40 members of the WFS, the wine lives up to its reputation.
Dealing with wine 1, the Barbaresco 2016 14% from Casina Luisin, this to me was a real treat, a wine from an excellent year. I have for some time now preferred the Barbaresco style of Nebbiolo to the Barolo style. Much more approachable, less tannin and less acid, but still retaining that high-class class distinctive flavour of a classic Italian red wine. Elegant but powerful, chewy and seductive, so easy to enjoy, without having to battle the strong tannic and acidity of a Barolo. Drinking beautifully now, but years ahead of fine drinking.
The next wine to catch my attention, wine 4 on the list, was the masked wine, which was eventually revealed as a SC Pannell Nebb from the Adelaide Hills 2013 @ 14%. A much softer wine than the others, perhaps having reached peak maturity, now a 13 yo wine. Medium body, tannin and acid quite restrained, succulent flavours of cherry and plum.
A very enjoyable wine, perhaps not one to keep for too long, with its acid falling away a bit.
The third wine for my detailed review was wine 6 on the list, the Ginestra 2010 @ 14%. Now this was a wine that would almost certainly have earned a place at the table of Italian Royalty back in the day. A top year in Piedmont, a real gem, producing some memorable wines, including this one. The wine stood out from all the others by reason of its huge blackness in colour, different from the red brick, ruby colour of the others. Despite its appearance as a real blockbuster, the wine was in perfect balance, elegant, deeply flavoured with dark fruits, cherry, tar and tobacco hints. Tannins, oak and acid all combine to produce a wine of distinction. A powerful lingering finish, I can still taste it! My wine of the day by a country mile.
With wines 2,3 and 5 the Gabutti and the Marcarini wines, they were in my view a bit of a mixed bag, one or two good, one not so good. They all had that Barolo confrontational presentation of excessive tannin and acidity, which I find off-putting. Anyhow, that's how I see it.
Many thanks to our Winemaster for a very special occasion.
20 May 2025 Amosh and the REX Team
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Answering an urgent call for a chef at short notice, Amosh, Head Chef at the REX, came to the rescue for our lunch today.
Canapés
◦ Chicken-pistachio terrine on toasted sourdough with a mixed fruit-tamarind sauce and caper berries.
◦ Confit cherry tomato, bocconcini, basil, vincotto on a skewer.
◦ Snapper ceviche/citrus dressing.
Main
Full house today, it seems we all love a meat pie, especially on a grey, cold day.
Our main today was a beef brisket and bone marrow pithivier surrounded by a lamb jus. Very well executed, full of flavour, good texture, well presented, the meat was moist with plenty of the flaky pastry to mop up the jus.
It was served with a buttery, creamy mash topped with chives.
A high quality lunch from our professional team in the kitchen, all aspects well commented on by members.
Bread was a white Sourdough from Humble Bakery, Circular Quay
Cheese
Cheesemaster Mark Bradford presented a cow’s milk Yarra Valley fetta. Two types today. One was marinated in garlic, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves, the other plain. Mark had to hastily buy some more cheese as the numbers increased from the original booking indication.
Made in small batches, fresh curd is bound in cloth for stewing and brined for two weeks, producing a silky-textured cheese.
Mark served it with some garlic and herb pickled zucchini and canned peaches from South Africa. The latter brings memories of our childhood desserts.
We finished our meal with some Cognac and Armagnac.
Wine
What better way is there to hide away from a cold, wet May afternoon than in a warm room with friends eating Brisket Pie and drinking some nice wine??
Yesterday, with 47 attending, made for an afternoon of fellowship and fun. It was great to be there. See the Food Report for details of our Meal. With regard to the wines, my report is as follows, dealing only with the wines we all tasted.
With the canapes, we enjoyed a Bichot Macon Milly Chardonnay 2022 @ 13%. A very reliable wine that paired well with the canapes. Good colour with bright acidity, well balanced with a crisp finish. A good choice to get the party started. A few bottles of Gavi and Burings Leopold Riesling appeared, which were excellent, although perhaps not all present enjoyed these wines.
Dealing now with the table wines, first cab off the rank was an excellent Yabby Lake Pinot 2015, 13.5%. A typical Australian Pinot, light to medium body, light tannins, soft raspberry aroma, warm earthy spice traces, silky smooth but persistent finish. Now a 10 yo, but with plenty of good drinking for years to come.
Next wine was the Ch Pezat from St Emilion 2010 @ 14%. Beautiful, clear ruby red colour, medium body. The usual hints of dark fruits and plummy overtones one normally expects from a Cabernet Merlot from this region. Now a 15 yo wine, but not hindered by age. Nice clean finish with persistence of flavour.
We then proceeded to a white wine with our cheese. Many wine experts from around the globe and here locally claim that Chardonnay is the best match for cheese, rather than red wine, which has been the norm in the past. Personally, I think the issue is up for debate, as it would largely depend on the cheese being served, hard/soft and of course, the structure of the wines involved. Anyhow, getting back to the wine offered today, it was the Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay from 2018 @13.5%.
