Lunches
2 December Keith Steele
25 November 2025 Steve Liebeskind and Escoffier
Food review by Mark Bradford, wine review by President, Stephen O'Halloran and photos by James Hill
Food
Tuesday was our annual WFS remembrance day, when we honour those members who have passed away during the year. Those members were Ray Kidd (aged 98), Michael Cassimaty (95) and Peter Manners (101). Ray joined the Society in 1969, Michael in 1970 and Peter in 1995. A lot of years enjoyed of fine wine, food and convivial company.
Steve Liebeskind was Chef of the Day, and he noted “in honouring the passing of the Society’s canape master and winemaker extraordinaire, the mindset moved to some obvious choices for the lunch”. Steve was assisted by members James Hill, Greg Sproule and Denis Redfern, with Steve Sparkes poking his head around helping with things as well.
Canapés
These were in abundance, and of high quality.
Greg produced prawn cocktails on toast: small, toasted rounds with shredded lettuce and radicchio, prawn, mayo sauce ad dill.
James served us smoked duck breast from Sunshine Meats in Milperra, sourced by John Banks. These were sliced and put on witlof with a squirt of red currant jelly.
We had smoked chorizo, also from Sunshine Meats, sliced with a toothpick and ready to eat. The meat was so good that adding to it would only detract from the flavour.
James put together a terrine. It was Damian Pignolet’s country terrine on toast, topped with pico peppers and cornichons.
A wonderful tribute to the “canape king”, with a splendid champagne (thanks “Chilly”) to accompany.
Main
Fittingly, this had to be roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, the final dish Peter Manners cooked as Chef of the Day, aged 96. Many members will recall that day and the quality of the meal; it was also served with Escoffier assistance on his 100th birthday last year.
Steve sourced four Scotch fillets weighing between 2.5 and 3 kgs, and they were marinated for 36 hours in garlic, hot English mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. These were then brought to the REX, where they were seared and put on a roux and in the oven for 50 minutes, then rested for 40 minutes to allow the flavour to go to the centre. The result was a medium rare beef with some crunch bits for texture.
The gravy was beef based, using offcuts from the fillets added with beef stock. Five litres was created, with the juice from the roasting pan being added and reduced by 40 percent.
Yorkshire pudding? Who better to put his hand up than proud Yorkshireman Denis Redfern (Steve also did a batch of 24). These were made at home, brought to the REX and put in the oven 10 minutes before service to help raise and crispen. The two puddings served were from different recipes, and accordingly, looked quite different.
The vegetables served were pureed roasted pumpkin and al dente green beans, blanched before entering the oven.
Cheese
The cheese was the same as that served at Peter’s 100th last year – Colston Basset Stilton selected by Neal’s Yard dairy – a blue cow’s cheese.
A limited quantity of Stilton is made at Colston Bassett to a traditional recipe exclusively for Neal’s Yard Dairy using animal rennet, which creates a delicate, friable texture and long, complex flavour. Curds are hand ladled into cylindrical moulds; a time-consuming and painstaking process, but one that helps to preserve the structure of the curd and deliver a smooth rich textured cheese. The piercing takes place later in the maturation process in order to strike the right balance between creamy, flavoursome paste and blue mould. During maturation, the crusty rind forms naturally, encouraged by rubbing and brushing, and after spiking, blueing radiates from the centre. This is a buttery, silky cheese with an elegant sweetness.
An excellent cheese, served with an equally excellent green salad accompaniment provided by Steve.
Today’s bread was Sonoma Mission, characterised by its golden chewy crust and custard-like interior texture.
Wine
What a splendid day, did we all enjoy? 55 of us gathered in our dining room at the REX to say farewell to three of our most senior members, Ray Kidd, Peter Manners and Michael Cassimaty, all of whom passed away earlier this year. We gave them a rousing send-off with great food and wine, accompanied by some fitting tributes from the membership. Steve Liebeskind prepared for us a terrific main of perfectly cooked roast beef, which followed some delicious canapes. Nick Reynolds procured for us some of Ray Kidd's famous wines from the Society cellar, and Mark Bradford delivered a magnificent Stilton cheese. We all left happy and contented. With regard to the wines, we started off with Chilly Hargraves Bernard Bremont Champagne, in a word, delicious. Just what was needed with the plentiful and tasty canapes. I really liked the terrine.
Moving onto the lunch wines, first cab off the rank was the famous Leonay Eden Valley Riesling 2006 @ 11 % This is always a great wine, one of our finest Rieslings. Now I9 yo the wine is lovely, balanced with still firm acids leading to a satisfying finish. Pale yellow in colour with a complex mouthfeel of Lemon Peel and Lime. A great old wine, still delivering top quality.
Wine 2 was the 2008 Pyrus from Lindeman's Coonawarra vineyard, which was established by the late Ray Kidd. A blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Malbec @ 14%, this wine has always been my favourite of the trio of St George, Pyrus and Limestone Ridge. A wine lighter in structure than the other two, and more complex. Medium weight, tannins noticeable, with black currant and mint overtones. Drinking beautifully now, but with time still on its side. A treat.
