Food review by James Tinslay and wine review by Chilly Hargrave

Matthew Holmes was back in the kitchen today with some assistance from Nick Reynolds.

Entrée.

In our seated Covid position (which we all hope will be amended soon) we were served to starters on a single plate.

• Broccoli and pea soup with sour cream and bacon garnish, parsley and a pinch of chilli
• Burrata bruschetta using a semi sourdough topped with snow and fresh peas, broad beans, parsley and mint, radish and chilli, drizzled with chardonnay vinegar dressing.

As always the photographs say more than the words, and both of these were very interesting and presentable. The soup had an intensity of infused flavours that were very pleasing. The bruschetta had been served on what looked like an ancient Egyptian sailing vessel which was attractive to the eye. It had an abundance of interesting flavours and was very satisfying.

Main course.

Matthew called the main course, a Greek-inspired pie but I did see it as spanakopita.  It had feta, goat and pecorino cheeses combined with young leaf spinach, roasted pine nuts, onions and dill, all wrapped in filo pastry. Accompanying was a tzatziki dip homemade without the usual garlic.

Ignoring the protein from the cheese, this was a vegetarian main course, a challenging decision by Matthew to present to the carnivores of the Society. He got away with it the main with a couple of comments that they would have liked more food. Matthew would not have been surprised at those comments!

I thought the ‘pie’ was an intriguing version of spanakopita and better than I have tasted in some Greek restaurants. The presentation was terrific with a medley of cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, fresh oregano, sparsely dressed with lemon and garlic olive oil.

Cheese.

James Healey presented the cheese, and we were back to Australia again with a Berry’s Creek Gourmet Cheese Tarwin Blue, a product we have enjoyed in the past. The cheese hails from South Gippsland and the maker, Barry Charlton, who specialises in blue cheese is often referred to of the master of blue cheese. This cow’s milk cheese is inoculated with a combination of three strains of starter cultures and one blue mould spore. It matures for a minimum of two months and we end up consuming a rich and buttery cheese interspersed with dark blue veins with a developed distinctly creamy blue finish.

The cheese was accompanied by sesame lavosh crackers and red grapes.

Coffee.

Our coffee was sourced by Nick from the Ona stable, Nicaragua El Suyatal, Natural. The notes from ONA described it as having “incredible spice and red wine aromatics. Your palate will burst with this coffee’s plum and raspberry qualities, with a unique botanical like floral tone on the finish”.

A tightly presented lunch with all the hallmarks of Matthew Holmes being in control of the kitchen and the food.

Wine

A couple of Rieslings to start. Frankland Estate in the Great Southern region is highly regarded for its Riesling (and Shiraz). The 2017 Isolation Ridge had a rich fruit note, probably more bath salts than the traditional citrus. It was showing some development and la key the vigour one might expect.

The Holm Oak (in deference to the CoTD) Tamar Valley Riesling was a completely different style. It showed plenty of earthy funk from a natural ferment and obvious apricot, botrytis aromas. The palate was oily, almost waxy, in the Alsatian style. It finished extremely dry with the expected cool climate high acidity. It needed some residual sweetness to bring it into balance.

Two Chardonnays were served with the main course. The 2016 Seppelt Drumborg Chardonnay from the Henty region in south-west Victoria was a class wine. It showed fine, citrus fruit and flinty struck match aromas. The palate was restrained with excellent balance of flavour, oak and acidity giving real tension on the finish.

The 2015 Tyrrell’s Belford Chardonnay was a much different proposition. With big oak aromas and wild ferment funk, it was a little overdone. The palate was similarly dominated by oak with a firm tannin finish. Hard to find the fruit. A blockbuster that had appeal for some, but generally considered over the top.

A pair of Shiraz were poured to accompany the cheese. A 2011 Tyrrell’s Vat 9 had rich plum fruit with balanced oak. The palate again had the fruit power with fine tannins and an acid finish. The 2007 Rosemount (sold to us cleanskin as Balmoral) was somewhat disappointing. A nose dominated by oak (almost to rancio) with a little spicey fruit showing through. These characters followed onto the palate with a dry tannic finish. Alcohol heat followed.