Some of you will remember that we last had this wine on the 15th of April this year, and I wrote an unflattering report about the wine in my report of the same date. My thoughts at the time were "overoaked, oversweet, over alcoholic, a wine locked into the 1980's style of chardonnay", which I never enjoyed. Give me a modern style any time. With regard to the wine today, my thoughts remain the same. I did not enjoy it. I must be the odd man out here, as Phil Laffer rated it as his wine of the day! Thank God Phil and I did not get our careers mixed up. Glad I stuck with Law, and Phil winemaking.
The final wine for the day was the Hentley Farm, Villain and Vixen Grenache from 2022 @ 14,5%. This highly rated vineyard has produced some wonderful wines from its Barossa holdings in recent years. This wine was a typical Australian Grenache, light bodied, brilliant cherry crimson colour, with that classic aroma of strawberry and raspberry very evident. Quite tannic and spicy on the palate but balanced by fresh natural acidity leading to a crisp finish. An enjoyable wine.
My wine of the day, the Yabby Lake.
13 May 2025 Mark Bradford
Food review by Bill Alexiou-Hucker and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Today we were treated to a trip to Thailand with Mark Bradford’s deconstructed Thai Chicken Burger, which displayed plenty of flavour and the right balance of heat between the pattie and Kewpie mayonnaise, as one member described it, today’s lunch was a frolic of flavours.
We welcomed a canape newbie into the kitchen, Denys Moore. Mark commented that this time last year, Denys could not boil water, so it is a credit to Denys that he stood up to assist Mark with the canapes; in fact Denys did all the canapes.
We started with smoked mussels on mini toasts buttered with ricotta and topped with cracked pepper. A sprinkle of salt may have lifted more flavour of what was already a tasty starter. It was then followed by a pepper-infused pate and a slice of cucumber on toast. The cucumber gave a refreshing balance to the pate and toast squares. Denys’ last offering was a pintxos-style canape of cucumber, fresh basil, stuffed olives and a slice of salami. An explosion of flavours when consumed.
A great first-time effort by Denys.
We then moved to the main of the day. A Thai chicken burger, packing plenty of flavour, with a great balance of spice from the sriracha-flavoured Kewpie mayonnaise. To please the chili lovers, Mark arranged for small bowls of chilli to accompany the meal for those who wanted the extra heat. The patty was a mixture of free-range chicken mince, red curry paste, turmeric powder, kaffir lime leaves, coriander stems, spring onion, peanuts, dark soy, tamarind paste, lemon grass. Seared in olive oil 4 minutes each side, baked 15 mins at 200C, and to please the carb lovers, Mark served the burger with toasted brioche buns and smashed avocado to balance the flavours.
Mark always tries to provide a meal that is a little different to our usual fare and he didn’t disappoint, along with Nick Reynolds’ matching of the wines to finish off a flavoursome lunch.
The cheese was a Cantoral Blu d’ Auvergne, a cow’s milk cheese made in the Auvergne region for several centuries. It was traditionally matured in mountain caves. Although no longer cave-ripened, PDO regulations still stipulate that cheese must be produced at a minimum 500m altitude, using milk only from cows born in the region.
Mark surprised us with another interesting innovation, serving dark chocolate buttons along with dried apricots, creamed honey on a baguette with the cheese.
All in all, a very enjoyable lunch with wines to match.
Wine
A modest but high-quality turn out for Mark Bradford's rendition of a spicy Thai chicken dish, which was very flavoursome. See the food report for more details.
The wines were very enjoyable across the full spectrum of flavours. The room all tasted the first four wines, with cellar drops completing the tasting of six wines in all. I will comment only on the first four, which everybody had.
First of these was the ever popular Gavi from Nicola Bergaglio, 2021,13 %. We have enjoyed this Cortese based wine on a few occasions over the last year or so and I really like it. A wine which can be drunk on its own, or with food, either way it is delightful. Fresh and crisp, well balanced with plenty of flavour. The first bottles out of the fridge needed a little time to warm up in the glass, but once this happened, the wine showed its class. No wonder the Italians love it.
Wine two was the Dr Loosen Kabinett Riesling 2022 @ a very modest 8%. This well known producer of fine German wines rarely fails to deliver. This wine was truly delicious, very typical of a high-class German Kabinett Riesling. A wonderful mix of quality fruit, an alluring taste of gentle residual sugar countered by firm acid all blending together to produce a wine that was a joy to drink, a clean but lingering finish. A perfect partner for a summer lunch with strawberry flan as dessert.
Wine three was the Larry Cherubino Caves Rd Chardonnay from WA 2022 @12 %. This was a perfect demonstration of a modern Australian style of this grape variety. No massive oak, no excessive sweetness, just let the quality fruit do the talking. This wine was crafted by one of our finest winemakers, showing some gentle stone fruit flavours, peach and grapefruit come to mind, with firm acid to generate a balanced finish. A nice wine.