Wine 3 was the Lindeman's Reserve Bin 1350 Semillon from the Hunter, @ 10.5% from 2013. A top year in the Hunter for Semillon, this was a 12 yo classic. Well balanced with still crisp acid, hints of lanolin and beeswax on the palate. Still sweetish fruit evident. Years still ahead of it.
Wine 4 was my favourite of the day, the Lindeman's Bin 1400 Hunter Shiraz, 2014 vintage @ 14.5%. Grown on the famous Ben Ean vineyard, one of the finest in that region. A complete package, great year, indeed a memorable vintage for Shiraz in the Hunter, this wine deserves to be rated as a classic of the vintages of the last 20 years. An exquisite wine, medium body, layered with warm flavours of dark cherry, spice, leather and earthy overtones. Tannins/oak and acid all perfectly integrated. A joy to drink, still time ahead.
Wine 5 was the truly excellent St George vineyard Cabernet, 2008 from Coonawarra @ 14%. A straight Cabernet, robust flavours of dark fruits, cassis and cedar overtones. Big colour, ripe fruit and some faint mint. Acid/oak/tannins blending in so well. Great length on the finish. A wonderful wine.
Our final wine of the day was a Lindeman's John Riddoch Cabernet from 1988, served in magnum @ 12.3%. Now at 37 yo this was a genuine museum wine, well protected by being in a magnum. Clearly an old wine, but still possessed of some outstanding quality fruit, showing earthy spice, dark cherry and blackcurrant. The colour was starting to fade around the rim, but the wine still had sufficient acid to see it through to an enjoyable finish. This wine was a real treat, great drinking now if you go for old great wines @ 30+ years, but I personally could see little benefit in keeping it any longer, if you are lucky enough to have some hidden away in the depths of your cellar. Time is definitely not on the side of this lovely old wine.
18 November 2025 James Tinslay
Food review by James Hill and wine review by President, Stephen O'Halloran
Food
James Tinslay was in the kitchen today as our Chef of the Day.
Canapés
David Madson assisted, showing a deft hand at making blinis. He topped the first canapé with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, lemon rind, dill, capers and red onion.
The next smoked chicken and mustard.
Yours truly presented some Parmesan custard topped with peas in tartlets. The Parmesan custard was made with Parmesan, Beaufort and cheddar. Good mouthfeel, texture and flavour in the canapés.
Main
We love a pie at our Society, and today was one of the best!
James trialled the pie several times to get it to perfection.
He used beef chuck and cooked it with tomato paste, mustard, garam masala, dried porcini, malt vinegar, soy, Vegemite and anchovies.
The pie was served with some crisp asparagus and duck fat potatoes.
Perfect crust, browned on top.
James made an asparagus puree using leftover stalks, cream, shallots and duck stock.
Nick Reynolds helped with the mirepoix. Paul Thorne rendered duck skins to make duck fat for the potatoes.
As someone in the room said best pie ever….
It had all the hallmarks of a great meal today: timing, presentation, and integrated lingering flavours.
Worthy of Chef of the Year contention.
Bread today was white sourdough from Humble Circular Quay.
Cheese
A French cow’s milk offering today, a white mould not ammoniated, soft and aromatic, Fromager D’Affinois Le Fromager Double Crème.
The cheese is made in Belley, a small town nestled at the foot hills of the picturesque French Alps, surrounded by ancient forests and famous for its many waterfalls, and local farmers supply the dairy with luscious milk from their herds of Montbeliardes and Holstein cows that graze on dense pastures nearby.
With a thin white mould rind and a paste that gradually develops a mild, sweet, creamy flavour, this double crème cheese has a silky mouth feel and creamy, subtle flavour.
A medley of nuts to accompany the cheese.
Wine
Today, we were blessed to have James Tinslay serve us with his special dish, individual beef pies. Cooked to perfection in its own pastry case, and served at the right time, ready to eat, just the right temperature. Well done, James!
The canape wine was a delightful Muscadet from Domaine de la Combe, 2021 @ 12 %. This French white wine is a joy to drink with all types of seafood, especially oysters. The grape variety Melon de Bourgogne is grown in the Loire district. The wine today was delicious, crisp, high acid, with great fruit and finishing clean and fresh. Do yourself a favour, buy some fresh oysters and drink a bottle of this wine. A winning combination! You will not regret it.
