Dinner at Allium - Brisbane

[Michael McNally]

Got together with a couple of other forumites (Nick and Rens) last night to try a new restaurant - Allium in New Farm - which allows BYO on Thursday nights (the wine list looked pretty good too). Great stemware and excellent food and service. Didn't take copious notes. Three couples shared:

2007 Kreglinger Brut. Clearly Pinot dominant, in a good way. Nice balance. Great acidity. Excellent. Yasmin wants me to buy her some.

2008 Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon. Classic nose. Some lanolin and flowers on the nose but no honeyysuckle/wax. Beautiful easy fruit. Had put on some palate weight when we came back to it at the end. Very, Very Good.

2011 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir. Riotous red red colour. Gorgeous savoury fruit. Great finish. Brilliant. I think I might finally be coming around to Pinot Noir.

2014 Primo Estate 'Joseph' Sparkling Shiraz. Blackberry. Cream. Dark Spice. Complexity and understatement. Wow. Brilliant.

1996 Orlando 'Lawson's' Shiraz. Double decanted 2 hours before serving. Some bricking but still strong colour. Graceful old Shiraz. Vanilla is notable (typical with this wine) but doesn't dominate. It frames the black cherry and blackberry fruit, but this is all about the leather, spice, smoke and soft resolved tannin. Excellent.

2008 Woodlands 'Shelley Anne' Cabernet Sauvignon. Double decanted 24 hours prior (Rens loves a good decant!). Immediately attractive nose of violets and black plums. Blackberry and graphite. Cassis and chocolate cream. Beautiful long finish. Brilliant.

A great selection of wines and we didn't bother with wine of the night or any of that malarkey. A wonderful night with fine company, great food and excellent wines.

And we had a toast to you gpk. Get well soon!

Cheers

Michael

[rens]

Thanks again for taking the notes Michael. I could not agree more with your assessments of the wines. Its been a while since we have seen this sort of quality at an offline. The pre Christmas offline (TBC) will have a lot to live up to.

[Rocky]

2008 Woodlands 'Shelley Anne' Cabernet Sauvignon. Double decanted 24 hours prior (Rens loves a good decant!). Immediately attractive nose of violets and black plums. Blackberry and graphite. Cassis and chocolate cream. Beautiful long finish. Brilliant.

Rens / Michael
Where do you see the Shelley Anne sitting in it life's journey? I have a half case which I haven't touched yet.

Regards

[rens]

2008 Woodlands 'Shelley Anne' Cabernet Sauvignon. Double decanted 24 hours prior (Rens loves a good decant!). Immediately attractive nose of violets and black plums. Blackberry and graphite. Cassis and chocolate cream. Beautiful long finish. Brilliant.

Rens / Michael
Where do you see the Shelley Anne sitting in it life's journey? I have a half case which I haven't touched yet.

Regards

Before I answer let me say the bottle was purchased new and sat at 14C since that time (not including 3 days post Brisbane 2011 floods when she would have sat at room temperature).

Shelly Anne is in its window now. For my taste it would do one more decade easy and would not be surprised if it was still holding it together in 2035. It is good now and I really look forward to some of those aged characters of cigar box and forest floor to start shining.
This one was my first of three and I'll do the next one about 2025 and the last likely early to mid 2030's.

[Willard]

Nice line up! I loved the Primo Joseph the couple of times I’ve had it. Don’t think I ever had an 08 Hunter Sem, skipped the vintage altogether, but not surprising Vat 1 is good. Woodlands sound awesome.

Nice tip on the restaurant too, what were the picks on the menu?

Will

[rens]

Nice line up! I loved the Primo Joseph the couple of times I’ve had it. Don’t think I ever had an 08 Hunter Sem, skipped the vintage altogether, but not surprising Vat 1 is good. Woodlands sound awesome.

Nice tip on the restaurant too, what we’re the picks on the menu?

Will

Hi Will
I don't think there was a dud on the menu. The duck, pork belly, tri tip, tortellini and deserts all had us commenting how good they were.
Next time I would do the 6 or 10 course degustation which is basically a tasting portion of everything on the menu.

[michel]

Nice line up! I loved the Primo Joseph the couple of times I’ve had it. Don’t think I ever had an 08 Hunter Sem, skipped the vintage altogether, but not surprising Vat 1 is good. Woodlands sound awesome.

