The Auswine Forum

I'm in!

n4sir wrote:I got a phone call from my contact at Assaggio Cafe today - we're booked in for the 29th, somewhere between 7-8 people until more commit.

We're working out a set menu which I'll confirm closer to the date, corkage is $10/bottle, they will vary that if we leave a bit behind for them to try.

Cheers,
Ian

Excellent! I'll bring a 1986 Moulin Touchais and a red that I haven't decided on yet.

Thanks again for sorting this out.

I'm also in guys. I'll double check with crazy.

Cheers,
Tony

tonsta wrote:I'm also in guys. I'll double check with crazy.

Cheers,
Tony

I'll bring your bottle.

Cheers mate. Was it 1 BP and 1 black?

Gail and I are still in. Will try again with centenary and a champagne.
Mark

tonsta wrote:Cheers mate. Was it 1 BP and 1 black?

Yep. That it was.

Looking forward to getting another chance at the Centenary!

Depending on how posh we want to go these are what I'm considering bringing along......

1995 Château Léoville Las Cases
2002 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper
1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
2005 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone
1998 Wendouree Shiraz
1998 Coriole Shiraz Lloyd Reserve
2002 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année
2005 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Moss Wood Vineyard
2006 Teusner Mataro The Astral Series
2005 The Standish Wine Company Shiraz The Standish
2004 Greenock Creek Shiraz Creek Block

What's the theme again? Is it SAK?

Tony

Tony

I can confirm Crazy is also a starter

Tony

tonsta wrote:What's the theme again? Is it SAK?

Tony

George & Chi won't be there, I haven't heard from Jeff or John M, so we're missing a few guys - I'm not sure the menu is really suited for a SAK theme either. Speaking of which, the suggested menu is:


On arrival:
Bianca - Flat bread from the pizza oven with sea salt, roasted garlic, rosemary & extra virgin olive oil

Antipasti platters made up of:
Aracini - Alborio rice dumplings filled with button & porcini mushrooms served with tomato essence
Crocchette - Creamy & cruncy Desiree potato croquettes served with a lemon mayonnaise dressing
Mozza - Mozzarella with prosciutto served with black olive, semi sundried tomato & aged balsamic
Polpette - Veal & pork meatballs rolled with grana padano cheese, with a braised tomato & black olive salsa rossa

Main course:
Bistecca Marinello - Eye fillet with soft potato, spinach & a chili, capsicum & nebbiolo salsa rossa.

Side:
Misticanza - mixed green vegetables sauteed with garlic, olive oil, etc.

Coffee to finish.

The cost of the menu will be $57/person, corkage will be an additional $10/bottle (which they said they may vary down on the night). We briefly talked about adding a dessert, but they felt it was best to perhaps leave that for people to individually decide if they wanted something after the dinner.

Cheers,
Ian

Ps. For the go hard(er) theme, I was thinking of taking either a 2008 Wolf Blass Black Label (that would help with Mark's Langtons's classification quest) or a magnum of 2000 Dead Arm that I bought up from the cellar a few months ago but haven't got around to opening yet.

Update of people going:

Jesse - 1986 Moulin Touchais and a red
Mark & Gail - Champagne, 1991 Wynn's Centenary
Steve
Ian - 2008 Wolf Blass Black Label or 2000 d'Arenberg Dead Arm magnum
Tony
Crazy Dave
Phill

Really keen to try the Teusner Righteous Matero 2009 if that's not too young. Big wrap on wine front and the boys reckon it's drinking well off the bat. I'll bring that.

Not sure what crazy will bring.

I'll be visiting Greg and Alison Hobbs tomorrow. Greg has told me that he should be able to dig up something that's ready to drink and would be suitable for the dinner. So my red will be an unknown wine from their vineyard.

Ian, my vote would-be for the dead arm. It would be nice to have a few older wines.
Cheers
Mark

My red is an 04 Hobbs Gregor. Amarone style shiraz.

I will bring a 1982 Wynns Black Label Cab with a 1990 Yalumba "The Reseve" as a backup

cheers
phill

Morning guys,

I really hate to do this on the morning of but I have to bail out due to illness. I won't go into details but it involves a recurrent inner ear infection, antibiotics, no drinking, and antibiotic related stomach issues. I thought I was all good but woke up early this morning in great misery, and the doctor has banned me from doing anything fun until it's sorted out.



Again, I'm really sorry about the last minute nature of piking and I hope I haven't upset the applecart. If I have, I shall atone for my sins with a decent bottle of bubbles at the next offline (to be fair, I'd probably bring one anyway!).

Have fun without me

I am back in town and just picked up on this offline and would be keen to fill Steve's spot if it's available. Just not sure on the theme but can supply anything appropriate if it is explained.

Regards

Carl

Chuck, the theme is to bring the best bottle you're willing to part with.

Get well soon Steve, I have been sick since I got here and was worried I would have to miss it too! Luckily I recovered in time.

Ian, what time are we booked for?

Chuck wrote:I am back in town and just picked up on this offline and would be keen to fill Steve's spot if it's available. Just not sure on the theme but can supply anything appropriate if it is explained.