Wines 1 and 2 on the main course menu were the Bouland Morgon Beaujolais 2023 @ 14 %. The second wine was the 2019 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Sangiovese @ 14.5 %. I have lumped these wines together as they were both terrific, loved them. The Morgon is a serious wine, deserving to be drunk with proper attention. Mid-weight, luscious red berry fruits, plenty of tannin and acid, an earthy mid palate with a powerful lingering finish. This was a quality wine. A wine with considerably more body than a Pinot Noir and more flavour, but lacks the elegance of a PN. A great choice. The second wine a Chianti, has I feel, become one of our Society favourites. I have reviewed it on a number of occasions over the last 12 months, and I am glad to say it has never let us down and has deserved the big wraps I have given it in the past. Medium to light body, elegant and flavoursome. Wonderful fruit with noticeable acidity and tannin, but well balanced. The perfect wine for an Osso Bucco. Very hard to select a winner between these two. I think the Chianti just got there as my wine of the day.
Wine 3 was a Chardonnay, a 2024 from Ox Hardy in the Adelaide Hills, @ 13 %. I quite liked this wine, but following two outstanding reds, it suffered a little from its position in the list, with the red wine flavours still dominating one's palate. Be that as it may, the wine was a well made commercial Chardy, yellow/gold in colour, nice fruit and well balanced acidic overtones. An enjoyable wine, but would have been better served as a canape wine.
Final wine for the day was a Teusner GSM 2021 @ 14.5 % from the Barossa. This was a wine made by Kym Tuesner, a very accomplished Barossa winemaker. Very dark colour with lots of spice and acid and tannin, made for the long haul. The wine was well received at my table; however, to my palate, the wine tasted a bit "odd", It may have been my taste buds reacting to the wine, but I just felt there was something out of place here. The wine was a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mataro (aka Mourvèdre), and 10% Shiraz. Perhaps a little bit too much Mataro?? A more expert palate than mine might unlock the answer. Everyone else seemed to like it, so I must be the odd man out. Such is life.
11 November 2025 Rob Guthrie and Jennifer Darin
Food review by James Hill and wine review by President Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Lunch today was a joint initiative between WFSNSW and Sydney Ladies WFS, presenting venison. The chefs were Rob Guthrie and Jennifer Darin. This was the first lunch cooked by a member of Sydney Ladies WFS.
Canapés
Sharon Wyzenbeek up first with a green gazpacho. The gazpacho had equal amounts of baby spinach and fresh basil, then green capsicums, green chillis, cucumber, avocado, fresh lemon juice, vegetable stock, and plain yoghurt. All blitzed together and seasoned with a prawn!
Rob Guthrie’s canapé was puff pastry rounds partly cooked, then filled with mushrooms, finished in the oven, then topped with goats’ cheese, green olives and black kalamata olives, and a touch of fresh thyme. The mushrooms were sweated down in olive oil, chilli oil, garlic and salt.
Steve Liebeskind created a ceviche that was served on spoons. It was a mixture of red onion, coriander and fresh salmon pieces that had been mixed with an Asian sauce (spicy with citric acid). The salmon was cured by the sauce with the onion, coriander, lime zest and chilli, adding flavour and texture to the ceviche.
Main
Venison served with beans and potatoes sounds simple, but a lot of thought and effort in today’s menu.
Jennifer marinated the venison backstrap for twenty-four hours in allspice, rosemary, evoo, the zest of sixteen lemons, balsamic glaze, and BBQ sauce. They were cooked on the rack for five minutes on one side and two on the other, then rested. Perfectly cooked, tender, and moist. It was served with an intensely flavoured sauce made with blue and black berries, honey, balsamic glaze, lemon juice, port and lots of pepper!
Once served it was topped with chives from Jennifer’s garden.
The potato was cooked with sweet paprika, dill, butter and salt. Thanks to Dennis Cooper, who cubed the five kilos of potatoes!
Rob Guthrie’s beans beside Jennifer’s venison were blanched, then dressed. The dressing was a combination of white wine vinegar, olive oil, roasted garlic and seeded mustard. When plated, they had a drizzle of fresh lime juice and a few roasted almonds
First class effort today, canapés, main and cheese appreciated by all today and reflected by high praise in comments.
Many thanks to our REX kitchen team for their assistance today.
Cheese
The cheese requested by Jennifer today was a “Red Kasanova”, a German semi-soft, pasteurised cow’s milk.
Many favourable comments on the quality, texture, and flavour of this cheese. It came to the table in perfect condition and temperature. It was the first time served at our Society in my memory.
Red Kasanova highlights the exceptional quality of the milk produced by the farmers who belong to the cooperative dairy Bio-Käserei Wiggensbach. The texture of this washed-rind cheese is absurdly rich and velvety smooth. When it comes to flavour, Red Kasanova captures the qualities found in hard mountain cheeses from the area, think garlic and onion notes, but in a cheese that has the texture of butter. While the outer rind can get a bit potent in aroma, the high fat content of the paste tampers down any aggressive flavours that would normally show from a cheese in this category. Despite its mouthfeel, the cheese remains firm in form.
It was served with some black grapes.
Wine
Today marked the 107th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in 1918, thus bringing to an end the War to End All Wars. A very special day in Australian history, considering the appalling cost to our young nation at the time. On a much lighter note, today we had as our guests some of our womenfolk, including members of the Sydney Ladies WFS. A good roll up of 40 enjoyed a splendid lunch prepared by guest Chef Jennifer Darin and our Chef of the Year, Rob Guthrie. See the food report for full details.