Nice tip on the restaurant too, what we’re the picks on the menu?

Will

Hi Will
I don't think there was a dud on the menu. The duck, pork belly, tri tip, tortellini and deserts all had us commenting how good they were.
Next time I would do the 6 or 10 course degustation which is basically a tasting portion of everything on the menu.

You have any other byo options in Brisbane
It is a struggle atm

[rens]

Nice line up! I loved the Primo Joseph the couple of times I’ve had it. Don’t think I ever had an 08 Hunter Sem, skipped the vintage altogether, but not surprising Vat 1 is good. Woodlands sound awesome.

Nice tip on the restaurant too, what we’re the picks on the menu?

Will

Hi Will
I don't think there was a dud on the menu. The duck, pork belly, tri tip, tortellini and deserts all had us commenting how good they were.
Next time I would do the 6 or 10 course degustation which is basically a tasting portion of everything on the menu.

You have any other byo options in Brisbane
It is a struggle atm

There are a few. We do offlines at 85 Miskin, Deer Duck, Sprout French BYO Cafe. Echo is also very good, but not sure they cater/do boy for large groups.

[michel]

Hi Will
I don't think there was a dud on the menu. The duck, pork belly, tri tip, tortellini and deserts all had us commenting how good they were.
Next time I would do the 6 or 10 course degustation which is basically a tasting portion of everything on the menu.

You have any other byo options in Brisbane
It is a struggle atm

There are a few. We do offlines at 85 Miskin, Deer Duck, Sprout French BYO Cafe. Echo is also very good, but not sure they cater/do boy for large groups.

Ecco are closing & moving
Byo one bottle only
Out of those listed- which has the better food?
I know that is subjective
I like Ecco for food

[rens]

If you like Ecco's food, 85 Miskin is on par. Generous portions for a fine dining establishment. No BYO limit, $15 pb corkage (although when we have a large group go we negotiate this down to about $10), glassware that is up to standard and pretty good service too.
We regularly go here for offlines.
https://www.85miskinst.com.au

[michel]

Cheers

[Willard]

Thanks Rens.

I was driving up Caxton St couple of weeks back - saw that Gambaro's was offering BYO on a weeknight, think it was Tuesday but may have been Wednesday. I've never been there, but others may be able to comment on quality/suitability.

Will

[DJ1980]

I think Alium is one of the best restaurants in Brisbane atm. The wine matching is also amongst the best I think I have ever had.

[Michael McNally]

Rens / Michael
Where do you see the Shelley Anne sitting in it life's journey? I have a half case which I haven't touched yet.

Regards

Hi Rocky

Agree with Rens. Given this had been breathing for 24 hours and is 9 years old it will make 2030 at a canter. If I had some of these in the cellar I would keep my hands off as long as possible because it will only get better.

Cheers

Michael

[Rocky]

Rens / Michael
Where do you see the Shelley Anne sitting in it life's journey? I have a half case which I haven't touched yet.

Regards

Hi Rocky

Agree with Rens. Given this had been breathing for 24 hours and is 9 years old it will make 2030 at a canter. If I had some of these in the cellar I would keep my hands off as long as possible because it will only get better.

Cheers

Michael

Thanks Michael

I have just started into my few 2005 Colin CS. This just epitomises imo the perfect Cabernet. Although only 2 bottles left I have no doubt it will last for another 15+ years

[dave vino]

I think Alium is one of the best restaurants in Brisbane atm. The wine matching is also amongst the best I think I have ever had.

Went here on Saturday, so no byo. Did the wine matching which for the most part was pretty good. Did the 9 course Dego and you get a wine with each course.

The menu is probably more white friendly and they tried to match a Valpolicella with Sous Vide Chicken which didn't work. (I would have went with a bigger white, but that would have meant only 1 red on the menu).

And the PX at the end was probably a bit too much for the dessert. (maybe a youngish Muscat might have worked better)

I liked the fact that they use Coravin for their wines (and yours if you want to take something on byo Thursday) although I have to wonder the value in it seeing that there were no real numbers of heavy hitter wines on the menu.

Dishes were all very good apart from the said Chicken which was a bit 'chicken loaf' in consistency/texture.

Vibe was casual bistro which I liked being up there for a holiday. Would definitely go back again on a Thursday if I'm ever up in the neighbourhood.

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