Wine four was my pick of the first four wines. This was a Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2009 @ 13.5 %. What a great example of a high-quality Sangiovese blend from Tuscany. Terrific food wine, plummy and rich, but not dominating other food flavours. Smooth and velvety with a hint of spice and a lovely finish. Elegant. Now drinking at its peak as a 16 yo wine and still in great shape. By far my choice of wine of the day.
6 May 2025 Amosh and the REX Team
Food review by Frank Liebeskind and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
The REX team catered for 35 Members and guests, and were treated to a wonderful lunch, I called it “street food raised to another level”, Nick Reynold’s said it was a Nepalese version of Coronation Chicken and fit for a King. Greg Chugg felt it was Nepalese meets French cuisine.
Canapes
◦ Caramelised onion/ cherry tomato/ goats cheese tart, these were a favourite, perfectly balanced and a winner.
◦ Apple & fennel/ pork sausage rolls, absolute favourite, Goldy was very happy with them. Food Master Bill said he intended placing an order for them, the apple made the difference. James Tinslay would have loved these.
◦ Fried chicken tandoori balls, mint yogurt sauce, last but not least, the chicken balls were well received, not strong on the tandoori spices, but went well when dipped into the mint yoghurt sauce.
Main
◦ Organic chicken supreme/sautéed masala (spices)veg/Nepalese curry sauce/crispy curry leaves
◦ Garlic/creamy mashed potato
This was an excellent dish that everyone in the room enjoyed. Chicken breast with some bone still attached for juiciness was beautifully spiced, roasted and sat on a great mash. A fantastic curry with vegetables sat alongside the chicken. I thought the curry sauce was the hero, its spices and subtlety lingered in the mouth for 10 minutes after the last mouthful. Criticism? Yes, more curry sauce next time, please, sir!
Cheese (also provided by the REX, not our Cheese Master).
◦ Cave-Aged cheddar cheese, from the UK, it received positive comments, we didn’t get much detail on it, and its origin.
◦ Almonds and marinated baby figs, lots of positive comments on the figs.
An excellent lunch, I wouldn’t be surprised if the REX adds this to their menu going forward, beautiful, refined Nepalese cuisine. After Amosh discussed the food he created, and the many elements used to create both the canapes and the main, Greg Sproule got up and thanked Amosh for the effort and care in each mouthful, and the final word came from Goldy (not usually a lover of street food), he thanked Amosh for a most excellent and juicy piece of chicken.
Wine
The theme for lunch today was a Nepalese affair provided by Amosh and his team at the REX kitchen. Very delicious pass arounds and a roast chicken main. A tasty English Cheddar rounded off the meal nicely.
Today our Wine Master provided us with a totally new concept for our wines today. The only two wines tasted by all were the first two whites. Thereafter, someone from each table picked out three reds from the 20 or so reds on display. Your views on this process are welcome. Perhaps we could discuss next week.
Accordingly, my report will deal with the two whites only, together with a few comments on the red wines I tasted.
The first white was the McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon 2018, 12.5%. We had this wine not so long ago, and it was well received. A 7 yo Hunter Sem, fresh, balanced and a delight to drink with or without food. Great structure, all the ducks in a row. A terrific choice by our Wine Master.
The second white was the most impressive, Leo Buring Leopold Riesling 2016, 13%. Sourced from Tasmanian Fruit and named after the man himself, who created the brand. This wine and the Leonay Riesling from Eden Valley are Buring's showcase wines. At a blind tasting, I would have picked this wine as either a Tassie riesling or a German Kabinett Riesling. Some gentle residual sugar on the palate was very typical of a good quality Tassie riesling. A delight to taste, excellent balance with a crisp, powerful finish. A lovely wine.
The wines our table then enjoyed were the 2007 Guigal St Joseph Côte du Rhône, an excellent wine from the Northern Rhone, drinking beautifully for an 18 yo wine. Rich and opulent, velvety smooth finish. A treat. The second wine was the equally drinkable Tyrrells Vat 9 again a 2007 wine. A big Vat 9, dark and intense, no sign of browning at the rim. Has all the structures in place to go on for several more years as a top wine.
The final wine for our table was a Clerget Pinot Noir 12.5%, a Bourgogne from 2014. An enjoyable PN but suffered from being the third wine after two much more powerful Shiraz.
The wine to do it justice should have been drunk first.
So that's it for the report today, short and sweet. Bring your views along to our next few lunches on this style of format, as distinct from the regular.
29 April 2025 James Hill
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
An autumnal April Wine Lunch today, with Nick Reynolds presenting his “Clone Wars” from the cellar and James Hill in the kitchen. Both experts go far beyond the call of duty when it comes to their contribution to the Society. Not surprisingly, a near to full room for this lunch.
