The Auswine Forum

Good-Day All,

IÂ’m a Yank planning a wine walkabout in SA and Victoria, 13 thru 27 Oct.

Will have a rental car and plan doing a circle route Adelaide - Melbourne.

Will also have 4 days in Sydney. Would stay in OZ longer but Qantas only gave me 21 days for my bargained priced ticket!!!

Any suggestions on great wine stores (retailers) to visit?
In The US wine stores usually have tastings on the weekends (check out, http://winex.com/event_calendar.html for my favorite Los Angles Store’s events, it‘s worth a trip to the US.)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. See Ya Soon, Wine Owl

Oh what does petrol cost these days in OZ?

Owl,
You should be able to visit a lot of different wineries in a lot of different areas in 2 weeks if you are happy to drive a lot.

Where are you starting from? Melbourne? If so, do you need to go back to Melbourne from Adelaide? One option is to do a very leisurely meandering trip around Victoria, then Coonawarra on the way to Adelaide then fly directly to Sydney at the end rather than drive all the way back. It may cost a little more due to one-way rental fee etc but will save a day or so in driving, some of it through pretty boring scenery.

What sort of wines do you like/like most? What Australian wines/wineries are you familiar with and like? Any you've heard of and would like to investigate? Give us a few more details and I'm sure you'll get a few alternaive palns to pick and choose from.

Re "great wine stores", I'm not sure we really have any , although there are some interesting ones and many do have limited tastings on Friday night / weekends. Nicks in Melbourne, Melbourne St Cellars or East End Cellars in Adelaide, Ultimo Wine Store in Sydney are probably worth visting, other locals will probably chime in.

Petrol prices oscillate rapidly these days, anything from about $A1.20 to $A1.40 / litre for 92 RON, 4-5 cents more for 95, 9-10c for 98 RON

I'm happy to provide suggestions on accomodation, restaurants, wineries, wine stores and timeframes.

Far too much to discuss on the forum, let me know where and when you start and finish then I can visualise a tour route that minimises driving but takes in all the key areas.

We can probably organise a dinner for you in Adelaide, we don't need much of an excuse to go out and open a heap of good wines!

Probably best if you send me an e-mail, stevenorman@bigpond.com

I would loudly echo the Tetsuya's recommendation, it is currently rated #4 in the world.

However the current wait is 3 weeks for a midweek seat and 6-8 weeks for a weekend. So call ASAP if you are keen.

http://www.tetsuyas.com/index.html

Great replies.
Plan is to rent the car in Adelaide, then head to the Southern wine lands and do the coast route to Melbourne then return inland to Adelaide. Car rentals (and every thing else, it seems, seems to be cheaper in Adelaide vrs Melbourne) Then IÂ’ll fly to Sydney and rerent a car there. Thanks for the great suggestions. Love that Aussie Wine!!! Thanks Again Wine Owl

Whoops!! forgot to mention my wine preferences, I used to be of the mind set, “That if it doesn’t taste good with red wine, THEN SPIT IT OUT! But since moving to Phoenix, AZ; and surviving summer temperatures of 115 degrees F. I’ve mellowed and realize there’s a place for a chilled Savie. But my real love is Red, and the Reder the better!!!! So bring on the Shiraz and big-bold Cabs (but please integrate the tannins, LOL) Thanks again … Wine Owl

One last post before I turn in for the evening. My email is .. thepaulrecord@yahoo.com ... All suggestions are greatly appreciated. wineowl

manning wrote:I would loudly echo the Tetsuya's recommendation, it is currently rated #4 in the world.

However the current wait is 3 weeks for a midweek seat and 6-8 weeks for a weekend. So call ASAP if you are keen.


http://www.tetsuyas.com/index.html

Rooview, manning,

Why travel half way around the world to go to a restaurant that serves international fare? I'd be suggesting an australian tradition like Doyles on the Beach at Watsons bay. Fresh quality fish and chips, on the harbour, sipping a Clare/Eden Riesling or aged Hunter Semillon. Does a dining experience get any better (or any more Australian) than that?

Can't believe I'm going to miss the "Royal Adelaide Wine Show", Well a reason to go back next year and I haven't even left yet.

