The Auswine Forum

Hi everyone,

Waiters Friend is in town on the 1st of September, and so I thought we might organise an offline to welcome him to town.

My current proposal is for Andre's Polenta Bar, who have offered to be very accommodating for us. Ideally I'd like to organise numbers as soon as possible. I've flagged between 10 and 20 people to the restaurant, but would like to pin that down to an actual figure as soon as possible.

Here's a blog of the recent Yalumba wine dinner that was held there - http://yalumbastories.wordpress.com/201 ... cchi-king/

Suggestions for a theme would be most welcome.

P

Thanks Paul, for taking the lead on this one. If it is Thursday 1st September, I'm definitely in, and can make arrangements for 2nd (Friday) if necessary.

Is this the same place? http://andrescucina.com.au/. If they did the Yalumba tasting, then I presume their glassware and wine service is fine, and they will do BYO for us. I wonder what their corkage charges are?

I'd be delighted to meet up with as many of you as I can (and is practical for the restaurant). As far as a theme, I'd be happy to:

a) bring a couple of examples of Great Southern riesling (aged and current) to compare with SA examples; and/or
b) bring a couple of examples of Great Southern shiraz (aged and current) to compare with SA examples; and/or
c) bring Margaret River gear (chardonnay / cabernet); and/or
d) anything else that gets proposed as a theme.

OK, so who's in?

Cheers

Allan

Would love to but have the kids that week.

I'm definitely interested, and either night should suit.

Themes & venue sound good, looking forward to seeing what kind of deal Paul comes up with.

Cheers,
Ian

Looks good to me - subject to the price range of course
will have a few nasty bills then so I'm crossing my fingers!

Okay, they want to know numbers, and what our wine theme is before they give us a menu, but their style is a number of small dishes shared across the table. At this stage we're working on a budget of $65/person for food and corkage.

I think we'll have a more favourable menu if we can get close to 20 in attendance, so please let me know if you, your friends, loved ones or even treasured enemies can make it!

Gail and I are starters. Any news on a theme?

I'm open to any of those suggested by Waiter's Friend. I do have a bottle of Pinotage I picked up in RSA that I could bring to torment Ian with if we wanted to go for a more international theme, but that might best be kept for another offline.

Hello again, and thanks again to Paul for driving this.

Firstly, for me it will need to be Thursday September 1st, as I now will be flying out again Friday 2nd pm. A further tour of SA will have to wait until next trip. 7pm is fine for me - I have just booked the flights, and will be landing around 2pm Thursday. Plenty of time to check in and chill the whites down.

For a theme, perhaps we go with the first couple of options I suggested. Great Southern is good for riesling and shiraz, and I have aged and current examples of both. SA is also fabulous for both varieties, so I'd be delighted to bring a six-pack on the plane (3 riesling, 3 shiraz) and compare these with what everyone else brings (without pulling out the Grange) from SA (assuming you are NOT bringing a six-pack each ).

Furthermore, so as to not limit variety, if people choose for whatever reason not to follow the theme exactly, they can provide alternative flavours, especially stickies (although that could be riesling in an ideal world) or wines to 'bridge' between riesling and shiraz.

I hope they have lots of glasses

Cheers

Allan

Sounds good!

My only reservation is that we are going to be charged $10 corkage at Andre's, so if we're planning on having more than 1 bottle per person on average, I may need to look elsewhere!

I'm in

I'm interested, and probably available?

Count me in.

.

PaulG wrote:I do have a bottle of Pinotage I picked up in RSA that I could bring to torment Ian with if we wanted to go for a more international theme, but that might best be kept for another offline.

No thanks

PaulG wrote:My only reservation is that we are going to be charged $10 corkage at Andre's, so if we're planning on having more than 1 bottle per person on average, I may need to look elsewhere!

When was the last time we managed to keep it to one bottle per person?

Cheers,
Ian

Not a good time work wise so can't be there. Have a great time and don't forget to write up what I will miss.

