This week saw our Winemaster, Paul Ferman, on the pans. This date coincides with the St Valentine's Day Massacre. The only thing massacred at our table were the two bottles of Sangiovese. Paul was assisted on the canapes by Martin McMurray.

Canapés. Paul started us off with a Raymond Blanc recipe of a pork belly, pork shoulder, turkey and chicken liver terrine on bread rounds with a homemade base of tomato relish. It was a wow of a dish and definitely bad for the arteries. He followed this up with a Mediterranean fish soup that was quite dark and full of flavour from the stock.

Aperitif wine. We began with the well-known Den Mar Chardonnay 2010 which most enjoy for its honest good drinking very Hunter style.

Main course. Our chef opted for ling fillets simply poached with a multitude of vegetables sautéed as an accompaniment. These included carrots, zucchini, eggplant, potato, cauliflower and capsicum. The fish flavour was subtle and not at all overpowered by the vegetable mix. A healthy dish to make up for the terrine.

The wines.

• Stoney Rise Riesling (screwcap, 12.5%%)
• Domaine Barmes-Buecher Rosenberg Riesling (Alsace) (cork, 12.5%)
• Antinori Reserva Chianti Classico 2009 (cork, 13.5%)
• Coriole Sangiovese 2009 (screwcap, 14%)

The two Rieslings were in marked contrast. The Tamar was vibrant and fresh with firm acid lift whilst the Alsace was deeper in colour with greater complexity and sweet fruit without being sweet. Both excellent although there was some comment on variation with the corks.

The two Sangioveses both from 2009 were an exercise in comparing the Italian style with a very a local version with pedigree as the Coriole 2009 was the 25^th consecutive vintage. The Antinori was from a useful rather than great year in Chianti and was as it should be, soft with some savoury aspects. The Coriole also had some savoury characteristics, light to medium in colour and would not be mistaken for Italian. Bravo to Mark Lloyd for staring this style in the mid-eighties.

Cheese and coffee. Swiss Le Gruyere was James Healey’s pick this week. An old favourite that reminds us all how good it can be. Dense and compact in texture wonderfully complex. Paul provided walnuts, almonds and a fruit loaf roll to accompany.

Coffee was the leftovers from last week. The origin remains unknown.