By way of wine, we got things underway with the best party starter on the planet, pink champagne on ice from Bernard Bremont NV. A truly excellent wine, a glass full of lively bubbles and plenty of flavour. Beautiful nose, crisp and mouth-filling, but finishing with a clean lingering aftertaste so typical of good French Champagne. I have always thought that pink Champagne adds a touch of glamour and excitement to an occasion. Many thanks to Chilly Hargraves for securing this fine wine for our cellar.
Wine No 1 on the list for lunch was the delightful Kumeu River (NZ) Rays Rd Chardonnay 2021 @ 13.5%. A very enjoyable wine, colour gleaming gold /green, plenty of acid balanced by outstanding fruit. Lovely aromas and taste of stone fruits and citrus with just a dash of buttery hints. The wine was served with other wines to accompany the venison main course, and I think the wine was out of place with the rich flavours of the meat and sauces that went with it. Nonetheless, it was a first-rate wine, but stuck with the wrong company.
Wine No 2 was my wine of the day, the Yalumba " Cigar " Coonawarra Cabernet 2008 @ 14%. This wine exuded the classic Cabernet package of intense black fruits, leather, cherry, tobacco and rich stewed fruit. Tannins were restrained and balanced by gentle oak. Drinking at what must be its peak in development, the wine still had sufficient acid to carry it through for several more years at least. A great drink.
Wine No 3 was the Hewitson L'Oizeau Shiraz 1998 @14%. From a quality winemaker, this wine was, sadly, in my view, drinking well past its best drinking period. Now 27 yo, it was to me sad and tired with the dull, dank aroma of a wine that was well past its prime. I am sure that years ago, in its heyday, we would have enjoyed it very much as a high-quality Shiraz, but now the just detectable signs of former glory have been nearly eclipsed by the march of time.
Final wine of the day was the Yalumba Virgilius Viognier 2021. Readers of this weekly review will be well aware of my thoughts about this wine. In short, I do not like it. Oily and unctuous, it is just not my cup of tea. Some people, for reasons best known to themselves, may like it, fine, go ahead, knock yourself out, but before you do, please have my glass. The only redeeming feature of this grape is that when mixed in small proportions with quality Shiraz, it produces a wine of deep richness and lusciousness as typified in the famous Clonakilla Shiraz.
28 October 2025 James Hill
Food review by CoTD James Hill and wine review by our President, Stephen O'Halloran
Food
A full house for our monthly wine tasting lunch today, with yours truly in the kitchen. The wines today were made available from our member Richard Gibson’s cellar.
Canapés
Chilly Hargrave was up first with a chunky tapenade of green olive, basil, garlic and olive oil in pastry cups. They were topped with a cherry tomato and grind of pepper.
Johnathan Casson followed with some home-pickled onion, anchovy and salsa verde on baked brioche.
Garry Linnane reprised an old favourite, smoked oysters on cream cheese and Ritz cracker biscuits, topped with sriracha, ginger, garlic and spring onion.
Lots of thought and effort in canapés with robust, integrated flavours, much appreciated by members.
Main
The main today was a pork and veal, smoked cheese, and bacon rotolo.
The rotolo main ingredients are pork and veal mince, diced salami, onions, garlic, mustard, parmesan, parsley, eggs and bread crumbs. It’s patted out to an even rectangle with layered thin slices of ham and then sprinkled with grated smoked Dutch cheese. Once rolled up, it’s then covered with bacon and baked for an hour, rested for twenty minutes, sliced, and served.
It was served with a veal velouté sauce and warmed tomato, butter beans.
The main ingredients of the tomato butter bean dish are red onion, garlic, red chili, butter beans, basil, rosemary, parsley and ox heart tomatoes.
Both recipes are by Belinda Jeffrey, a food writer, presenter, and cook.
Much gratitude to the kitchen brigade at the Rex for their invaluable assistance in preparing and cooking our food.
Many favourable comments on the wine and food match today.
Bread was a white sourdough loaf from Humble Bakery Circular Quay.
Cheese
Mark Bradford chose a Beaufort for our cheese today, and it came to the table in perfect condition and temperature.
Beaufort D’Été AOP is a hard French cheese of unpasteurised cow’s milk.
Beaufort made from late Spring or Summer milk has a concentrated creamy texture and nutty, slightly sweet lingering flavour.
Famous since Roman times, this huge 45kg cheese is often referred to as the Prince of Gruyère.
Only cheeses made from late spring or summer milk are selected, called Beaufort d’Été, as this is when the best milk comes from cows that have ascended into the rich mountain pastures.
A cooked curd cheese made from raw milk, the close, concentrated creamy texture and nutty, slightly sweet lingering flavours are typical of this rare cheese, which also has excellent melting qualities.
