Night out

[Shiraz_Freak]

Spent the weekend in Melbourne, stayed at the Windsor hotel in Spring St. For the evening we brought along two bottles of red, a 1996 Orlando Jacobs creek limited blend and 1996 Rosemount Balmoral syrah. Decanted both of these wines in the room about 4:30.

Went down to the restaurant about 7ish ordered our meal and started on the Orlando first, what a great wine, not a real complex wine but a very very nicely balanced wine with loads of raspberry and a touch of white pepper, everything was integrated beautifully, a real gem of a wine.

Now for the food, I rang the restaurant about 3 weeks before the occasion to organise a seafood platter, but when we arrived on the night, apparently they had no recollection of this  . So after the initial disappointment; I ordered pancetta wrapped scallops and my partner had a chai smoked lamb for entrée. When they arrived I was flabbergasted and we just looked at each other and laughed, honestly I have never seen such small portions my scallop entrée was tasty enough, but there was only 2!! Scallops on the plate, I nearly burst out laughing when the waiter put it down in front of me. My partners entrée was not much bigger having only 1 small lamb fillet cut into segments, as I said they were tasty enough but for 28 smackers each they really were a joke.

With the Orlando gone and very much enjoyed we turned our attention to the Balmoral, and next to the Orlando it got absolutely flogged, it was very concentrated and a little bit bitter not sure if this was because the oak hasn’t integrated fully, but we could not taste much because of this, so we had the waiter take it back up to our room to see if it would open up any.

Main course arrived shortly after this; I had an eye fillet with braised wagyu cheek and ox tongue confit the wagyu and confit were very nice but the eye fillet left a lot to be desired, I think a lot of places these days do not even bother to skin eye fillet which is a shame. My partner had a duck breast but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

After dinner we headed of to the supper club for a look, I think it was nearly 10 o’clock when we got there and I was worried it may be a bit packed and there would be no nice couches to kick back on, well, we were pleasantly surprised when we were ushered to a nice big couch directly in front of the massive window overlooking parliament sweeeeet. The girl who seated us gave us the wine list and left us to browse, wow what a big wine list!! 95 pages in all, including cigars, it was a little dark so reading the list was a bit difficult and to tell you the truth I got a bit bored looking through it. My partner ordered a glass of the 2004? Clonakilla hilltops shiraz voignier $11 which was nice and I had a couple Bookers bourbon and dry’s $12, I also ordered a cigar to go with the ambience of the place  and the waitress was very helpful in selecting one for me, as I really had no idea. It went down ok but nothing spectacular but I had to have one before it is a no no after July 1.

After we finished our first drinks we ordered a half bottle the 04 Rockford Basket Press and it was very nice and that’s about all I can remember  sorry. By this time the place was really starting to fill up, we really did arrive at the perfect time, as there was a waiting line all the way up the stairs from about 10 until we left about midnight.

All in all a very nice place with quiet jazz playing in the background and a good clientele, would love to have stayed for longer but the funds were running low 

Headed back to the hotel about midnight to see if the Balmoral had opened up to reveal anything, but it had not, but we struggled through almost all of it anyway  still bitter and not tasting of much which was a shame because I think it could have been really good at some stage and I really don’t have the knowledge to describe what this wine tasted like.

Also earlier in the day we went to a tasting at the wine house on Queensbridge St, they had on tasting the Grant Burge range and the pick of the bunch was the 04 Filsell at $24 was a bargain, pepper and salami on the nose and pallet, the 98 Meshach was also very good.

I would just like to thank the kind forum member who helped us out with our wine for the evening it is very much appreciated.

[Nayan]

After dinner we headed of to the supper club for a look

We were there at the same time! But I did leave until about 5am... Sunday was very slow.

Care to name and shame the restaurant?

[Shiraz_Freak]

111 spring st the restaurant at the windsor hotel

[TORB]

....to see if the Balmoral had opened up to reveal anything, but it had not, but we struggled through almost all of it anyway  still bitter and not tasting of much

Sounds like it was corked to me. I loved the 96 Balmoral and when it is right, it is terrific. This is what it should be like "This wine just keeps getting better and better, I am glad I purchased way too much of it. The bouquet is just staring to show some aged complexity with a lifted rich dark chocolate, tar, leathery mushroom aromas and a hint of vanilla. Intense mouth filling savoury flavours showing aniseed, chocolate and tons of different black fruits, vanilla and the tannins are resolving well but the acid is still very fresh. The finish is also very respectable. This is a full bodied wine with a big future ahead and is rated as Excellent."

[n4sir]

....to see if the Balmoral had opened up to reveal anything, but it had not, but we struggled through almost all of it anyway  still bitter and not tasting of much

Sounds like it was corked to me. I loved the 96 Balmoral and when it is right, it is terrific.

Could one reason possibly be because it was tried after the 1996 Orlando Jacobs Creek Limited Release? - that had a habit of making other things look somewhat ordinary (well it did on the show circuit at least).

Thanks for the report Shiraz_Freak.

Cheers,
Ian

[danclarke]

How many restaurants are there at the Windsor? Anyone know? Gawd I should.
But I have eaten there and there is no bloody way you could BYO. So it must be another.

We tried to order a 76 grange once but they wouldn't let us .
Something along the lines of "our sommelier suggests that this will be kept for other clientèle"

The beech boys were in the restaurant that night just drinking and fiddling on the piano.

Must be another place.
Supper club never does it for me I have to say.

[Shiraz_Freak]

You can BYO if you are a windsor club member.

The balmoral may have been corked, lucky we had a back up on good advice and yes the blend was outstanding

[Nayan]

Supper club never does it for me I have to say.

For me, it is all about the company I'm with. The list is overpriced, the service is professional, but perfunctory, but the space is pretty cool.

[n4sir]

Supper club never does it for me I have to say.

For me, it is all about the company I'm with. The list is overpriced, the service is professional, but perfunctory, but the space is pretty cool.

So Nayan,

I'm guessing that 10-1 female to male ratio Wine Girl said sounds about right then.

[Craig(NZ)]

Sounds like it was corked to me. I loved the 96 Balmoral and when it is right, it is terrific. This is what it should be like "This wine just keeps getting better and better, I am glad I purchased way too much of it. The bouquet is just staring to show some aged complexity with a lifted rich dark chocolate, tar, leathery mushroom aromas and a hint of vanilla. Intense mouth filling savoury flavours showing aniseed, chocolate and tons of different black fruits, vanilla and the tannins are resolving well but the acid is still very fresh. The finish is also very respectable. This is a full bodied wine with a big future ahead and is rated as Excellent."

as a rosemount disliker im glad you say this. this is the only bottle of rosemount i own

[Nayan]

So Nayan,

I'm guessing that 10-1 female to male ratio Wine Girl said sounds about right then.

Nah, Wine Girl speaks with forked tongue. Ratio was 1:1 in my mob, and probably about 0.7:1 overall.

The Supper Club is generally not the easiest place to pull as you have to be seated to drink there, and they frown on you getting up and moving around (has been done before though... )

[KMP]

Speaking of Grant Burge - his wines were part of a week long Aussie wines event here in San Diego. The 04 Filsell was very good, but paled alongside the 02 which is developing very nicely.

Mike