Canapés
We commenced with celeriac rémoulade with olives, served in China spoons. A very popular salad in France, these had a wonderful texture and a tangy bite, and flavour enhanced by the olives on top.
Our second canapé was tomato soup in a shot glass with basil. These worked very well with the abundant chardonnay on offer.
Former President, Chef of the Year and Alexiou trophy winner Peter Kelso helped out with a canapé of anchovy puffs to round out the hand arounds.
Main
James presented us with seared duck breast today; as always, a great match with the pinot noir clones. The duck was delicious, cooked to perfection and served with a mash of cauliflower and potato and al dente snow beans, and a decoration of a baked half plum with leeks and brandy. A former Master of renown, when speaking to the room, intimated that this is the standard expected of James, and that he never disappoints. An excellent dish worthy of any top-end restaurant in town.
Cheese
In theme with pinot, the Cheese Master served Burgundian Fromagerie Berthaut Epoisses PDO, an artisan washed rind cow’s milk cheese. Revived in 1955, Epoisses PDO was originally developed by Cistercian monks at the Abbaye de Fontenay near the town of Semur in Burgundy. Regular washing with a brine mix of Marc de Bourgogne encourages the B linen bacteria to create a sticky golden rind and distinct, strong yeasty aroma.
The wooden box creates the perfect microclimate for ripening, whilst providing support to the delicate cheese. When ripe, a mixture of salty, sweet and milky flavours dominates the palate, with a smooth melting texture and rich meaty taste.
James served this with a tasty pear and rocket salad with a honey mustard dressing.
The bread was baguettes from AP Bakery.
Wine
Today marked 255 years since James Cook stepped onto the shore of Botany Bay. A momentous day in the history of this country, the Old World meeting the New World. Not that you would ever hear or read about it from the media. We are indeed a strange country!
Anyhow, we enjoyed a terrific meal from master Chef James Hill, and some superb Pinot wines from our Wine Master Nick Reynolds. Sincere thanks to both for their considerable efforts to put on this first-rate meal. The Food report will follow.
The aperitif wine was a Soumah Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley 2023, 13.3%. This wine was a good example of the old saying that one man's meat is another man's poison.
There were strongly expressed views around the room, ranging from strongly approve to strongly disapprove of this wine. Were we all drinking the same wine? For my part, I really enjoyed it, except for my first sip, which had a strange taste, but which soon disappeared. The wine to me was balanced and quite elegant, no detectable oak, great flavour with hints of stone fruits and melon. Nice crisp feel on the palate. Finished well. Excellent with the canapés. I am sorry others did not enjoy it. So it goes.
We then moved on to the main event, the roast duck with Pinot Noir. What could go wrong? Fortunately, nothing. We had four wines from Helen's Hill in the Yarra Valley. One from Otway Wines in the Otway Rangers, Vic and one from Tasmania, the Pooley Cooinda Vale.
All of these wines were single clone Pinots, four from 2022 and two from 2021. All of the Helen Hill wines were 12.8%, and the other two were 13%.
The first wine was the Clone 943, aka the Dijon clone. The second wine, the Smuggler, was the Abel Clone. The Otway was the Abel again. The fourth wine, Pooley, was the Abel again, and the fifth and sixth wines were MV 6 Clone in the First Light PN, and the D4V5 clone was the last wine the, Rangeview.
Nick Reynolds had kindly made available to the room printouts of the details of the various clones we enjoyed. I do not intend to review each wine, as saying something interesting about six bottles of the same grape variety is, for me at least, a bridge too far. I will give you my thoughts generally.
The Helen Hill wines were, with the exception of the last wine, Rangeview Reserve, thinnish and lacked depth. A common problem with Australian Pinot. To my taste they were sharp and a touch acidic on the first taste and generally did not show any of the desirable strawberry and cherry flavours of a quality PN. On the other hand, the Rangeview Reserve was an attractive, enjoyable wine, with much more depth, rich and smooth, packed with powerful dark fruit flavour. A wine with some gentle tannin and a lingering finish. By far the pick of the bunch of the Helen Hill wines, most enjoyable.
The Otway Pinot I found to be a good quality wine, with some pleasing PN traits. More body than the two preceding wines and more depth of flavour. Quite elegant, deep crimson, well balanced.
The star of the show was without question the Pooley. Beautiful wine, but at nearly twice the price ($140) of the others, you would expect something really good for your outlay. In any event, leaving aside the tawdry issue of money, this was a truly great wine. Just about everything you would expect in a top-flight PN, from anywhere! Powerful, but restrained, much more depth than the others, cherry, strawberry, spice overtones, great balance with just enough acid for a delightful finish. You guessed it, my wine of the day!