I love the previous post, I was in Vietnam in 1968 and loved my R&R in Sydney. One of the high points was eating at Doyles at Watsons Bay. It was a great feeling to eat on the beach and not worry that some was going to shoot me.

Keep the outstanding suggestions coming. Thanks Wine Owl

mphatic wrote:

manning wrote:I would loudly echo the Tetsuya's recommendation, it is currently rated #4 in the world.

However the current wait is 3 weeks for a midweek seat and 6-8 weeks for a weekend. So call ASAP if you are keen.


http://www.tetsuyas.com/index.html

Rooview, manning,

Why travel half way around the world to go to a restaurant that serves international fare? I'd be suggesting an australian tradition like Doyles on the Beach at Watsons bay. Fresh quality fish and chips, on the harbour, sipping a Clare/Eden Riesling or aged Hunter Semillon. Does a dining experience get any better (or any more Australian) than that?

Doyles review in the Sydney Morning Herald this year was shocking. There are so many good F&C joints in Sydney without paying for the name - mind you most of the ones I can think of are take aways as I keep spending all my money on wine rather than restaurants

The Sydney Fish Markets is a great place for F&C - you can even go to the Doyles there though there are better options at the Markets.

From what I have heard if you can get to Tetsuyas you do - trouble is everytime I have tried to book they have been booked out

mphatic wrote:Why travel half way around the world to go to a restaurant that serves international fare? I'd be suggesting an australian tradition like Doyles on the Beach at Watsons bay. Fresh quality fish and chips, on the harbour, sipping a Clare/Eden Riesling or aged Hunter Semillon. Does a dining experience get any better (or any more Australian) than that?

Fish and chips is as Australian as sushi!

I love fish and chips - but I don't like Doyle's . There's great opportunity for incredibly fine fish and chips at Kingston (near the caravan park) that Wine Owl will surely be passing through from Adl -> Vic via the coast. Mmm... greasy. BYO reisling and you're in heaven! That's Australian.

Tetsuya shows that Australia can provide world class restaurants. It's sophisticated, understated, refined and unique. It's basis is fresh quality Australian ingredients prepared to let the quality, delicacy and nuance prevail. The dishes change at the whim of Tetsuya - a great ingredient gets dropped off and it's action stations. There's nothing International about the food - it's not over-sauced, over-processed generic food that gets served in airplanes and hotels the world over. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of that being served up in places at close to Tetsuya prices in Sydney.

Sean's Panaroma, Aria, Sailor's Thai, Tetsuya - that's Sydney with character, passion and love. With the exception of Sailor's Thai - the wine selection is outstanding. At Panaroma it may be small but it's carefully selected and balances Australian wine with International styles. Aria serves the most astoundingly wonderful Peking Duck Consomme (with dumplings, abalone and mushrooms) matched with a Spanish sherry. An enjoyable (and cheap) lunch on the balcony at Sailor's Thai with rainbow lorikeets feeding an arms length away. That's the Sydney I love.

Correct me if I'm wrong - but aren't the seafood restaurants, steak restaurants and the like rife around the rocks American styled?

Sorry for getting a bit off track...

Anyone who disagrees it's pistols at dawn - twenty paces! lol:

Respectfully,
Adrian

In defense of “Rooview” the current issue of the USA wine bible magazine publication “The Wine Spectator” has a articles on Australia and they reference Tesuya’s as “generally regarded as the finest restaurant in Australia“, But for $150 per person I’d rather grill my own lamb rack and buy more WINE. Enjoy the sun as It’s headed your way and it was a fine day in Arizona today, only 105!! But noticed the green grocer was stacking tangelos (a hybrid between oranges and tangerines) today from Mildura, Victoria; they were only 99 cents per pound - can U believe it!! Must be early spring on your side of the world and the Tanglelos on my tree as hard green bullets. This time I’m really off to bed. Cheers and see ya in the morning. Wine Owl

rooview wrote:
Fish and chips is as Australian as sushi!

The act of eating fish and chips down by the beach IS very australian. At least it is up here in QLD.