Regards

Carl

It's great to see you can make it along to this one Carl, although it is also a shame Steve has had to drop out too. It keeps our booking to eight which should be a good number. We're booked in for a 6:30 arrival for a 7:00 start.

I think the original theme was stuff you would sell-a-kidney to try (SAK), then it was just to top the wines we had the last time we got all together at Marquis, but now it has kind of turned into a big and bigger red theme, maybe something that fit's in with Mark's Langtons classification quest. I think Mark wanted some older wines to balance out what's currently planned:

Jesse - 1986 Moulin Touchais and a 2004 Hobbs Gregor
Mark & Gail - Champagne, 1991 Wynn's Centenary
Ian - 2000 d'Arenberg Dead Arm magnum (2008 Wolf Blass Black Label as a backup)
Tony - 2009 Teusner Righteous Mataro
Crazy Dave - ???
Phill - 1990 Yalumba Reserve or 1982 Wynns Black Label
Carl - 1996 Grant Burge Shadrach magnum

Thanks.

My cellar is not up to there but if it needs to be old and good then there is a Penfolds 1998 St Henri or Bin 389 or a Greenock 2002 Cabernet of Murdoch 2000 Coonawarra Cabernet or Grant Burge 1996 Shadrach Cabernet (magnum). Let me know which is appropriate.

Where's the venue?

Cricket should be over by then

Carl

Chuck wrote:Thanks.

My cellar is not up to there but if it needs to be old and good then there is a Penfolds 1998 St Henri or Bin 389 or a Greenock 2002 Cabernet of Murdoch 2000 Coonawarra Cabernet or Grant Burge 1996 Shadrach Cabernet (magnum). Let me know which is appropriate.

Where's the venue?

Cricket should be over by then

Carl

The venue is Assaggio Cafe, 84 Newton Road Campbelltown.

If you can part with the 1996 Shadrach magnum I'd love to try it - I have one myself plus we have a Grant Burge road trip lunch scheduled for AFWAC next year, so it would be a smashing preview. Plus, when you're around we have a habit of demolishing whole bottles, and the staff wouldn't mind a glass or two of something to "assist" with the corkage - there might be something left for them this time.

If not, it would be great to see the 1998 Penfolds St Henri again - two and a bit years ago it walloped everything in a Penfolds Bin 389/St Henri vertical, and could give the 1991 Centenary a real good run for its money. So could Phill's 1990 Yalumba The Reserve for that matter.

Cheers,
Ian

It would be a pleasure opening the '96 Shadrach as I've been looking for the appropriate occasion recently.

Will there be decanters available? In any event it may be to decant and breath at home and make sure the cork gods have been kind.

And yes I do swallow. Why waste good wine particularly when SWMBO is still in Sydney. I'm off the leash!

Carl

My vote is for the Shadrach too. Can't wait to try it.
Mark

I have no decanter (or even jug) where I'm staying so mine will definitely need to get at least a carafe on arrival. I'm pretty sure mine should be the last red served anyway. I'll be able to test out the aerator my brother gave me for xmas. My prediction is that it will do nothing! Doesn't fizz and gurgle like a vinturi.

I was planning to give Assaggio a call after lunch service to confirm the numbers and ask about decanters.

Phill rang me this morning about this, and said he was planning on taking one himself. It sounds like we will need more than one.

n4sir wrote:I was planning to give Assaggio a call after lunch service to confirm the numbers and ask about decanters.

Phill rang me this morning about this, and said he was planning on taking one himself. It sounds like we will need more than one.

I found a glass vessel that should do the trick so mine will get at least a few hours in the jug before I leave. A decanter won't be vital for mine anymore.

The restaurant has just the one decanter available.

Thanks to everyone who came. Had some great wines all-round but Wynns was the clear hero of the night. I enjoyed the 82 Black Label more but the Centenary just kept on improving, and had I given mine more time in the glass I have no doubt it would have surpassed the 82.

Look forward to the next one.

Thanks everyone for a most enjoyable night. The food and service was excellent with the mixed entrees a highlight. Stemware was right up there too. My steak was done perfectly and the sauce and sides excellent. The cork gods were kind as all wines were without fault although there were mutterings about slight faults my untrained palate could not detect. The bubbles were wasted on me but I could see what all the fuss was about. The '82 Wynns Cabernet was great as was the Dead Arm and Centenary. The Shadrach wasn't too shabby either being put up with the giant killer Centenary. IMO the Centenary's palate did not match its sensational nose but maybe it needed more air time. I liked the Mataro despite others being more critical of it's potential to age. Jesse's contributions were different, at least to me. It's always good to try something out of left field although the 16% reading on the Hobbs Gregor Barossa amarone shiraz showed with some dead fruit flavours. A special thanks to Mark and Gail who convinced Jesse and me to join them at their recently renovated inner city pad (nice job there) for some very special single malts and tawnys. Whatever the the single malt was I want more. It was on a whole new level. It's rare for me to see midnights so the 3.00am finish was a good indication of the night's quality. Was a bit shabby the next day and the liver was given a few days off to recover.

Carl