Carl

Sorry to hear that Carl.

We've just had a sudden change of plans regarding venue, if there aren't any objections. We just had an absolutely stunning meal at Pinnochio's, on Unley Road (about 5 minutes drive from the city - plenty of buses go that way for those without their own wheels). It's a central and northern Italian restaurant - the closest we've come to the cucina's we discovered in Firenze and Rome when we were over there last year.

The menu that's been proposed is a variety of platters to share, comprising:
Home made bread and Bruschetta
Beef Breasola (Beef Carpaccio)
Three kinds of house made pasta (Vegetarian, Seafood and Meat)
Mixed grilled beef, chicken and lamb (there is some kind of Italian term for this dish - can't recall what it was, but we had it tonight and whilst very simple, it was simply delicious)
Potatoes and salads
Followed by Biodina (A traditional northern Italian dish of layered white and dark chocolate topped with amaretto).

All of the above - $69 inclusive of corkage for as many bottles of wine as we like.
Stemware seemed reasonable - not Riedels, but should be absolutely fine for our purposes.

If no-one objects, we'll change the venue to there. Let me know of any concerns by Monday evening if possible

P

Edit: I should note that my spelling of Italian words above is entirely from memory, and almost certainly incorrect!

PaulG wrote:Mixed grilled beef, chicken and lamb (there is some kind of Italian term for this dish - can't recall what it was, but we had it tonight and whilst very simple, it was simply delicious)

Bollito Misto??? Voted 'best meat dish in the world' on one UK based gourmet TV show a few years back. (I went for the tournedos rossini personally, they thought differently, but of course I was watching, not tasting!).

Wish I could be there, all the best for a great night.

Cheers
TiggerK

TiggerK wrote:

PaulG wrote:Mixed grilled beef, chicken and lamb (there is some kind of Italian term for this dish - can't recall what it was, but we had it tonight and whilst very simple, it was simply delicious)

Bollito Misto??? Voted 'best meat dish in the world' on one UK based gourmet TV show a few years back. (I went for the tournedos rossini personally, they thought differently, but of course I was watching, not tasting!).

Wish I could be there, all the best for a great night.

Cheers
TiggerK

Bollito Misto is boiled not grilled. So simple so it is difficult to do well. Had a nice version at Cafe de Stasio in Melbourne a while back. Grigliata mista or similar would be a mixed grill I think.

cheers

Carl

Alright, roll call time:

My numbers thus far are:

Paul & Jas & Justin
Waiters Friend
Ian
Sarah (+1?)
Mark & Gail
Steve
Gavin


That brings us up to 10/11. Anyone else interested?

Cheers,

P

Yeh, I'm keen at this stage - sounds like a good deal and I'm keen to check this place out.

Is there a particular wine theme?

By the way, it would have have one of the dodgiest websites I've seen for awhile - I assume that means they channel their energies into the food!

Great to add you to the list, Wayne!

In terms of theme, Waiter's Friend has suggested we have a comparative tasting of Great Southern Riesling and Shiraz vs SA Riesling and Shiraz. However...

The First of September is International Cabernet Day, so it may be appropriate to make it a Cabernet based tasting in honour of this. I'm open to suggestions!

interested but might not be able to do it. Can I advise closer to the date?

PaulG wrote:Great to add you to the list, Wayne!

In terms of theme, Waiter's Friend has suggested we have a comparative tasting of Great Southern Riesling and Shiraz vs SA Riesling and Shiraz. However...

The First of September is International Cabernet Day, so it may be appropriate to make it a Cabernet based tasting in honour of this. I'm open to suggestions!

G'day again

I wasn't aware that 1 September is International Cabernet Day. Regardless, I reckon we should go with the riesling and shiraz themes, given that the Great Southern and South Australia excel in these varieties (and I have some good older examples from this side of the fence). We could, of course go for WA vs SA chardonnay and cabernet, but I suspect WA would win

As mentioned earlier, as I am representing WA, I'm intending to bring a six-pack of Great Southern riesling and shiraz (young and old). I'm not intending to drink 6 bottles single-handedly, so if there's around a dozen of us in total, maybe you each only need to bring one bottle (and perhaps PM PaulG to coordinate) of the SA product. Backups recommended for wines sealed with tree bark, but I hope you get to take them home again.

