Today we had a “virgin chef” in the guise of Professor Mark Bradford, or simply Mark, assisted by a very experienced kitchen person in Gary Patterson. A fearless decision to do a wine lunch with plating for 40 plus members. And it was a success.

Canapés. Mark treated us to three starters. In no particular order we started with Oysters with ponzu sauce. Then “Calabrese bites”, skewers of fresh basil leaf, half cherry tomato, half bocconcini ball, sun-dried tomato wrapped with salami, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and warmed. These were excellent and flew off the plate. Finally, Iggy's baguette topped with powdered Parmesan topped with prepared tapenade paste, ricotta and a quarter trussed cherry tomato. The tomato was covered with caster sugar and salt and drizzled with olive oil and served warm.

Alas they were not all Mark’s ideas. Sandra, his friend from Calgary, Alberta, suggested inspirations from Company's Coming, a local Canadian food bible. We are appreciative.

Aperitif wine. We started the day with William Fevre Chablis 2012. Fevre is a respected house and this is their Domaine or standard Chablis. Most thought that it lacked the tight and flinty fruit characteristics of good typical Chablis and was a little flat. Given 2012 was a very good Chablis vintage this was a surprise. It may have opened up in the glass but did not have the chance on the day.

Main course. Mark selected to serve chicken cacciatore or hunter style chicken. It was braised skinless chicken thigh and drumstick with skin on, cooked in generous amounts of red and green capsicums, sliced onion, garlic, mushrooms, white wine, diced tomatoes, ground dried thyme and a little turmeric served over Israeli couscous and topped with parmesan shavings and fresh chopped parsley.

The flavours were well integrated and of sufficient strength to be interesting without challenging the vino at this wine lunch. A delicate balance is always required.

The wines – a wine lunch

• Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2004 (cork)
• Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2002 (cork)
• Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1998 (cork)
• Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1990 (cork)
• Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz Cabernet 1998 (cork)
• Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal 2002 (Bordeaux left bank, predom Cabernet) (cork)

The wines were served from youngest to oldest as is our habit. It worked well here but at the July wine lunch the varying styles of Italian regions may be better served in style groups. Food for thought.

As a group the 389’s were as expected. Powerful and long lasting. The 1990 at 26 years still had faint chocolate on the palate and depending on the luck of the bottle was at its peak or maybe a tad past it. It was the wine of the lunch for many. The 1998 continues to be point of discussion. In its youth it was beautiful but seems to be paying a high price for maturity.

The Limestone Ridge attracted dissent. No doubt this was due to bottle variation. A lighter style, drying out but has retained some elegance. I would have preferred it slightly younger but comments lay both sides of this view. The Bordeaux like all other wines was served blind. Few picked it as the sole French wine. Classic Medoc from a trying year. However, it was drinking well but a touch fresher fruit would have made it even better.

All in all, a wine lunch holding up the standard.

Cheese and coffee. Today James Healey served us the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar (style) from Vermont in the good ‘ol US of A. This long matured cheese (and hence sometimes in short supply) is a high priced cow’s milk cheese that comes in 17 kg wheels. We only managed 3 kg at the lunch. A little crumbly and wonderfully sweet and nutty.

The cheese was served with walnuts and Greek sun dried figs. The pièce de résistance was the Iggy’s bread that was served all the way through the lunch. A great ‘stretchy’ texture few bakers can match.

Spencer Ferrier rushed in early to the lunch (but court awaited) to apportion the coffee servings of Indian Mysore coffee. He describes it as of not outstanding quality but served it to compare to his commercial coffee education experience where we have had Vittoria, Lavazza and Illy in recent weeks. It compared very well and comments nearby were excellent.