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Numbers were predictably down at  this lunch following the society's Canberra region tour. Steve Liebeskind provided the canapes of Smoked Trout   with onions and capers and Roasted sweet potato with cashews both on baguette  

The aperitif wine was 20004 Alkoomi reisling ready to drink now, good style, soft and elegant  a good match for the canapes.

In view of the number of members on our tour we had asked our resident Chef Peter  to provide a main course. It was a crisp skinned snapper served on a celeriac puree  accompanied by baby beetroot and shaved fennel and orange segments.  

 It was flavoursome, well cooked, and members  responded with very favourable comments on the dish. Main course wines 2009 Ocean 8 Chardonnay and 2003 Tyrrells HVD Vat 4 Semillon the chardonnay was light and fresh with some development well made.The semillon ready to drink now soft typical Hunter character fresh spritzy acid.Members were divided on best match agreed both went well with the fish.

Acting cheesemaster Gary Linnane presented  a "Delice de Bourgogne"

It was perfecl on the day served at room temperature.It is pasteurised cow's milk incredibly rich,full flavoured and melt in the mouth texture.Flavour was buttery sweet with some acid on the rind but not enough to overwhelm the favour. We needed some robust wines to match this cheese and our wine master Paul Ferman provided a 2007 Cliff Edge Shiraz, firm, slightly tough with a sweet edge to fruit and Ok structure. Our second wine 2005 Bowen Cabernet (under cork) firm, tigh,t long on palate still some years to go. Both wines met the the cheese challenge.