Food review by Nick Reynolds and wine review y Chilly Hargrave

Food

Today saw Steve Liebeskind in a welcome return to the kitchen. He was ably assisted by new member, Steve Sparkes, who since joining the Society during lockdown has become a rather regular assistant in the kitchen.

Steve L. is a dab hand at repurposing ingredients leftover from the other lunch components. Today he took the trimmings left over from the potatoes featuring in the main course and created a soup by adding broccoli, stock, lots of white pepper, lemon juice along with some milk and cream. The peppery nature of the soup led some to suggest that it contained celery.

The next dish was a vegetable terrine containing leeks, beans, red capsicum, carrots, pumpkin, cream, stock, and tomatoes topped with a green salsa. Unfortunately, the mousse that was meant to bind the dish together didn’t, creating a challenge for plating that was well met (see picture). It was tasty and a good opportunity for members to comment that they met their vegetable requirements for the next month in the two first courses.

The main was an extremely well-presented dish that was appreciated before the first bite in line with the maxim that “you first eat with your eyes.” Steve presented slow-cooked Mediterranean lamb shoulder (11-12 hours at 100 C). The spices used in the marinade then went into a vegetable roux, creating a slight mild curry effect that complemented the lamb extremely well. What some presumed were scallops were in fact potatoes that had been baked and then seared. As mentioned above, the trimmings from these went into the soup. The lamb was served on a pea puree with Dutch carrots that still had their skin, which made a very good texture contrast in the dish. The final component was a baked eggplant spread finely with miso. The dish was well commented on by the assembled members and a good accompaniment to our Penfolds 389 fest.

Steve requested a washed rind cheese today and our Cheese Master James Healey provided a Society favourite, Tallegio DOP, an artisan cow’s cheese from Lombardy, Italy. Steve accompanied this with a dressed green salad, further increasing members’ vegetable intake for the day.

The coffee today was once again sourced from Ona coffee. This time we had a coffee-inspired by owner Sasa Sestic’s 2015 World Barista Championship Coffee, which was created by applying the wine fermenting technique of Carbonic Maceration to coffee beans. The process when used with wine brings out fruity elements. It does the same with coffee, in this case creating the aptly named Raspberry Candy.

Today we celebrated Frank Liebeskind’s birthday and the dish Steve provided was one his brother requested. Frank, we compliment you both on your birthday and your choice of dish.

A Penfold’s wine tasting was also the perfect occasion to toast the memory of our recently departed member, Bob Swinney. Bob loved Penfold’s wine and would often provide many of us with samples from his wine cellar or bring a bottle along to drink while the rest of us had wines that he considered lacked the body and concentration of his favourites.

Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Olympic Games in Sydney, member John Goldsborough brought along the torch from the leg he ran in the Olympic Torch Relay. Many of us had not seen one in real-life and it was a great opportunity for members to have their picture taken with it, as seen with James Healey in the above photo.

Wine

Tyrrell’s Belford Semillon 2017 - starting to show some development

Lindeman’s Bin 1155 Semillon 2011 - still fresh and bright. In very good condition.

The theme for today’s wine lunch was Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz. Of interest is that 1994 to 2012 covers the tenure of John Duval (who took over from Don Ditter in 1986) and Peter Gago (just the 4th maker of Grange) who’s first vintage was 2003.

The mixing of Cabernet and Shiraz is an Australian classic combing the structure of the former with the richness of the latter. Not sure if he was first, but Bin 389 was created by Max Schubert in 1960 and it’s often called “Baby Grange”, but more often “Poor Man’s Grange.” It carries a South Australian appellation and is drawn from the major SA viticultural regions. Most commonly Wrattonbully, Padthaway, McLaren Vale and the Barossa, but also Bordertown and Langhorne Creek, and occasionally Clare. Labelled Cabernet Shiraz, it must by law contain more Cabernet (generally Sauvignon) than Shiraz. While Shiraz can express itself well in all of the regions mentioned above, Cabernet is a little fickle - a bit Mother bear, needing not too hot, not too cold. Certainly, it’s more favoured by a maritime climate. It is generally aged in American oak (perhaps one-third new) and often second use Grange barrels - hence the nickname.

Obviously, Penfolds has enormous Shiraz resources, producing Grange Bin 95, RWT Bin 798, Magill Estate, St Henri, Bin 128, Bin 28, Bin 150, The Noble Explorer, Century Vines etc. etc. plus numerous special Bins. High-quality Cabernet resources are much thinner on the ground. Consequently, Bin 389 normally has on,y a little more Cabernet than Shiraz. It is interesting to look at the 6 vintages presented to see which variety shows through.

The 2012 (Cabernet 54%, Shiraz 46%) was the only one of the six wines closed with screw cap. It certainly was young, albeit a little reduced. There was a complexity of fruit, oak and tannin. Perhaps too much tannin at this stage. Penfolds is renowned for the addition of tannin to provide structure and mid-palate. The vintage is described by low yields and small berries. A lot of concentration here, but still closed (another use of the word).

The 2004 vintage, following on after the hot, dry 2003, was a large crop and, after a cool summer, was consequently a very late harvest. Today’s wine showed a certain elegance with some green Cabernet (53%) notes overtaken by rich, plum Shiraz (47%). Quite a lot of oak still sitting on the wine.

The 2002 wine (Cabernet 54%, Shiraz 46%) was from another cool and late vintage. Here the yield was low with smaller berries. It was more Cabernet focused than the previous two, with distinct blackcurrant, mint notes supported by some rich Shiraz fruit and astute oak use.

The 1998 vintage was one of the most highly regarded vintages of the nineties and often named as one of the great years. It was high yielding, but all varieties expressed wonderful fruit aromas. Cabernet was particularly esteemed. The Bin 389 showed characters of both varieties. Some minty Cabernet (58%) with plummy Shiraz (42%). However, it disappointed with its development and lack of depth. For many, the least liked of the six.

The 1996 assemblage is not identified on the Penfolds website, as for the 1994. This wine was more Shiraz than Cabernet with blackberry and cedar oak notes. The palate had great structure with complex fruits and an excellent tannin balance. One of the preferred wines.

The 1994 vintage was preceded by a cool summer resulting in a late vintage. Often this can produce rather green characters in Cabernet. In this Bin 389, these we’re certainly present but had softened to show hints of Bordeaux cassis. The Shiraz was much more in the background and tannins were fine-grained. Another favourite on the day.

For his birthday Frank Liebeskind brought a 2013 Cadillac sweet white for a member’s toast.