Special thanks to Peter Kelso for this review

The Wines

Presented by former Wine Master Greg Chugg, we saw a selection of 2008 Oz cabernets, mainly from SA but with a couple of masked intruders which turned out to be from WA. In order of pouring, they were:

Wynns Black Label (Coonawarra); Bowen Estate (Coonawarra); Vasse Felix (Margaret River); Yalumba The Cigar (Eden Valley); Lindemans St George (Coonawarra) and Houghtons Gladstone (Margaret River).

Opinions were divided, although in general the 2^nd bracket of 3 were preferred to the 1^st. However, all agreed that it was an outstanding standard overall from a very good year.

Preceding the tasting was a bracket of equivalent quality aperitifs: a 2010 Richmond Grove Riesling from Watervale, and a Peter Lehmann Riesling from Eden Valley, also 2010. Both showing mature toast characters but both still fresh, with the Richmond Grove ahead on points. And a Lustau Manzanilla sherry maintained the standard set by the other two.

The Food

It was a welcome return to the kitchen for Denis Redfern, with some assistance on canapes from Josef Condrau. Denis started with a tasty smoked salmon pate paired with avocado (smashed of course) on toasts and some lovely little mini-quiches, bought in but none the worse for that.

His triumph came with the main course, a beef bourguignon of deceptive simplicity which was unanimously voted a perfect match for the wines. It was actually a labour of some days, with diced chuck steak marinated in pinot overnight, then browned and slow-cooked with carrots, pickling onions and mushrooms for about 12 hours, to produce tender but not stringy meat. The dish was served with a smooth and cholesterol-ridden Paris mash potato and green beans, suitably crunchy.

The cheese from James Healey was another highlight, a wonderfully sticky Epoisses washed rind number form Burgundy in France, with all the orange rind and rich nutty paste that we could want. The bread with it was also a hit, brought in par-baked and finished off warm and very crusty in the oven on the day.

Finally, Spencer Ferrier provided his own blend of coffee, a mix of Yirgacheffe and Rwandan beans with a touch of Sumatran thrown in. A barista in the making, he gave us a full and satisfying brew with enough citrus notes to give it length.