Food review by James Hill and wine review by Steve Liebeskind

In the last “cook off” for our chef of the year award Matthew Holmes was in the kitchen today with assistance from Nick Reynolds. The standard of food in the chef of the year lunches has been high and today was no exception given comments from members from the floor.

Entrée

We were seated as per Covid regulations (finishing soon we are happy to report) and were served our entrees 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.

The theme was garden to plate with some green acknowledging St Patrick’s day. The soup had an intensity of infused flavours, good texture and came to the table at a good heat.

The bruschetta had been served on some sourdough it had an abundance of interesting flavours and was very satisfying.

A good lead in to our main course.

Main course

Matthew’s main course, a Greek-inspired pie ‘spanakopita’ or ‘weed pie’.

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 to keep it light and refreshing against the full-flavoured spanakopita. There was a lot of preparation in presenting this vegetarian dish for us today.

The presentation was excellent with a medley of cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, fresh oregano, sparsely dressed with lemon and garlic olive oil. A good balance of acid and texture to cut the big flavours of the pie and a good match for accompanying wines.

The pie was a great version of spanakopita filo golden brown with many layers of buttered pastry, the spinach well dried after wilting so the pie wasn’t damp an achievement in itself.

Our food master was first to comment on the quality and how authentic it tasted.

Matthew served a seeded bread with the main and a sourdough with the cheese.

Cheese.

James Healey presented ‘Shadows of blue’ a farmhouse blue cheese made from cows milk aged approximately three months.

Shadows of Blue is made on the farm in Gippsland from Friesian milk with added Jersey cream. Selected blue moulds are added to the curd which is then hooped and salted before maturation under a wax coating.

The wax denies the blue mould oxygen until the wheels are spiked after two months. This results in a ‘sweeter’ flavour and sets it apart from cheeses matured with a natural rind. The added cream imparts richness of flavour, as well as texture and when ripe, small pocks of blue mould are laced throughout the creamy paste.

Matthew simply served a bowl of grapes with the cheese.

Wines

Our wine master Charles (Chilly) Hargrave selected the wines and unfortunately couldn’t attend the lunch. He provided the following comments on the wines.

The Yabby Lake wines are from 2014 (cooler vintage) and 2015 (perfect season - called a Goldilocks vintage). All wines are fermented with some stalk (up to 25%) depending on the season. Aged in French oak (20% new) for about 12 months.

The two wines from Roche de Bellene are both premier cru, but there are enormous differences in quality. A premier cru in Beaune is very different to one in Gevrey Chambertin.

The Lavaut Saint-Jacques is the closest thing to a grand cru in the Appellation. Perhaps if it was one the other side of the village it might be grand cru. Obviously being Gevrey it is described by firm tannins and mid-weight.

Grèves from Beaune is one of the largest of the village’s which 42 premier crus. They tend to be soft and complex, without any of the fruit complexity or structure of the Gevrey.

Wine review

1st Bracket – two good Semillons under Stevin that showed differently with breathing and food. Overall good examples of varietal and maker styles. One thing for sure is that these two wines both have a long life ahead of them.

2014 Tyrrell's HVD Semillon – Acid, citric and good length. Some sweetness on the finish – could be residual sugar. Solid wine which is balanced with 7 years of age.

2013 Lindemans Bin 1350 Semillon – Acid, fruit initially was short but expanded as it breathed and warmed up. Muskiness to start (could be some sulphur).

2nd Bracket – again two wines that changed significantly in the glass and when accompanying food, the preference of wines changed.

2015 Yabby Lake Pinot Noir– Pepper, sweet fruit good length and obvious tannins from some new French oak. Some stalkiness that balanced out with opening. Ripe fruit improved with breathing and food.

2014 Yabby Lake Pinot Noir – Capsicum, strong tannins with breathing there was a hole in middle palate. Showed a darker colour to 2015. Showed up very well on opening but 2015 finished better as the lunch went on.

3rd bracket – what a treat 2 quality Burgundies that improved from 1st to 2nd wine.

2012 Roche de Bellene Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves – Big tannins

not initially pretty in glass with a slight bitter finish. The wine changed with breathing quality wine at 18+.

2010 Roche de Bellene Gevrey Chambertin Lavaut St-Jacques – quality well-balanced wine from the outset – violets and strawberries, balanced and elegant. Many years ahead of it. Soft tannins, ripe /elegant fruit. Worthy of 19+.