22 April 2024 Bill Alexiou-Hucker and Voula Price
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
A full house on a showery Easter Tuesday saw our immediate past president and acting Food master Bill Alexiou in the kitchen with friend Voula Price, presenting Greek Easter Surprises for the first mixed luncheon of the year. Voula and Bill cooked on our last mixed lunch in November, and they again attracted a large turnout of members and guests. It is well-known that nobody leaves hungry when Bill is involved in a lunch and today was no exception.
Canapés
These were aplenty. We started with mini-Greek salads on pita, having dehydrated Kalamata olive flakes, micro-diced cucumber and tomato, and feta with whipped basil.
Following this tasty plate was stewed octopus on china spoons, charred to produce a smoky Greek flavour. Very tasty with the charring working well.
Finally, we were served a Melinzana Salata (eggplant salad) of flame-roasted eggplant, parsley, lemon, olive oil and sesame seeds (a Greek version of baba ghanoush).
Entrée
Sitting down to an entrée, we had Avgolemono – a traditional Greek soup at Easter, with chicken broth, rice, lemons and eggs. Voula gave an interesting presentation to the room of the significance of the painted Greek eggs on our table for this dish, including the etiquette of eating them in a group.
Main
Today we were served Pasticcio, a Greek version of Lasagne. Whereas the latter usually incorporates pasta sheets, Pasticcio has special long pasta tubes designed for this traditional dish. The pasta was cooked al dente and served with a Marouliesalata (lettuce salad), having lettuce, dill, lemon and olive oil. The dish was a great match for today’s wines.
Dessert
The cheese master was given the day off, and we had a tasty baklava dessert of filo pastry, walnuts and syrup. Delightful, served with an impressive French sauternes.
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.
Wine
A full house greeted the ladies to our first mixed lunch for 2025. Further lunches are planned for later in the year. We were very lucky to secure our erstwhile President Bill Alexiou and his charming co-chef Voula to do their Greek Easter Feast, which indeed it was. See the Food Report for more details. Needless nobody went home thinking about cooking dinner! The lunch wines were as follows.
We began with our House Champagne, the Jacquart Mosaique NV. Nice and cold, crisp and fresh, perfect for the pass arounds of which there were plenty!
Upon being seated, we were presented with a Margaret River Chardonnay from Nocturn wines 2021 13%. An enjoyable wine, now 4 yo and drinking well. A wine in good balance, crisp acidity with citrus flavours of grapefruit and lemon. Nice clean finish. A good example of a modern style Chardonnay.
The first red of the day was a classic Australian Grenache from the master winemaker Stephen Pannell. Sourced from fruit in the Blewitt Springs and Clarendon regions of McLaren Vale, this 2020 vintage wine was a classy demonstration of this grape variety. At 14%, medium to lightish body, distinct tannin influence with a very dry finish. An abundance of fruit flavours, such as raspberry and strawberry, all combine well to produce an excellent wine.
We then moved on to a Society favourite, the Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d'Alba from 2022 13.5%. Medium to full body wine lots, of dark fruit colour, soft mouthfeel with tannic presence. An easy drinking wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, best consumed when under 5 years of bottle age. At 3 years old now, this wine is a perfect lunch wine, not too heavy and finishing with a smooth, clean finish. Excellent selection.
The final wine of the day was the Chateau Gravas Sauternes 2009, 13.5%. Our Winemaster Nick Reynolds provided us today with a treat not often served at our regular lunches, a French Sauternes from the Sauternes district. Vintage 2009 was rated an 8/10 year for that region, and this wine reflected its fortunate vintage origin. Good balance between crisp acid and orange flavours on the back palate. A powerful, clean but lingering finish. A great way to end the afternoon!
15 April 2025 Steve Liebeskind
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
In the kitchen today was our well-regarded chef Steve Liebeskind.
Canapes
Bismark herring on Pumpernickel - herring, cream, red onion and grated green apple. Steve advised it was his mum’s recipe ..loved it.
Goat’s cheese in pastry shells with a spicy beetroot chutney.
Adrian Coote prepared some smoked trout mousse in vol-au-vent with wasabi mayo, topped with fish roe. Lovely texture, the wasabi was dominant.
Main
Hot smoked salmon on Asian vegetables and mushroom/miso broth, with crispy salmon skin and topped with red caviar.
Asian vegs - wombok, bok choy, snow peas, julienned and enoki mushrooms.
A great dish, love the flavour mixture with the smoked trout infusing its smokiness into the broth. The broth was poured into our bowls at the table, ensuring it came at temperature. Good textural balance, the snow peas added some crunch, not forgetting Steve’s signature crispy salted salmon skin. Members asked for the recipe ..we have to wait till next time!
Much effort and thought went into the dishes today, much appreciated by members and reflected in their comments.
Thanks Steve.
Salad
Cheesemaster Mark Bradford presented a Fromager D'Affinois Buche Double Crème, a white mild cow’s cheese from France.