I love fish and chips - but I don't like Doyle's . There's great opportunity for incredibly fine fish and chips at Kingston (near the caravan park) that Wine Owl will surely be passing through from Adl -> Vic via the coast. Mmm... greasy. BYO reisling and you're in heaven! That's Australian.

It was just a suggestion to visit a family eatery that has been around for generations.

rooview wrote:Tetsuya shows that Australia can provide world class restaurants. It's sophisticated, understated, refined and unique. It's basis is fresh quality Australian ingredients prepared to let the quality, delicacy and nuance prevail. The dishes change at the whim of Tetsuya - a great ingredient gets dropped off and it's action stations. There's nothing International about the food - it's not over-sauced, over-processed generic food that gets served in airplanes and hotels the world over. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of that being served up in places at close to Tetsuya prices in Sydney.

Never been to Tet's so I can't possibly recommend it. But I have read as much about it as everyone else. Japanese + French inspired + Australian ingredients equates to international food as far as I'm concerned. When he starts serving crown lager infused BBQ'd kangaroo steaks with barossa shiraz and beetroot marinated lamb on the side with mashed potato and BBQ'd onions, then I'll call it australian.

rooview wrote:Sean's Panaroma, Aria, Sailor's Thai, Tetsuya - that's Sydney with character, passion and love.

Sydney, character, passion, love. There's a contradiction there somewhere. (gently drawing the state line in the sand )

rooview wrote:With the exception of Sailor's Thai - the wine selection is outstanding. At Panaroma it may be small but it's carefully selected and balances Australian wine with International styles. Aria serves the most astoundingly wonderful Peking Duck Consomme (with dumplings, abalone and mushrooms) matched with a Spanish sherry. An enjoyable (and cheap) lunch on the balcony at Sailor's Thai with rainbow lorikeets feeding an arms length away. That's the Sydney I love.


Correct me if I'm wrong - but aren't the seafood restaurants, steak restaurants and the like rife around the rocks American styled?

I don't care for the rocks area. I was talking about Watson's Bay. i.e. sand blowing up onto the deck kind of stuff.

Don't get me wrong: I've got nothing against Tetuyas. I just think that there are better things to do and see when you come to this country from afar. I'm trying to promote "enjoy Australia" rather than "enjoy one of our restaurants".

At the risk of being insufficiently jingoistic, (and though I am loathe to say anything positive about our former colonial oppressors), fish and chips is by all rights an English invention.

Anyway, back onto the wine: if you have become a fan of the whites, then a day trip into the Hunter (just north of Sydney) is well worth your time.

The Hunter reds will seem like swill after a trip to the red Mecca, however there have been more than a few world-class whites produced there. 2003 is regarded as an excellent vintage.

Paul Record from Pheonix has just completed his wine walkabout through SA & Vic.

He had about three goes at Barossa, a couple of goes at McLaren Vale, a day in Clare, a couple of daze doing Grampians & Pyrenees, a couple in Coonawarra, caught the Blacktongues Super Cabernet tasting and ate a heap of great food.

He fought the urge to drive on the right, missed the predicted kangaroos and got waylaid for 12 hours by a Barossa winemaker tasting barrels and solving the problems of the world in a moonlit vineyard late at night.

I think he was impressed as he's already planning another visit that covers the Adelaide Wine Show/Coonawarra Cabernet Celarbration/Noon CD opening period! Wonder what his wife will think of that jaunt?!

I hope Paul posts his own thoughts now he's discovered the Auswine Forum.

I've never been to Tetsuyas either, but recently had the pleasure of dining at Claudes in Sydney, and it was Special. I was visiting there with a friend who's in the wine trade and in our travels talked to quite a few Sydney-ites who eat and drink at the higher end of the market and they all (quite rightly) raved about Claudes. Another option for you to consider.

As for Adelaide, the Bridgewater Mill is the best dining here and has the bonus of being part of the Petaluma winery so you can kill two birds with one stone. If you get to the Barossa, make sure you eat at Barr Vinum in Angaston and book accomodation at Lawley Farm (they have a website) which happens to be right next door to Rockford winery and up the road (in opposite directions) from Charlie Melton and St Hallet.

-- George Krashos