Melbourne offline - Easter weekend

[conformistpete]

It's a long weekend I am sure we can squeeze it in.

[n4sir]

Thanks for kicking this off Pete!

Now that we have got the ball rolling, I am going to be a real pain and say I will be unavailable Saturday night the 26th.

Friday, Sunday, Monday night I am free, that or maybe a lunch gathering if it suits?

Cheers,
Ian

[mjs]

I'm o/s until lunchtime Easter Monday, so could only squeeze this in on Monday night

[Ozzie W]

Thanks for organising Pete. I'd love to come with a +1.

[conformistpete]

Right. So I can't do Thursday or Saturday night.

Saturday lunch might be a great idea... Happy to leave it open for a bit to reach consensus. Also happy for suggestions on somewhere to dine.

Ian are you down for the Rugby? I cant see any other football games on that night.

[Waiters Friend]

Would you prefer to delay it a couple of weeks? It looks like I will be in Melbourne around 15th April, and will of course suggest an offline - but it seems you have one already!

[conformistpete]

Happy to look at another offline around then if there is interest. We initially scheduled an easter one as Ian was travelling to Melbourne that weekend.

[swirler]

Any idea about the venue?

[mjs]

I did suggest Mon night as an option. No good?

[n4sir]

Right. So I can't do Thursday or Saturday night.

Saturday lunch might be a great idea... Happy to leave it open for a bit to reach consensus. Also happy for suggestions on somewhere to dine.

Ian are you down for the Rugby? I cant see any other football games on that night.

AFL starts over Easter the night before Good Friday, the game I am specifically over there for is Adelaide vs North Saturday (night) March 26th. I hope to cram another one or two in over Sunday & Monday, time permitting.

I did suggest Mon night as an option. No good?

Monday night is good for me.

Saturday lunch is doable for me if we are squeezed for options: it wouldn't be the first time I have showed up to an AFL game a bit tipsy

[conformistpete]

Monday it is then.

Now to find somewhere open for BYO on a public holiday Monday.

Any opinions?

Any particular theme?

[mjs]

Just rang Matteo's, they will be closed

Dare I suggest somewhere in Chinatown?

[Ozzie W]

Bergerac in the CBD is open on Mondays and is also BYO. Not sure if they're closed on Easter Monday though.

[mjs]

Jesus, had my wedding reception at Bergerac 26 years ago!

Was good fun though, supplied all the wine! Lots of very happy people at the end!!

[conformistpete]

Does Bergerac do BYO? What is the cost and is it a bring your own glassware place.

edit I skimmed the site and couldn't find anything.

[Ozzie W]

Yes. Bergerac definitely does BYO. I had a couple offlines there last year. They charge $10 corkage per bottle. The glassware is good. Not up to Zalto standard, but certainly acceptable. If some people wanted to bring their own high-end glassware that's fine too.

[Chris H]

Jesus, had my wedding reception at Bergerac 26 years ago!

Was good fun though, supplied all the wine! Lots of very happy people at the end!!

Yes they still have your photo on the banned wall. Knew I recognised you from somewhere

[mjs]

Jesus, had my wedding reception at Bergerac 26 years ago!

Was good fun though, supplied all the wine! Lots of very happy people at the end!!

Yes they still have your photo on the banned wall. Knew I recognised you from somewhere

Not to mention the three or four guests we left sitting near the kitchen at about 1:30am, each clutching and swigging on bottles of 86 Mildara Cabernet

[conformistpete]

Bergerac on the 28th it is then. Is everyone happy with an earlyish kick off of 6.30pm?

So far we have

1. N4sir
2. conformistpete
3. MJS
4. Ozzie +1
6. Chris H
7. Alex


That is 7 so far. Swirler are you in?

[Ozzie W]

Gotta work the next day, so 6:30pm works for me.

[conformistpete]

That is what I was thinking.

[Chris H]

Add me si vous plait.

[alexc92]

I'll be there

[conformistpete]

Add me si vous plait.

Done for both of you. Je t'en prie.

Edit: Ian as our guest, is there a theme you would like to explore?

[n4sir]

Add me si vous plait.

Done for both of you. Je t'en prie.

Edit: Ian as our guest, is there a theme you would like to explore?

Not too fussed, I am thinking about taking something from SA you may not have seen much of there, say a 2005 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet/Barossa Shiraz, or the 2005 Cellar Reserve Kalimna Cabernet.

Depends a bit what I can fit into the bag, and I am leaning towards something under screwcap that I know will be okay after the journey. Had a shit run with corks already this year...

[mjs]

So, mid-naughties perhaps?

[conformistpete]

So, mid-naughties perhaps?

Sounds good. I should be able to dig something up.

[mjs]

Just an idea I guess. Ten years of age always seems to be a bit of barometer for me for Australian reds. its enough time for some bottle ageing and a bit of a decision point. How has it developed? Good now and going to go further or is it falling over? Perhaps we could do 2004-2005-2006? Doesn't have to be verticals for a given label, just anything in those years, maybe a couple of pairs of years as well as some single labels?

In keeping with Ian's choice, things that are perhaps a little less than ubiquitous. say for example, not a Wynns BL, but a Wynns single vineyard wine would be ok. Am I being too restrictive?

[Ozzie W]

2004-2006 is fine with me. Happy to narrow down the theme further if others want to, but I think we need to define "less than ubiquitous" a bit better. To me, anything Penfolds or Wynns is about as ubiquitous as one can get.

[n4sir]

2004-2006 is fine with me. Happy to narrow down the theme further if others want to, but I think we need to define "less than ubiquitous" a bit better. To me, anything Penfolds or Wynns is about as ubiquitous as one can get.

Okay, instead of the Penfolds how about a 2006 Kabminye Barossa Valley Zinfandel?