Simply accompanied by a salad of green apple, fennel, cucumber, celery and parsley dressed with apple cider vinegar, evoo and seasoning.
Wine
A very healthy turnout of 50 or so gathered to enjoy what was promising to be a great afternoon. I am pleased to say that the occasion very much lived up to the promise with some tremendous food and selected Brokenwood wines to match. Beginning with canapes, we enjoyed a 2023 Brokenwood Sem @ 11%. To my taste, this was a perfect apéritif wine. Clean, fresh, lively acid with good quality fruit. We have had this wine before, a few months ago, and at that time I was amazed at how a young Hunter Sem could be so drinkable. The same comment is applicable to this wine now. A perfect match for the pass-arounds.
Before I move on to the lunch wines, I must make a brief comment on the food. James Hill must be congratulated on his superb Pork Rotolo with beans. Just terrific, as everyone agreed. James, you are a champion! See the food report for details.
All of the wines listed hereunder are from Brokenwood.
Wine 1 was the Trevena Kindred Sem, 2014 @ 11%. A magic year in the Hunter, producing some memorable wines to drink over the last few years, and plenty of time for further development. This wine was a pale straw colour, brimming with juicy citrus fruits of lemon and lime. Full-bodied with some detectable aromatic hints. Great balance. A delight.
Wine 2 was the Maxwell Vineyard Sem 07 @11.5%. Now at 25yo, the wine still carries considerable acid, but with a soft texture of apple, lanolin and pear overtones. A full-bodied wine drinking well now, but still has years ahead of good drinking. A fine wine, a tribute to Don Maxwell, the previous owner, a good friend to several people at my table today.
Wine 3, the ILR Sem 09 @10.5%, was by popular acclaim the pick of the whites today. Pale yellow/straw colour, clean and fresh. Abundant fruit hints of lemon and pineapple, with quite strong acid still in existence, medium-bodied. A delightful long finish with impeccable balance till the very end. Semillon at its finest.
Moving on to the reds, Wine 4 was the Mistress Block Shiraz 2013 @ 13.5%. red brick colour, medium body with some tannin and oak noticeable. Solid fruit backbone and plenty of acid. An excellent mid-weight Hunter Shiraz, delightful.
Wine 5 was the 2015 Quail Shiraz 13.5%. Somewhat darker in colour from the previous wine, softer also in texture. A wine not made every year. Nose redolent of earth, leather and spices. Plenty of acid. No sign of premature ageing. A lovely wine.
Final wine of the day was the famous Graveyard vineyard Shiraz 2014 @ 13.5%. What a treat, one of Australia's best Shiraz from a great vintage. Again, a deeper colour from the two preceding wines. Denser in weight and texture, rich, intense nose, loads of dark blackberry fruit flavours. Near-perfect balance between oak/tannin/acid. In short, a beautiful wine, drinking so well now, but with years of enjoyable drinking ahead before the wine reaches peak development.
All in all, a great afternoon, excellent collegiate atmosphere, with fun and good humour. Special thanks to Richard Gibson for making these wines available to us from his cellar. Much appreciated by all.
21 October 2025 Madan and the REX Team
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by our President, Stephen O'Halloran
Food
A sunny spring day for our Tuesday lunch, with the REX team presenting an excellent Nepalese meal for the members. Sous chef Madan oversaw today’s fare. Out of town member Miles Hedge arose to tell the floor that he travelled from his home in Kings Plains – south-west of Bathurst –especially for the event, and he certainly was not disappointed. Cellar Master Nick Reynolds did a great job with wines that were acclaimed to be a great match with the food on offer.
Canapés
Madan gave us three canapes for today’s lunch.
- Chatpate on cucumber, a spicy and tangy street food. Puff rice, green peas, carrot, peanuts, tamarind, green chilli, lime and coriander.
- Pork filled momo with spicy achar dip. These were made from marinated pork mince, shallots, ginger and garlic, then wrapped in plain pastry.
- Jhinga machha sekuwa (marinated prawn BBQ skewers). The prawns were marinated with plain yoghurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, timur, mustard oil, cumin and coriander.
All great canapés, crafted by a professional chef. Although quite young, the Pewsey Vale riesling was a good match with all canapés.
Main
Madan presented Dal Bhat Tarkari, a classic Nepalese dish. The red lentil dal was served separately on the table, and it accompanied steamed basmati rice, chicken curry, a crispy cracker (papad), mula acha (a fermented radish pickle) and ghee.
Both REX chefs have their roots in Nepal, and you would not get a better Nepalese meal in town than that served today.
Madan provided extensive details on the dishes and took some questions from the floor.
Cheese
The Cheese Master returned to Australia with a Petit Fleuri, originally from the French Alps but made near Mortlake, between Warrnambool and the Grampians in Victoria.
This artisan double cream brie is handcrafted from organic cow’s milk with added cream. The rich yellow coloured interior matures to a soft, buttery texture with a mild, creamy flavour, notes of mushroom and delicate hints of garlic chives. There was a feeling it needed a little more aging.
