Some photos above including of the refurbed REX dining room and our two new members Matthew Holmes (between the evil James pair) and Peter Fitzpatrick.

Lunch today had been a long time in the making. John Goldsbrough had been working with Paul Kuipers of Courtney’s Brasserie fame and presented us roast beef cooked on the bone. There was no shortage of members and guests willing to attend and we had the magnificent number of 65 sit down to a superb luncheon.

It was also the first lunch at the Royal Exchange of Sydney with the new management team running the kitchen and the restaurant. More of that later.

Canapés. Three canapes were served. Firstly, anchovies on brushed garlic coated toast dressed with a slim layer of tomato paste, followed by smoked salmon with crème fraîche on small pikelets and finally chicken liver pate on small toast with a sweet red cherry on top. All were well accounted for.

Aperitif wine. The main aperitif wine of the day was the Philip Shaw Chardonnay No 11 2010. This Orange sourced wine was showing development with wood evident. The colour of the wine was starting to enter its golden era but it was an excellent Australian Chardonnay at its peak drinking beautifully now. Given the large numbers in the room some of us also shared in some Brokenwood Semillon, Vasse Felix Chardonnay, Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling and an aged Lindeman’s Semillon. All these latter wines were served in singles prior to sitting down to enjoy the main course.

Main course. This is where we get to the reason that were all there today, the beef on the bone prepared by Paul Kuipers. The beef was beautifully medium rare and served simply with Café de Paris butter, some crisp potato bake and broccolini on the side.

Paul explained that he had ended up with grass fed beef after initially looking at grain fed. I suspect grass fed is his favourite. He partially cooked the big pieces of beast at Courtney’s and finish them at the REX kitchen. The meat was a special treat, especially as he managed it for some 65 members and guests. When most of us had finished the main, the beef bones with much meat attached were passed around the tables so we could do them justice. An excellent meal.

The Wines.

• BVE Ebenezer Shiraz 2002 (cork, 14%)
• Jamsheed Garden Gully Syrah (Beechworth) 2011 (cork, 14.5%)
• Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (cork, 14.5%)
• Burton Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Coonawarra) (cork, 13.5%)

Goldie had asked our Winemaster, Paul Ferman, for some larger wines to go with the beef and the cheese to follow. He got them.

The two Shiraz based wines went with the beef. The Ebenezer at 15 years of age was still a big red with oak showing. There was plum and chocolate but no extraction often found with the Barossa. The Beechworth wine was more of a cool climate deal but still with blackcurrant and ample size. There was also some spice evident making it more like a robust version of a Northern Rhône Syrah wine. I guess that is what the winemaker was after.

The two Cabernets with the cheese were well known to members. The Wynns Black Label is of course a favourite of many, and this had the typical cassis flavour with classic Coonawarra fruit. The Burton with only one more year on it was silky, long and still drinking beautifully. A wonderful pair of Coonawarra wines.

Cheese and coffee. The larger style of wine was well matched by the selection of a Neal’s Yard Colston Basset Stilton selected by our Cheesemaster James Healey. James purchased a whole 7 kg wheel which looked magnificent. There is a picture of it above. Crumbly to the cut and a medium blue flavour whilst rich and complex.

Spencer Ferrier introduced us to the Ethiopian Limu coffee. This Ethiopian coffee is wet processed from the original Arabica bean. Citrus was evident and it was a medium bodied, well-balanced and enjoyable black coffee.

During the lunch, the President, Keith Steele, welcomed two new members to the society at their first lunch as members. They were Peter Fitzpatrick and Matthew Holmes and both were presented with the Society tie. The President also introduced Joey Ingram, the new head chef, and the two operators of the Royal exchange of Sydney, Alastair French and Kieran Baines.

He also acknowledged some members of the Beefsteak and Burgundy Club of Mosman.