Melbourne Visit.. Offline 23rd May ?

[Mark S]

Hi - have not been to offlines in many a long year, would very much like to meet you in person, Mark. Count me in for Fri 23 May - venues previously mentioned are all good - La Luna will provide an upstairs room if there's enough of us.

Everyone who's been to Matteo's (including me) raves about it - magnificent, not cheap, worth every cent. Remember rowdy gatherings in the back some years ago, not that formal.

Best, Mark S.

[Barney]

Drink more wine or....all of the above

Likewise....maybe not the strip clubs though.

Unfortunately am now out, work committments will now have me at The Rebels game that night.

[markg]

Drink more wine or....all of the above

Likewise....maybe not the strip clubs though.

Unfortunately am now out, work committments will now have me at The Rebels game that night.

Is that a local Football club or a bikie gang ?

[markg]

Ok chaps, just getting a carton of goodies ready to send over. Just confirming.. next Friday night, venue to be determined, SA Vs VIC theme (although I may bring some odd bits and pieces for you guys to try out, some of the vendors have given permission to open some of their bottles for you to pass opinion on (ie Kays, Torbrek that sort of stuff) if thats ok ?

[Diddy]

That sounds terrible!

I'm definitely in - do you want me to make some enquiries with the restaurants as to availability?

[Barney]

Drink more wine or....all of the above

Likewise....maybe not the strip clubs though.

Unfortunately am now out, work committments will now have me at The Rebels game that night.

Is that a local Football club or a bikie gang ?

That would be the Rugby game.....!.

[LGW]

Next Friday looking good for me (and possibly +1 still).

I was thinking of bringing a vic Chardonnay and a tokay but can easily change these depending on what others want to bring and would suit the night's theme better.

[markg]

That sounds great Diddy..

I have just sent over (and I am not suggesting that I open them all on the night as I am in town for 3 days and may get thirsty, but I could be persuaded to open the majority of them )

* 1995 Dom Perignon (mainly to wash out the taste of that Vic liquid you guys will bring)
* 2004 Branson coach house (GBlock) sra
* 2002 Coriole Llyod Rsv
* 2002 Hillside
* 2005 Block 6
* 2005 Hillside
* 2004 Shirvington Sra
* 2003 Shirvington Cab
* 2003 Henrys drive sra
* 2003 Struie
* 2004 Branson Coach house (CH Block) sra
* 2003 Wild Duck creek springflat (Oh crap.. how did that get in there....)

Looking forward to it..

[Diddy]

Just a quick check-in with those who have expressed an interest to catch-up thus far (apologies if I've missed anyone):-

markg
cuttlefish
LGW + 1
sparky
simon1980
shy180
Blesso
Mark S
Diddy

Is anyone unavailable or are there any others who'd like to join in?

[cuttlefish]

Just confirming that I'm in.

I'll be flying solo that night, and coming after finishing work at 6:45, so 7:30 is probably the earliest I could make it.

I'll start looking at what to bring.

Apologies if we've already discussed this, but will there be any blind tasting or will we all just post here what we're bringing to enable us to get a good spread ?

I have some Margaret Semillons, and Wigan Rieslings that are probably good early evening options (both SA), or some Tahbilk Marsanne ('01, '02, and '04 if I can find them) from VIC

Red-wise, I have plenty of year 2000 onwards from both SA and VIC, but could go for something a little older ???

[Blesso]

Unfortunately I have a mate coming over from Singapore the same day so have to pull out. This is very annoying, I've had nothing booked in for months then, two things on the same day....go figure

[markg]

Unfortunately I have a mate coming over from Singapore the same day so have to pull out. This is very annoying, I've had nothing booked in for months then, two things on the same day....go figure

Bring your mate ?

[Blesso]

Unfortunately I have a mate coming over from Singapore the same day so have to pull out. This is very annoying, I've had nothing booked in for months then, two things on the same day....go figure

Bring your mate ?

Mark if only it was that easy...my other mates have organised a group catch up which I'm obligated to attend...NOT HAPPY

[cuttlefish]

Do we have a venue ?

[Diddy]

The four mentioned thus far are:-

The Moat
La Luna
Matteos
Ablas

I'll be doing some research tonight and will post back my findings - hopefully book something in by Thursday?

[Diddy]

Hi all,

Further to my previous post, I've contacted a number of restaurants across few price points to see what our options are.

As the responses come through, I'll post them back here for your thoughts/comments.

Would be great to meet as many forumites as possible!