Madan accompanied the cheese with a tasty green salad including sliced apples and pears.
Wine
A modest turnout of 25 or so, sat down to a fine Nepalese meal from our friends at REX. To jolly us along, our Wine Master provided us with a terrific lineup of high-class wines. With canapes, we enjoyed a Seppelt Drumborg Riesling 2024 @ 11.5%. Excellent choice, clean and fresh, very pale as you would expect from a 1-year-old Riesling, but showing all the hallmarks of future greatness. Perfect acid/fruit balance, a delight.
Wine 1 on the lunch list was the Domaine Wachau Riesling from Austria 2022 @ 12.5%. This wine, to me, was a classic example of the difference between European and Australian wines. This was a class wine, quite dry, but with excellent, restrained fruit flavours and perfect acidity. In comparison, most Australian Riesling is a far bigger, bolder and exuberant on the palate. This wine was to me cultured and elegant.
Wine 2 on the list was the celebrated Seppelt 2008 Sparkling Shiraz @ 13%. What a treat this wine was. After 17 years cooped up in a bottle, the wine burst out with unmatched vibrancy and boisterous flavour, which was astonishing. Fighting one's way through pink, abundant foam (aka mousse), the wine delivered a superbly
Generous, deeply flavoured mouthful of Australian Sparkling Shiraz at its best. Voluptuous, rich, spicy Shiraz, drinking at its peak, although on today's tasting, there seemed no reason to doubt that the wine has plenty to offer future drinkers. Just pipped at the post by the following wine for my wine of the day!
Wine 3 was my pick of the day, by a whisker. The Best’s 2014 Bin 0 @ 13. 5% was, in my view, a truly great wine. Medium weight, an elegant but deeply flavoured Shiraz, with a lingering, powerful finish. Delicate spice and peppery hints, a luscious wine on the mid palate, with just the right degree of lightness of texture to make it a superb wine to consume. Surely, one of our great Shiraz.
Wine 4 was the Society's go-to Cabernet Sauvignon, the Wynns Coonawarra Black Label. This wine from 2013, @ 13.5% was a delight to drink. To me, the wine provided a perfect illustration of the differences between Cabernet and Shiraz. Both wines from roughly the same year were excellent ambassadors for their unique differences. To me, the Shiraz was cultured, mid-weight and graceful, redolent with pepper and spice hints and smooth on the palate. In comparison, the Cabernet was a bigger wine, full of huge red berry fruit flavours, so typical of classy Cabernet. Red Currant, blackberry, stewed fruit, aroma, leather, oak and tannin, the usual suspects, were all there. A highly enjoyable wine, quite different from the Shiraz.
So that was the party, and a great success it was indeed. Great atmosphere in the room, lots of positive energy and some delicious food and wine to complete the mix. Today was a good example of how our Society can foster firm friendships between members, creating an environment where we come along not just for the Wine and Food, but also to enjoy the company of our fellow members. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers".
14 October 2025 Nigel Burton
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Good to see the ever reliable and former Chef of the Year, Nigel Burton, cooking for us on a warm and sunny spring day. Nigel served an innovative duck meal, always a favourite protein at the Society. He was assisted by “The Three Gees” or was it “The Bee Gees” – Greg Brunner, Greg Chugg and George Winyard – on canapés and with plating on the day.
Canapés
We started with Greg Chugg’s creation of Gravlax on a bed of horseradish cream. Next was Mushroom Conserva served on toast with four types of mushrooms, put together by Greg Brunner. Finally, George provided us with prawns with smoked paprika served on a breadbasket.
Comments were favourable for the canapés, with the Mushroom Conserva drawing particular praise on the day.
Main
Nigel prepared an interesting main course of “Duck Three Ways” and separated by dried raspberries, snow peas and pomegranate molasses so as to depict a peace sign from the nuclear disarmament era.
The first and dominant duck was breast sous vide for two hours at 57 C and grilled off for a crispy skin. The sauce on top was a combination of duck stock, fresh pomegranate juice, raspberries and vincotto. This was all topped with fresh pomegranate seeds.
The duck ravioli had a butter sauce and fried leak, while the Foie Gras had pita bread and was shaped as a Star of David.
The dish was widely applauded. The flavours were excellent, as was the presentation.
Cheese
The Cheese Master served Fromage d’Affinois Florette, a white mould goat’s milk cheese, which was a hit today.
The name d’Affinois is a play on ‘affinage’ – the French word for the ripening process of cheese. Using an innovative method called ultrafiltration, Jean Claude Guilloteau pioneered a new method of cheese making in the 1980s that created a luscious and velvety cheese naturally richer in proteins and minerals. Florette is a hexagonal-shaped goat’s milk cheese with a silky consistency made near Pelussin in the Rhone Valley. As it ripens, the cheese becomes quite runny retaining its delicate creamy goat’s milk flavour. It came to the table in terrific condition.
Nigel accompanied the cheese with sliced cucumber, fresh mint leaves and olive oil.