Once again, thanks to PaulG for arranging this, and I am really looking forward to talking wine with you.

Cheers

Allan

Seven wrote:interested but might not be able to do it. Can I advise closer to the date?

Certainly! We need final numbers by Thursday 25 August, so if you could let me know before then that would be great!

Cheers,

P

Shiraz and Riesling it is.

Allan - could you let us know what you're planning on bringing so we can find some decent comparisons to bring on the night?

Others who are attending: Could you please either PM me or post here what wines are planned?

I personally have no idea what to bring, so I'll leave my choice a little longer

A minor point, but does anyone else think an exclusively riesling/shiraz theme doesn't exactly suit the proposed menu

PaulG wrote:The menu that's been proposed is a variety of platters to share, comprising:
Home made bread and Bruschetta
Beef Breasola (Beef Carpaccio)
Three kinds of house made pasta (Vegetarian, Seafood and Meat)
Mixed grilled beef, chicken and lamb (there is some kind of Italian term for this dish - can't recall what it was, but we had it tonight and whilst very simple, it was simply delicious)
Potatoes and salads
Followed by Biodina (A traditional northern Italian dish of layered white and dark chocolate topped with amaretto).

Cheers,
Ian

True As a self-declared novice at wine pairing, I am happy to defer to others who may fight it out and let me know what the theme is when they're done!

What is your proposal, Ian?

n4sir wrote:A minor point, but does anyone else think an exclusively riesling/shiraz theme doesn't exactly suit the proposed menu

PaulG wrote:The menu that's been proposed is a variety of platters to share, comprising:
Home made bread and Bruschetta
Beef Breasola (Beef Carpaccio)
Three kinds of house made pasta (Vegetarian, Seafood and Meat)
Mixed grilled beef, chicken and lamb (there is some kind of Italian term for this dish - can't recall what it was, but we had it tonight and whilst very simple, it was simply delicious)
Potatoes and salads
Followed by Biodina (A traditional northern Italian dish of layered white and dark chocolate topped with amaretto).

Cheers,
Ian

Fair point, Ian, and I didn't envisage this would be a purely 'riesling / shiraz' theme. Given the likely attendance numbers, my three bottles of riesling (recent and around 10 years old) could be matched with what rieslings anyone else wants to bring, almost as an aperitif. We all get a taste, don't we?

I'm partial to most wine styles, especially if matched well with food, and (for example) a decent Adelaide Hills chardonnay might well support the menu. I mentioned in a previous post that I suggested bringing other wines as 'bridging' wines or alternatives to riesling and shiraz.

So, as a theme, I would be delighted to continue with the riesling/shiraz theme as points of comparison (the WA/SA thing), but only at two points in the night (with perhaps riesling being the introduction and shiraz covering the 'meat' course). Whatever else is offered will also be most welcome, as long as I get a taste!

I also note "Biodina" as dessert. Botrytis Riesling perhaps?

Cheers

Allan

Right - I'm going to put my hand up for the Botrytis Reisling (I'm thinking a Heggie's Vineyard Reserve unless advised otherwise).

Allan: What are your wines?

PaulG wrote:Right - I'm going to put my hand up for the Botrytis Reisling (I'm thinking a Heggie's Vineyard Reserve unless advised otherwise).

Allan: What are your wines?

For the rieslings, probably a young and an old Capel Vale Whispering Hill, or Howard Park (I have these back to about 2000). Possibly a 2001 Houghton Frankland River.

Likewise with the Shiraz, probably a 2008 Capel Vale Whispering Hill and a 2000 Capel Vale Kinnaird (same vineyard). Maybe a Houghtons Frankland River or Gladstones 1999 - 2001.