[Diddy]

I've had a few responses from restaurants:-

1. Sosta Cucina (North Melbourne)
http://www.sosta.com.au/
- Minimum spend of $80pp
- $15/bottle corkage
- They will provide decanters & cover wines if we want to do blind tasting
- NB: they do not normally allow BYO on a Friday, so we'd have to drop wines off prior to dinner service (most likely problematic?)

2. Matteos (North Fitzroy)
http://www.matteos.com.au/
- $88pp for mini a la carte menu (3 courses)
- $20/bottle corkage
- Will provide white/red glassware & spittoons & water jugs

3. Ladro (Prahran or Fitzroy)
- 3 different menu options
- $40pp different entrees to share (2 x olives, bread + oil , 3 x salumi plates, 3 x calamari fritti plates, 10 x bocconcini fritti.) + 7 x your selection of pizza from our current menu + 3 x insalate
- $50pp different entrees to share (2 x olives, bread + oil , 3 x salumi plates, 3 x calamari fritti plates, 10 x bocconcini fritti.) 7 x your selection of pizza from our current menu + 3 x insalate + Tiramisu
- $60pp different entrees to share (2 x olives, bread + oil, 3 x salumi plates, 3 x calamari fritti plates, 10 x bocconcini fritti.) + 3 x your selection of pizza from our current menu + 3 x insalate + 5 x arrosto or pasta (or combination of both) + 10 x bomboloni (Italian doughnuts with hazelnut icecream, hazelnut praline + roof top honey)
- $15/bottle corkage

I still have a few more places to chase up - will post further details when available.

[markg]

Looks nice Diddy.

Any chance of negotiating corkage as pay per person though ? Covers multiple bottles.

How did we go with Barneys suggestions.. La Luna was it ?

[Diddy]

Looks nice Diddy.

Any chance of negotiating corkage as pay per person though ? Covers multiple bottles.

How did we go with Barneys suggestions.. La Luna was it ?

They left a message for me this afternoon - will give them a call back now.

As for corkage per person - I agree.

Once we pick somewhere, I'll try to drill down a fixed price price per person.

[Diddy]

La Luna are approx. $100pp including corkage for a banquet style menu. They can only fit max 10 guests though.

[cuttlefish]

I'm sorry guys, I can't come. Dammit. I've double booked myself. So annoyed.

[mjs]

Just a quick check-in with those who have expressed an interest to catch-up thus far (apologies if I've missed anyone):-

markg
cuttlefish
LGW + 1
sparky
simon1980
shy180
Blesso
Mark S
Diddy

Is anyone unavailable or are there any others who'd like to join in?

Hmm, seem to have dropped off the list for some reason. Am still a goer, maybe even +1

In terms of venues, what happened to either Moretons or Paris Go?

On another topic, anyone going to Langton's tasting this Fri in Melb?

[Diddy]

Sorry mjs, my bad!

Will get in contact with the venues you've suggested tomorrow.

[Diddy]

Had a few more responses-

Moretons (Carlton)
- $65pp for 3 course mini a la carte menu
- $5pp corkage

Mezzo Bar (CBD)
- $60pp for food - very flexible in designing menu
- $10pp for corkage

[Diddy]

Paris Go
- $75pp including corkage
- flexible with menu options/style

[Diddy]

Hi all,

Haven't had any more positive responses from the other restaurants - are we happy to chose from the ones that have responded thus far?

The list of possible attendees are:-

markg
LGW + 1
sparky
shy180
Mark S
Diddy
MJS + 1

[markg]

I am happy to be guided by you guys.

Doesn't seem to be too many going. Probably a bit of overkill for me to bring so many bottles ?

[LGW]

Not long to go now! Friday still looking good for me. Thanks Diddy for enquiring with the restaurants. I'd prefer one of the cheaper options as I'm "in between" jobs currently! but happy to go with wherever we choose.

As for wines, I was thinking bringing either
06 savaterre or hillcrest chardonnay...is anyone else thinking of bringing an SA chard which we could compare either against?
Or
02 tahbilk Eric Purbrick (formally reserve) shiraz, at 13.5% it might be a good comparison to some of mark g's heavyweights and not too "thin" for our SA guest!
Or
Morris grand tokay to end the night off.

[Diddy]

PM sent to those who've said they're in.

As for wines, am tossing up between some Yarra Valley cabernets or Grampians shiraz.

[mjs]

I'm on Mark's side ... going to be predictable and probably bring some old Coonawarra cabernet