The Auswine Forum

Okay, after scrapping the idea of having one last month it's time to see who's interested again. I had a word with the Himalayan Kitchen (Melbourne Street, North Adelaide) and they're willing to set corkage at $10/person as opposed to the usual $10/bottle, and they're also willing to substitute some dishes of the banquet.

I've made a tentative booking for Friday the 20th October, with the following banquet which is $30.00/person plus corkage.

Entrees:
Chicken/Vegetable Momo: Steamed dumplings filled with chicken, fresh herbs & greens.
Sekuwa: Chicken pieces marinated with ginger, garlic & cooked with a splash of cream.
Berco Roti (Spring Rolls): Crispy rolls filled with chicken, fresh herbs & seasonal vegies.
Spring Onion Bhajee: A spring onion fritter in chickpea flour.

Mains:
Chicken Curry: Chicken marinated in yogurt, grilled & simmered in a fresh tomato sauce.
Festival Chicken: Pieces of chicken pan cooked with red chilli, basil, vegies & fresh tomato.
Lama Goat Curry: Slow cooked tender goat enriched with mustard oil & feungreek.
Sherpa Lamb: Tender lamb with potato, coriander seeds, cumin and black peppercorns.

Sides:
Dal: Traditional red lentils simmered with cumin & garlic.
Lemon Pumkin: Butternut pumkin lightly fried with mustard seeds & lemon juice.
Roti: Pan cooked bread, filled with spiced potato stuffing.
Bhat: Steamed basmati rice
Pappadums.

We need a minimum of 4 people for the banquet, so who's interested this time?

Cheers,
Ian

Sounds good to me Ian, count me in for one.
Cheers
Nick

Oh crap - I just heard from Mark that the Coonawarra barrel tasting series starts on the 20th, which will pretty much knock out most of the Blacktongues from possibly going to the offline.

Anyone else going to this too?

Cheers,
Ian

Happy to come along but perhaps a better date than Oct 20 can be organised. No more magnums of Charlie Melton 9 Popes left but I can probably scrape up another magnum of something!

Okay, if the 20th is no good what's the next best option - move it forward one night to Thursday the 19th, or back a week to Friday the 27th?

Can't do the 27th, but the 19th is good for me.

Have a magnum of something interesting (and Australian, for a change) to contribute.

What about 3rd or 10th of Nov?

3rd is out (going over to Melbourne for Derby Day) for me, but the 10th is good.

3rd is out for me too - looks like the 10th of November could be the new date then.

I'll contact the restaurant soon to see if we can change it.

Okay the title has changed - and so's the date. Now it's booked for the Friday the 10th of November.

Looking at going at this early stage are:
n4sir,
Nayan,
Shadrach,
Nick (maybe?),
and a long-overdue guest appearance by markg.

If I take along something French, will that possibly get you interested in attending rooview?

Cheers,
Ian

November 10th sounds good, will be there with bells on.

Cheers

Nick

Zipped in there last night and booked for 5-10 people at 7:00.

To date those going are:
n4sir,
Nayan,
Shadrach,
Nick,
markg

n4sir wrote:Zipped in there last night and booked for 5-10 people at 7:00.

To date those going are:
n4sir,
Nayan,
Shadrach,
Nick,
markg

Sorry

Love to go but will be OS at that time.

Enjoy

Gavin Trott wrote:Sorry

Love to go but will be OS at that time.

Enjoy

Gavin, it never stops.

I won't be able to make it, I'll be sitting on a beach drinking beer (!!!) celebrating the last of my exams for the year

michaelw wrote:

Gavin Trott wrote:Sorry

Love to go but will be OS at that time.

Enjoy

Gavin, it never stops.

Going OS

Wines lined up to try as samples.

Hard work

but

someone's etc etc etc

Steve wrote:I won't be able to make it, I'll be sitting on a beach drinking beer (!!!) celebrating the last of my exams for the year

Enjoy that! I will be getting ready for the first of 3 exams on beggining on Saturday morning. Hence, while people will be enjoying some unboubtedly fine wine on Friday night I will be knee deep in a panic of administrative law. Can't wait

It's a pity some of you chaps can't attend - the next one maybe?

I've posted an additional thread at the *forum to see if I can drum up some additional numbers.

I'd recommend BYO glasses too - the ones at the restaurant are adequate at best, and you'll probably only get 1 per person. Going by past events there will be a lot of wines to get through, so I recommend those attending bring at least a couple each.

Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian & Co.

Your timing is almost always impeccable - frantic week that one - will keep an eye out in case the date changes again, keen to get along to one some time!!

Cheers mate, Adam.

