Next Melbourne Offline - thoughts, ideas?

[Softie]

Hi All,

It was a good night on 31 August, let's maintain the momentum.

What are your thoughts?

Venue? The same?
Date late Oct, early Nov [before most Xmas partying]?
Theme - the one who volunteers to organise chooses the theme? [This works well for Sydney Grape Mates]
Themes? Part white, part red?
The great allrounders: Riesling and Pinot Noir?
Malbec?
Non-standard varietals?
Great Southern WA wines - Shiraz and Riesling?
Victorian Pinots - Mornington v. Yarra?
SA Shiraz - Barossa v. McLaren Vale?

Shall we start with a brainstorm?

John

[paulf]

I'd be happy to go to the same venue again. Any time after Oct 19th works for me

- riesling and pinot would be a good theme as the weather gets warmer.
- Blends
- theme based on a particular year
- something that gives me an opportunity to break out a mag of Heathcote Shiraz?

[LGW]

Hi all, I'm fine with going to the previous venue again. Nice food and centralised for everyone.

Here are a couple of other venues whilst we are in the brainstorming stage:

Cafe vue on st kilda rd do free corkage and a 3 course set menu on Saturdays for $58 ATM. I haven't eaten there for dinner though.
http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/index.php? ... geID=12783

Esposito in carlton can do functions upstairs, I've been there once and food was nice. They are BYO friendly and have a number of pricing options.
http://espositofood.com/functions/

I'm sure Simon1980 will be licking his lips about a Pinot dinner!

I'm free anytime except the cup long weekend as I am going to fortify myself in rutherglen.

[paulf]

Cafe vue on st kilda rd do free corkage and a 3 course set menu on Saturdays for $58 ATM. I haven't eaten there for dinner though.
http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/index.php? ... geID=12783

I think they have a set 3 course menu in all of the Cafe Vues, but I suspect they struggle a bit getting people in the door on the weekends at the St Kilda road venue. I've not been in that one myself but it is accessible by tram or it would be about 10 minutes walk from South Yarra station. I've had the 3 course menu at the one at the airport a couple of years back and it was pretty good.

I'm free anytime except the cup long weekend as I am going to fortify myself in rutherglen.

Mabye we should start planning for a fortified night then - I leave the country tomorrow and will be fortifying myself in Portugal in a couple of weeks!

[Softie]

A fortifieds night is interesting and - in depth - a challenge for a dinner format.

I wonder if we could do a 'tasting format' one time?

I that vein, the Carlton wine room does tasting style functions. Incidentally, they have an unusually good range of Australian and international fortifieds and dessert wines and are skilled at food matching. They've impressed me.

We should keep in mind that some themes maybe best served by formats other than sit down dinners and consider flexibility of structure.

John

[Cloth Ears]

I think we might have a couple of YV, Macedon & MP Pinots. And, if we're going to have a red-based dinner, then the original venue might be good. Although I'd be happy with Vue in St Kilda Rd as well.

Not sure what our Saturdays are like, but I'll check with the boss when I get home.

Did anyone else get an invite to 35's Bordeaux dinner? Might not be able to make it as it's a Wednesday...

[LGW]

How does the 24 or 25th oct fit in for everyone? Some kind of theme around Pinot sounds like it suits everyone so far?

[Softie]

LGW,

Great to see your suggestion.

Fine for us. Also Saturday 26th and Fri/Sat 1st/2nd November.

Do you want to be convener for this one [ie chose venue and theme and date)? I'm happy to be Treasurer or organise the flights if you were to host. Also, how would you feel about making it a Riesling (early flights) and Pinot (later flights night)?

Warm regards,

John

[LGW]

How does the 24 or 25th oct fit in for everyone? Some kind of theme around Pinot sounds like it suits everyone so far?

Sorry I meant 25 or 26th.

LGW,

Great to see your suggestion.

Fine for us. Also Saturday 26th and Fri/Sat 1st/2nd November.

Do you want to be convener for this one [ie chose venue and theme and date)? I'm happy to be Treasurer or organise the flights if you were to host. Also, how would you feel about making it a Riesling (early flights) and Pinot (later flights night)?

Warm regards,

John

Waaaa I was only wanting to suggest a date! I am happy to jump into the deep end if not one else wants to take the reigns!

Riesling as a start sounds great. How about some kind of battle of the states? Ie pinot and riesling from WA Vs Vic or tas vs SA? Or even a trans Tasman battle (or any combination depending on what people have).