The bread, sourced by George, was a sourdough baguette from Indochine Corner in Lindfield.
Wine
Today we had a reasonable turnout, just under 30, to enjoy Nigel Burton's duck. I was a bit surprised there were not a greater number of members attending, as Nigel is one of our most accomplished chefs. However, I guess the old saying, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink", has some applicability to those members who would normally attend a well-anticipated event. So it goes. See Food Report for full details.
We started with some delicious canapes, which were accompanied by, firstly, a Cincinnato Bellone 2022 @ 13%. Those who were at last week's lunch will remember that we drank it then, and I am pleased to say that, in my view, it was just as enjoyable as last time. Clean, fresh, strong fruit flavours, with lively acidity and a crisp finish. I think it is fair to say that not everyone in the room enjoyed the wine as I did, from some comments I heard, but for a canape wine, light and fresh, I thought it was pretty good.
The second canape wine, as per the menu, an Ox Hardy Chardonnay, failed to be delivered, much to our Winemasters’ chagrin, so we had to fall back upon a very, and I mean very, young Riesling, an O'Leary Walker Polish Hill 2025 from the Clare district. This wine was made by some very good winemakers and from a celebrated part of Clare, and will in the future become a fine wine, but today, barely 6 months post-bottling, the wine did not taste like anything familiar, hardly any taste at all. I am gobsmacked that the wine was put out on the market so soon. I guess the wine makers had their reasons.
Wine no 1 on the list for lunch was Helen's Hill 2022 The Smuggler Pinot, from the Yarra Valley, @ 12.8% Some of you will remember that back in April this year, our Winemaster put on a tasting of several Pinots from different clones. This wine came from the Abel clone, originally from the Burgundy district of France, with cuttings then smuggled into NZ by a rugby player in the 1970s, via his boot. So the story goes. In any event, the wine today presented as a light-weight Pinot, same body weight as a lot of Australian Pinot, medium red brick in colour with a pleasing aroma of red fruits, strawberry and raspberry.. Generally attractive mouthfeel with noticeable acidity. I quite enjoyed the wine with the duck, but its lightweight structure did not allow for any lingering aftertaste. More depth of flavour would have improved the finish.
The second wine on the lunch list was another Pinot, this one from France, a Christian Clerget Bourgogne Rouge 2017 @ 12%. A much bigger wine in its structure than the preceding wine, with dark berry fruit, colour and greater intensity, but having said that, I found the wine to be somewhat underpowered in the flavour department. There was none of that luscious, decadent, mouth-filling warmth of a good French Pinot, redolent with the rich strawberry and cherry taste, we all find so alluring. This wine, to me, had none of that, failing to lift my spirits to any extent after the first few tastes. It just sat there in the glass, doing nothing for me. Others may have a different opinion; however, in my view, the wine was dumb and boring. I think the acid must have fallen away after 8 years, leaving it flat and flabby.
The third wine on the list was the Robert Stein Mudgee Riesling 2019 @ 12%. This wine is marketed as a 'dry' Riesling, and the maker meant every word! Stein is an excellent Riesling producer, and this was a quality wine. Bone dry, but with excellent fruit in the background. Pale straw colour, some hints of pear and lemon, with no residual sugar, leaving one with a mouth puckering sensation after the solid acidic finish. The absence of any detectable sugar allowed one to really taste the fruit, which was exceptional. A classy wine, better served in my view with the canapes than with the goat's cheese. The oily ocean trout canape would have been a better pairing with this super dry wine.
Final wine of the day was the Shaw and Smith Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2015 @ 14.5%. I have for a long time been a fan of Shaw and Smith wines, which have consistently produced a range of high-quality wines from vineyards in SA and Tas. Backed by Yalumba and with a team of some of our best winemakers, their wines are amongst some of the best in the land. This wine comes from the mildly cool climate of Adelaide Hills, better known for producing excellent Chardonnay. In any event, this wine was a medium-weight Shiraz, quite elegant, with good integration of oak and tannin. Rich dark fruits coupled with some spice and a trace of peppery overtones. Now fully developed, the wine finishes with just enough acid to deliver a smooth and satisfying finish. A classic cool-climate Australian Shiraz.
7 October 2025 Steve Sparkes
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
When Steve Sparkes is advertised as Chef of the Day, online bookings are traditionally high and today was no exception. Good to see him back in the kitchen for his first stint of the year.
Canapés
Steve served us three canapes, all excellent, and a wonderful match with the Italian starter white, which needed a food accompaniment.
We had mushrooms sautéed in oil, garlic, thyme and balsamic vinegar, then tuna pâté with parsley, and finally beef tartare, marinated in what today’s Chef described as “Steve’s Secret Stuff”, served on a crouton with diced cornichons.
Main
Hard to know where to start with this decadent delight. Tournedos Rossini, named after the nineteenth century genius of operetta and other polyphonic works. A bon vivant, Sig. Rossini retired in his thirties to devote himself to the pleasures of the table. This is evident from sequential etchings of him prepared during his lifetime.
