It was the second lunch for 2016, but there was none of the anticlimax which often comes with No.2. Around 40 members with a smattering of guests (including the son of a current member) were there to see Jim Tinslay and David Madson knock up some pretty impressive food, ably supported by Paul Ferman on wines, Ross MacDonald on cheese and James Hill, filling in for Spencer Ferrier, talking to the coffee.

Let's start with starters. David had experimented with a Japanese prawn mayo on crisp egg noodle baskets, but unfortunately the crispness turned to tooth-shattering hardness which tested the chewing power of the hardiest. Still, the prawn and mayo were pretty good on their own, and there was nothing wrong with some juicy chicken kebabs, Middle Eastern in influence with yoghurt and cumin. A 2002 Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling, one of the 1st produced under stelvin, showed the benefits of that closure, most bottles being developed but still fresh and intense, although some were more advanced.

The main course saw a bit of Eurasian fusion: some slow-braised pork neck covered in a sticky sweet glaze with lots of brown sugar, star anise and garlic to lend it softness and flavour. The sauce (never enough) was intense and the meat was accompanied by some unusual red cauliflower and nicely done snow peas. The wine master, not for the 1st time, went out on a limb to present a2010 Ch Musar Jeune, a blend of cinsault, syrah and cabernet from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, and a 2007 blaufrankisch made in Austria by a winemaker from the Yarra Valley (Mac Forbes). His boldness was redeemed by the 1st wine, which showed soft developed fruit under a strong acid structure. The Austrian wine was a bit disappointing, light with some fruit in the Oz style, but no match for the food.

The Europeans took over with the cheese, to everyone's delight. Most recognised an Occelli Testun di Barolo, a distinctive semi-hard cheese made in the Piedmont region of Italy from cow and goats' milk and rolled in the must left from the making of the local Barolo wine; even if most could not name it. A great cheese with slightly crumbly texture and a fine winey grape flavour with the paste. Simple dried fruit and nuts were served with it, and I suppose a brace of wines in theme was to be expected. The 1st, a 2010 Ceretto Nebbiolo d'Alba was a lovely wine: fragrant nose which led to a nice balance of tannins and acid under some still young fruit, good with the cheese and likely to improve. The other, a 2007 SC Pannell Adelaide Hills nebbiolo, was well made by a recognised experimenter in "other" varieties; but nebbiolo is a pitiless grape and the product, while approachable now, lacked the fire and tannin of the Italian version.

Brazilian beans from Sao Paulo produced the coffee. Predominantly medium roast, there were still some burnt bitter notes which cleared the palate. Just as well, because significant birthday boy Keith Steele turned on a sip of 1956 Penfolds Grandfather port which sent everyone home happy and satisfied.