Located close to Lyon in the Rhone Alps region, the name d’Affinois is a play on ‘affinage’ – the French word for the ripening process of cheese. Using an innovative method called ultrafiltration, Jean Claude Guilloteau pioneered a new method of cheese making in the 1980s that created a luscious and velvety cheese naturally richer in proteins and minerals.
Cheese is made in Belley, a small town nestled at the foothills of the picturesque French Alps, surrounded by ancient forests and famous for its many waterfalls, and local farmers supply the dairy with luscious milk from their herds of Montbeliardes and Holstein cows that graze on dense pastures nearby.
With a thin white mould rind, and a paste that gradually develops a mild, sweet, creamy flavour, this double crème cheese has a silky mouth feel and creamy subtle flavour.
Accompanied with a green salad with walnuts and dried muscadelle grapes.
Steve generously provided some aperitif and fortified wines for our lunch.
Wine
The chef du jour was our Steve Liebeskind, who produced a superb dish of hot smoked salmon with a miso broth and matching greens. Preceding the main were some delectable pass arounds, including one of my favourites, Bismark Herrings, yum!
First wine today was the French white wine Aligoté, from Blouctet Garnier Bichot 2021, 12%. This wine was perfect for the pass arounds. Crisp, pale yellow with strong citrus flavours. Quite dry, but with great mouth feel leading to a nice clean finish. This grape variety comes from the Burgundy region where it is in much demand as a good quality, reliable white wine for an array of dishes. It certainly went well today.
Second wine was the Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay 2018, 13.5%. A wine named after the year of the Battle of Bannockburn. This wine from the Geelong region of Victoria nearly blew my head off with just one sip. Pow! An explosion of heavy oak, high alcohol and some residual sweetness. Last time I drank a Chardonnay like this was in the mid-80s when Chardonnays were over-oaked, too alcoholic and full of sweet buttery overtones. I can accept that some may still like the 80's style, but not this little black duck!. The modern style, restrained, taut and fruit-driven is my style now and there is no going back. I thought today's wine was out of balance and I did not enjoy it at all. Enough said.
The third wine was a delightful Beaujolais Villages from Dominique Piron 2022 13%. Made from Gamay, full bodied and tons of flavour. Medium weight with great integration of oak/tannin/acid. Quite a big wine, nothing like a light-weight Beaujolais Noveau, this wine would partner well with any dish requiring a full-flavoured red wine. An excellent choice Wine Master.
Next wine was a Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz from the Grampians region of Victoria. This wine was first produced by the legendary wine maker Colin Preece, who created this easily recognisable style in the 1950s. A big wine as always, this Preece style combines spicy shiraz with firm tannins and restrained oak, producing a voluptuous, mouth filling wine with a powerful, satisfying finish. A lovely wine.
Final wine for the day was a beauty, the 2006 St Hugo Cabernet 14.5% from Coonawarra. A delightful wine, medium body, big colour from ripe dark fruits and an intense flavour. A very impressive mix of tannins/acid/ oak, all blended with perfection on the palate. Upon tasting there were beguiling hints of cedar, leather and eucalypt. It was a real joy to have with us today our member Phil Laffer, who in his winemaking days with Jacob's Creek, was the winemaker of this wonderful wine. Sincere congratulations Phil, on a job well done. A great thing to have the man who made the wine 16 years ago with us today to enjoy in our company the rewards of his work. My wine of the day!
8 April 2025 David Madson
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.
1April 2025 Rob Guthrie
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Rob Guthrie was in the kitchen today for our fifth and last ‘cook off’ for our Chef of the Year award for 2024.
Canapés
Assisting Rob with canapés were Paul Mitchell, Julian Parmigiani, Stephen O’Halloran and Bayne Kelly.
A lot of preparation was evident with the starters today, well appreciated with many positive comments from members.
Paul Mitchell first up with home-made choux pastry with smoked ocean trout, dill and cream fraiche filling. They were topped with homemade pickled onion and dill.
Julian produced filo pastry cups filled with ricotta, basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.
First time assisting today was Stephen and Bayne, topping some Jatz biscuits with goat’s cheese, white anchovies and a black olive.
Main
The main course was a crusted lamb rack, inspired by the late Bill Grainger. The crust was made from oven-toasted sourdough bread broken into crumbs and mixed with Italian parsley, garlic, olive oil and lots of lemon zest and seasoning.
The lamb, which had been French trimmed, was prepared by searing the fat side, then coating with Dijon mustard and pressing the crumbs in. It was cooked on high heat to crust and crunch the crumbs and allow the lamb to come to the table pink. It was served with cherry tomatoes on the vine that were roasted in olive oil with garlic pieces.
The jus was made from roasted veal bones and vegetables reduced over 18 hours, then strained to form the demi-glace. This was later combined with chicken stock and further reduced, then seasoned.
The side dish of French beans and mangetout is an Ottolenghi recipe, the beans and mangetout were blanched, dried, then combined with roasted hazelnuts, orange zest, chives and flaky sea salt. The dressing was a mixture of hazelnut oil, olive oil and orange juice. It was served at or close to room temperature.