Sounds brilliant - they all do, but busy over the next little while. I'll keep my peepers open for the next one. Would love to come to one.

Great so see you and Mark can make it Adrian.

I got a PM from Lagare Lout who will also make an appearance to make it a very respectable 8 participants so far.

I'm kicking around a few ideas of what to bring - I said possibly something French, so if the numbers hold up that could be a magnum of old red (1978 Malartic Lagraviere or 1970 Meyney) or a 750ml 1983 Coutet that I wanted to try soon (but a friend has since described it's " always been an absolute c*** of a wine!" ).

I've also got a 750ml 1982 Noble One that I said I've have with Mark Wickman sometime soon, and there's also a magnum of 1989 Peter Lehmann Stonewell that I said I'd have with him too.

Decision, decisions ...

Cheers,
Ian

rooview wrote:I know little of any of those wines sans the Coutet which from that year is a big unknown. Suprise us Ian, bag it up and choose something from that list or something completely different for a bigger surprise. We'll all embarass ourselves with the suggestions anyway

Prior to getting this I'd heard from a couple of people that 1983 was a pretty good year for Sauternes/Barsac, and my guess from reading the various TNs on the web the Coutet is quite a slow-developing vintage for the label. The colour of the wine is still a stunning youthful yellow despite being 23 years old, which would seem to confirm this - as to my friend who slagged it, I don't think he's a fan of any vintage of Coutet for that matter!

rooview wrote:Don't plan to reveal my wines... but - did we want a bubbly? I think it's an essential start. If no one else is bring one I'll ensure something interesting is brought along.

No big surprise there - virtually everyone now expects that you and Mark will take along a bottle of bubbly. I think pretty soon you'll have the unofficial title of "Mr. Bubbles"

Cheers,
Ian

Love it if you bring the 78 Malartic Lagraviere. Have had a few 78 Bdx over the years and they have ranged from stunning to the disappointing (the 78 Cheval Blanc being the example at the lower end of enjoyment that comes to mind)

will attend one day but doing a "penguin parade" on the same night. usually end up at the casino or crazy horse at 2am.
look forward to next year

Nayan wrote:Love it if you bring the 78 Malartic Lagraviere. Have had a few 78 Bdx over the years and they have ranged from stunning to the disappointing (the 78 Cheval Blanc being the example at the lower end of enjoyment that comes to mind)

That's the magnum I specifically had in mind - I think the 70 Meyney is perhaps a little too risky for this offline, and I don't think either of the stickys would suit the menu.

Cheers,
Ian

I dropped in last night and confirmed the booking, expecting the following 8 are going:

n4sir,
Nayan,
Shadrach,
Nick,
markg
rooview+1
Lagare Lout

Cash on the night would be appreciated and I assume everyone's okay with the menu.

Now as much as some of you like to practice the black art of options bastardry, I think most of us should at least give a rough idea of what we're taking so we don't double-up or overkill/neglect a particular variety (I still can't believe no-one took a Pinot to the last T-Chow offline ).

I'm planning on taking the magnum of 1978 Malartic Lagraviere, and probably and aged dry white or classic Aussie red, depending on what's around and how my crappy luck with corks this year fares on the night.

Cheers,
Ian

crusty2 wrote:will attend one day but doing a "penguin parade" on the same night. usually end up at the casino or crazy horse at 2am.
look forward to next year

rooview wrote:Edit: and what is a 'penguin parade' ? Sounds a bit dodgy.

Dunno what sounds more dodgy - the penguin parade or crashing the "Insane Donkey" at 2am? The last time I was there for a friend's Bucks Night about 9 years ago they were charging $6.00 for a small coke - I hate to think what they're slugging now.

Lagare Lout PM'd me saying he'll probably take an old Eden Valley Riesling and one of his own (Coates) recent release reds, maybe even a barrel sample of his 2005 Fortified Shiraz.

Cheers,
Ian

"penguin parade" is a loose term for a bunch of blokes in black tie and tails wandering around looking for a few more drinks.

n4sir wrote:I'm planning on taking the magnum of 1978 Malartic Lagraviere, and probably and aged dry white or classic Aussie red, depending on what's around and how my crappy luck with corks this year fares on the night.

With a couple of people looking at taking rieslings already (and one aged Eden Valley at that) I might switch my second bottle to a new release aromatic white I just got hold of and wanted to try.

Cheers,
Ian

Since when is Options the 'black art of bastardry'! Personally I find it tests the memory and makes you dig deep into the grey matter to consider what the wine is and whether you have had it before. Far more interesting than just drinking the label. See you Friday with my masked wine