HUNTER GOLD

In what has become an annual event, Bruce Tyrrell showed a lineup of gold-medal wines from this year's Hunter Wine Show, with 5 semillons and 6 shiraz, traditionally the grapes for which this areais famous. And as a bonus, Don Francois from the eponymous Chateau gave us as aperitifs a look at his 2013 Mallee Semillon and 2014 Pokolbin shiraz. Of the Francois wines, the Semillon was in the tried and true Hunter style, with good fruit and clean acid, whilst the red showed soft fruit and good flavour, aided by a bit of fruit from Heathcote in Victoria.

The 1st bracket of whites featured (all from 2015, a less than perfect year): Two Rivers Stones Throw from Denman; First Creek Premium from the HVD and Trevenna vineyards; Briar Ridge Dairy Hill from Mount View; Tyrrells Vat 1; and McGuigan Bin 9000. It was an interesting spread of styles, with the Vat 1 the pick and The First Creek also popular, but all worthy of their gong.

The reds had no vintage problems, 2014 being a top year, and it showed. They were: De Iulius; Audrey Wilkinson Winemaker's; Tyrrells Vat 9; Mount Pleasant 1848 Rosehill Old Vines; Brokenwood Kats & Dogs Block (a new line from a vineyard next to Graveyard); and Bimbadgen Signature. Again, a mix of old and new styles, the Vat 9 the Mount Pleasant and the Brokenwood (not available for purchase) being the standouts. Bruce remarked that the wines made themselves, so good was the year; but we suspect vineyard husbandry and winemaking ability played a part.

Wines this interesting needed simple food, and that's what we got from Peter Kelso in the kitchen and Ross MacDonald on cheese. With Don's aperitifs, an olive tapenade on bagel crisps topped by a piece of roasted red capsicum went down well, followed by a sit-down entree of fish consommé with a fiery garlic aeoli courtesy of Catherine Kelso to accompany the whites. Traditional reds required, and got, (slightly)upmarket bangers of pork from AC Butchery and garlic mash, with mushy peas and brown onion gravy, and a home- made lemon and date chutney on the side. What more need be said than that most plates returned to the kitchen empty. As for cheese, Ross provided a Fort aged comte cooked cows' milk number from the Franche-Comte region of France. Hard, with a lovely nutty flavour and a hint of caramel, it was ideal with the reds and well matched by a mixed leaf salad with a vinaigrette dressing and a "blast from the past" dusting of toasted pine nuts and bacon (guaranteed non-carcinogenic).. The coffee from Spencer Ferrier was a blend based on Yurgachef beans from Ethiopia, well balanced and showing distinct citrus notes on the finish.

We are all indebted to Bruce for pulling these top wines together and presenting them, and to Don for giving us a look at 2 of his babies.