The mash was made by running cooked potatoes through a potato ricer, then blending with butter and sour cream.
The meal was accompanied by wholemeal sourdough from the Organic Bread Bar in Darlinghurst. Loved this bread.
Many favourable comments on lunch today, showing why Rob is a contender for Chef of the Year. Some said ‘the best lamb they’ve had in our society’!
Thanks team.
Cheese
Most people guessed the cheese today presented by Mark Bradford, Testun Di Barolo, a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from Piedmont, Italy. I thought it came to the table in perfect condition today.
The name testun loosely translates to hard-headed, referring to the texture of the cheese, and Barolo is the local red wine.
Beppino Occelli creates cheese in the Lange region, where the alpine pastures provide rich feed for the local cows, goats and sheep. Known as formaggio ubriaco or ‘drunken cheese’ this specialty of Piedmont is aged in traditional wooden barrels containing the grape skins of Barolo wine. The marinade leaves a purple stain which gradually penetrates the rind of the cheese leaving a very distinctive wine barrel flavour.
The wheels are then aged for a further two months in Langa marc and Barolo wine during which time the cheese develops a rich flavour, semi-hard texture and lingering sweetness. The flavours of the cheese and grapes mingle together to create a flavour that is bitey, creamy, sweet, winey, buttery and sharp all at once.
Dried fruit of figs, apricots and dates was the accompaniment.
Wine
Our Chef du Jour, Rob Guthrie, put on an excellent meal in the form of a rack of lamb with all the trimmings. The pre-lunch pass arounds were of a high standard, leading to a delicious meal enjoyed by all. The lamb was cooked to perfection. See the food report for full details.
We started the day with an Italian white, a Cincinnato Bellone 2022 13%. I really liked this wine, crisp, full of flavour but also very dry. A typical classy Italian white wine that went so well with every canapé. This is the wine I can imagine myself drinking on a warm summer day in Rome at some trattoria, tucking into an antipasto. Heaven. I hope we have some more in the cellar. A winner. We also drank a bottle or two of Gavi with the canapes. Those of you who are regular readers of my reports will be aware of my love of Gavi. A terrific wine for a pre-lunch drink. Enough said.
First of the red wines was the Yalumba Menzies 14% 2012. A Cabernet from Coonawarra. This wine was a wonderful example of a quality aged Australian Cabernet. Now a 13 yo wine drinking, I think, at its peak, but with plenty of time left. All those delightful Cabernet flavours were there, rich muscular dark fruits, a little tannin, great balance of all component parts. Velvety smooth with a silky finish. A great wine. My wine of the day. When drinking this wine, I was struck by how distinctive this wine was from my other favourite Australian Cab, the Margaret River wines. I have always felt that a top MR Cab is very close in terms of aroma and taste to a quality Bordeaux. This Yalumba wine is, however, in my view, a different style, a unique Australian taste and flavour, quite distinguishable from other Cabernets. Thank you Winemaster, a treat!
The second wine was a little ripper from Tuscany, the Tenuta di Ghizzano Veneroso Terre di Pisa. 2010 13.5% If you can remember the full name without checking the label, you deserve a large glass of this superb wine. 2010 was a great year in Tuscany, so my research advised, and this wine showed the full benefit of a top vintage.
Italian wines are food-centred, and this wine drank perfectly with the main course. A blend of Sangiovese with a little Cabernet added in. Elegant, restrained tannins with a clean and persistent finish. A powerful wine with plenty of time ahead, great with food without attempting to dominate the flavours. Just edged out by the Yalumba for my wine of the day.
The third wine was the Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verze Chardonnay 2015, 14%. With the cost of high-quality French White Burgundies continuing to rise like a Saturn rocket, we are indeed lucky to enjoy this wine. Well done, Winemaster, hope it did not bust the budget! This was a delightful wine, redolent with citrus flavours of apple and grapefruit with buttery overtones. Rich and voluptuous with a seductive and sensual finish. A delight. My thoughts at the time were that this wine was a little bit lost sandwiched between two powerful reds. It still, however, shone as a fine White Burgundy.
The final wine was a John Duval Entity Shiraz from the Barossa, 14.5% 2015. This winemaker is a legend in his own time, making Grange Hermitage for Penfolds for years and now making some superb wines in his own name. His wines are amongst my favourites. This wine presented as a full-bodied Barossa Shiraz, packed with deep dark fruit flavours, spice and near perfect tannin /oak mix. Now 10 yo but plenty of time ahead. Rich, ripe and supple, a delight to drink.
We were fortunate to be able to drink three first class red wines today.
25 March 2025 Roger Straiton
Food review by James Hill and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Our favourite ‘Franglais’ Roger Straiton was in the kitchen today cooking for our Bordeaux wine lunch.
Canapés
Roger kicked off with some room temperature scallops sitting on a Marie Rose sauce and black pudding slices. Loved the combination of flavours of this canapé.