[Softie]

All,

We are still looking at dates 26 Oct or 2 November - Rieslings (any area) and Pinots (any area).

I'm awaiting a reply from the last venue - The Moat.

John

[Blesso]

Hey guys,
If your looking for a decent BYO in melbs, check out www.matteos.com.au They have decent food and plenty of room, there is a corkage but its a nice atmosphere.

Cheers

[Softie]

Thanks Blesso.

Do come and join us at one of our intended-to-be-regular wine dinners.

John

[LGW]

Thanks blesso, hopefully you can make it to one of the dinners, the last one was my first and it was a blast!

If we were to have a state vs state comparison, my cellar does have more vic/ nz pinots and SA rieslings(surprise surprise). I do have some from the other states, so we do have some options if we need something else to compliment a theme.

It would be interesting to see which states people have wine from which they would like to bring. Then we could try and narrow it down to just 2 states perhaps?

[Softie]

My dry and off-dry Rieslings are from SA, WA and NSW. I have dessert Rieslings from NZ, SA and Vic.

My Pinots are from Vic and one from NZ. (Zero from Tassie, and these days zero from France.)

[Softie]

Folks

We're going with Saturday 26 October at the Moat again in Little Lonsdale, 6:30 for 7.

So get your names in. Who's in??????

John

[paulf]

Count me in.

[Softie]

Ok that's five so far: LGWx2, Softiex2, Paul.

We're going ahead. Now I'll reach out by some emails and to my CellarTracker buddies.

John

[conformistpete]

Dammit I will be out of town again!

[via collins]

I'm in - did you not get my reply to your direct e-mail?

Really looking forward to this, surely Simon1980 is in, he's been begging for the PN sessions!

[Softie]

Vc
I did so six so far. I have no doubt Simon1980 will join. He even sells Pinot!
John

[bendid]

Count me in for two. Have a few Pinot options, and some Riesling... especially if numbers suit one bottle (rather than magnum/2 bottles like last time).

Ben

[simon1980]

Yep, I'm in. Lots of Pinot options in the cellar! Couple of guests coming along too.

simon1980

[Softie]

Yep, I'm in. Lots of Pinot options in the cellar! Couple of guests coming along too.

simon1980

... and so it came to pass --------- that there were eleven.

JL

[paulf]

Could you add a +1 for me too please?
Cheers

Paul

[Softie]

No worries, Paul.

That's 12 firm and two more said offline they're provisionally in.

John

[Softie]

The two provisionals became confirmed, so the numbers are now 14.

No worries, Paul.

That's 12 firm and two more said offline they're provisionally in.

John

[Softie]

Guys,

I propose we cap numbers at 18 due to bottle sharing limitations [already Magnum or 2 x 750ml needed for >12 participants] and the format - sit down at a restaurant.

Given a limit of 18, if you are considering coming please get your acceptances in ASAP. I may ask for a deposit [$20 a head] by about 5 days out if anyone misses out because of the cap.

(Should I consider other solutions or approaches to balancing pours, numbers and dinner format?)

Some details: Saturday 26 October 6:30 for 7pm at The Moat, Little Lonsdale Street near Swanston Street. The themes – still broad at this stage – are Riesling [first course and dessert] and Pinot Noir [Main course]. As previously, cost will be $55 per head for three course meal, including corkage. I will negotiate some changes in the menu for the sake of variety.

Warm regards,

John

[Matt]

Good luck to you. I must say I'm a little envious of all these events. Being a Perthy they are just non existent over here. Have a great time!

[Softie]

Ha Matt,

They were non-existent here too. I got stuck in and pumped the networks.

Get in touch with Waiters Friend - Alan's a great man for wine and dinners - a darn good cook, as well as having a great cellar.

It doesn't really need good luck, but I recommend a hard, short push (not a drip feed effort) after you find 2+ collaborators that'll hit their networks too to get critical mass. Use other wine forums and find someone from Perth on CellarTracker and get them to friend locals with large cellars or many notes.

Go for it!

John

[Softie]

Folks,

Having reconciled my wine forum messages and my email messages, I think we have a (good) number of 12 attendees.

To check I’m not missing any of you, here’s my list. Do sing out if you’re coming and I’ve missed your name.

(Me) Softie + The Chardonnay Princess
LGW+1
PaulF +1
Via Collins
Simon1980 [a.k.a. ‘The Pinot Entrepreneur’]
Cloth Ears +1
Bendid+1

= 12 Any additions?

John
P.S. We also have > 12 other wine lovers unavailable for this dinner, but with an expressed interest in future dinners.