Paul Thorne followed with white anchovy and cream fraîche wasabi sauce on warmed blinis.
Assisting again today James Tinslay prepared our favourite his sausage rolls. Today they were Moroccan style made with a dipping sauce of passata based with garlic, eschallots, parsley and Kashmiri chilly for a touch of spice.
The best ever.
Main
M. Rosbif cooking pork?? Sacré blue …
Not easy to cook for 54. Today’s menu was pork with mash and brocolini.
The pork rack was roasted then portioned into cutlets for plating.
It was served with mash, and a tarragon, mustard, white wine cream sauce to go with the broccolini. Roger made a black apple sauce for the pork, its main ingredient after the apple was activated charcoal.
It not easy cooking pork and getting it right, especially when there is such a large number.
The pork was pink, moist and perfectly cooked. No qualms about pork portion size today.
Roger praised the assistance of our kitchen brigade for their help today.
Merci Roger.
Bread baguettes from Taste Providore Woollahra.
Cheese
Our Cheese Master selected a washed rind cow’s milk cheese from France, Fromager Des Clarines.
Closely related to Vacherin Mont d’Or, this small cheese is designed to be eaten from the box. Made near the village of Cleron high in the mountains of Franche-Comte, it is traditionally made at the end of the milking season, when the limited amount of milk is rich in fat and protein.
Eat it at its best when the orange rind develops a ‘ripple’ and the interior breaks down to a rich sticky, creamy texture that oozes from the centre of the cheese – hence the box.
It was served with spoons as suggested.
Roger accompanied the cheese with Majool dates from California
We celebrated Dennis Cooper’s birthday with a rousing birthday song and a 1988 Armagnac.
Wine
Our Chef du Jour Roger Straiton cooked for us a delicious piece of roast pork, expertly cooked and presented. I am sure nobody went home hungry! My comments on the wines for the day are hereunder,
The aperitif wine was a 2021 Muscadet from the Loire district, 12%, An excellent way to begin our festivities with an all French line up, The wine was from Domaine de la Combe, sourced from the Melon de Bourgogne grapes, I have always had a soft spot for Muscadet, since a trip to France some time ago. Without doubt, a perfect wine to go with any seafood, especially oysters, fresh, crisp, beautiful fruit, perfectly in balance with an enduring clean finish. Garcon, a plate of Brittany oysters s'il vous plait.
This is what I would describe as a happy wine, everyone drinking it has a smile!
I am afraid to say, however, that is where the bonhomie for the day ends, as my tasting of the red wines to follow was a letdown. I, of course, speak solely for myself,
Today we tasted our Wine Master's selection of Bordeaux reds from vintage 2010. We had three wines from the Medoc region, one from Graves, all Left Bank wines, and two wines from the Right Bank region of St Emilion. A little bit of geography first. The wine making Left Bank of the Gironde river runs from Bordeaux for a distance of approximately 50 kms to the north and is a strip of land approximately 12km wide hugging the Gironde river, Here the predominate grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Cabernet Franc and a little Merlot, This area is the Medoc, Graves is outside Medoc, still on the left bank and a little to the southwest of Bordeaux, The Left Bank is home to more rock star wines eg Lafite, Latour than the Right Bank, although it must be said that the Right Bank is home to the world's most expensive wine Ch Petrus, incidentally a wine 100% Merlot,
Getting back to the red wines today, I must say that generally I was disappointed, save for the last two, the Clos de Marquis and the Haut Bailly, with the exception of these wines, none of the others had anything like that instantly recognisable nose of a quality Bordeaux. Sadly, to my taste, most of the wines today were hard, tannic and unyielding, with excessive alcohol, causing them to be unbalanced. The average alcohol content of these wines was 14.3% compared to the average of other quality Bordeaux reds which hover around 12% to 13%. My short comment on each wine in the order of service is hereunder.
Ch Lanessan 14% - Dull and flat, hard and unyielding, I for one am not going to hang around for another 15 years for it to open up!
Ch Sociando Mallet 13.5% - A bit more approachable, hints of an enjoyable finish, but still closed, I don't have time to wait, see you later,
Ch La Serre 14.5% - In my view, the least inspiring of an uninspiring lot. No lift on the palate, sour tasting, acid gone, well on the way out.
Ch La Dominique 14.5% - Again high alcohol, but reasonable balance, plummy fruits, enjoyable finish, the best so far,
Ch Clos de Marquis 13.5% - At last a wine approaching a good Bordeaux. Excellent oak/tannin/fruit equation. Firm but restrained finish, just wish it would open up a bit more!
Ch Haut Bailly 14% - Pick of the bunch, just ahead of the previous wine, A fair bit more opened, elegant, seductive and complex. This is a bit more like it, beautiful dark berry fruits teaming up with gentle oak, a lingering finish on the back palate. My wine of the day.