Steve’s recipe was taken from Augustine Escoffier’s “A Guide to Modern Cookery”, first published in 1907. It is one of 65 Tournedos recipes in the book! Reliable sources report that M. Escoffier named the dish in honour of his friend, who moved from Italy to France.
The original dish consists of a piece of fillet steak (the Tournedos) served on a baguette crust topped with a slice of Foie Gras, a Madeira sauce and decorated with fresh truffle. Steve mentioned that the dish presented needed to be modified for the Society, because of budgetary restrictions and the availability of fresh truffle. A Foie Gras mousse with a Port Wine Gel replaced the slices of fresh Foie Gras and the truffle element was introduced via the Madeira sauce, a derivative of Sauce Espagnole, one of Escoffier’s five mother sauces.
To add a more modern, lighter touch, Steve accompanied the Tournedos with green beans dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar on the side, whilst a small portion of sauteed spinach was included in the “stack”.
Nothing but praise in the room today for this wonderful dish, prepared to the standards of a top restaurant.
Cheese
In theme, the Cheese Master presented a Woombye Truffle Triple Cream Brie, an artisan white mould cow’s milk cheese from the Sunshine Coast. Cheese from the Woombye stable is well-liked at the Society.
To make this Flagship decadent cheese, carefully selected wheels of Triple Cream Brie are cut in half and just the right amount of Italian black summer truffle is added to create a thin straight layer of truffle in the middle. The wheels are returned to the maturation room where they are carefully turned by hand every day. The white mould rind grows to cover the entire surface of the cheese concealing the truffle layer inside. During this maturation, the truffle layer concealed inside perfumes the cheese layers above and below.
This is a truly luxurious combination of a rich Australian triple cream and earthy truffle. When cut, the cheese displays its beautiful straight line of truffle and releases a sublime truffle aroma. The flavour is creamy and “mushroomy” with a delicious, lingering truffle taste on the palate.
To accompany this, Steve served a wonderful simple mixed salad with nuts, and an olive oil and Balsamic dressing along with truffled notes.
Today’s bread was a sourdough from Bourke Street Bakery.
Wine
A very healthy gathering, circa 40, assembled to welcome back Steve Sparkes, one of our most talented Chefs, after a period of RandR from his WFS duties in the kitchen and in other important roles in the Society. Welcome back Steve, and it is great to see you have not forgotten any of your culinary skills. Steve served up today a superb lunch of Tournedos Rossini, immaculately presented in a manner that would not have been out of place on the menu of any of our top Sydney restaurants. Well done Steve, great to have you back.
With regard to wines, we commenced with a delightful 2022 Cincinnato Bellone @13%. This Italian white has been a favourite of Italian white wine drinkers for centuries. A perfect canape wine, clean and fresh, with good acidity backed up by an abundance of citrus-like flavours. A medium-weight white, in excellent condition with a refreshing aftertaste, and a pleasing balance. Those Italians sure know how to make a perfect white to go with some melon and prosciutto on a warm day, seated outside under a shady tree. Bellissimo!
We then moved on to two Italian reds to accompany our main course, the roast fillet with all the trimmings and an alluring sauce. The reds were both of the Nebbiolo grape, the first a 2015 Langhe Massolino @14% and the second, a Massolino Barolo d'Alba 2013 @13.5 %.
The Langhe name refers to the hilly area where the wine is grown in the Piedmont region. The Langhe Nebbiolo is generally less intense and less confrontational than its brother, the Barolo. Langhe is usually a softer wine, maturing earlier than the Barolo, with much less acid and tannin. I found this wine somewhat of a disappointment. Thin structure, light to medium colour, more pinkish than red. There were some hints of red fruit, cherry, raspberry and the like, by no means unpleasant, but lacking in sufficient depth of flavour to make it a good match with the strong flavours of the beef and its sauce. Perhaps a chicken or pork dish with less powerful flavours would have been a better match.
The second Nebbiolo, the Barolo, was, as expected, a much bigger wine, with plenty of the trademark high acidity and grippy tannin, although, being fair, these features were not as aggressive as found in younger Barolos. Overall, I liked the wine; it had some hint of the "tar and roses" mouthfeel Barolo is famous for, and I did detect some red/black fruit and spice on the back palate. A firm and pleasing finish. A much better match for the roast fillet. As an exercise in comparing the two branches of the Nebbiolo grape family from the same producer, both roughly the same age, and being drunk side by side, it was educational.
The cheese wine was a bit of a surprise, a Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling 2018. I have been drinking this wine for longer than I dare to remember, and it would be a fair comment to make that in all that time, I have never had a dud Contours Riesling. I would rate this wine as being consistently one of our top Rieslings along with the Florita, Leonay and Drumborg. The winemaker, Louisa Rose, has been making this wine for many years, and in my opinion, she would have to rank with the legendary John Vickery as our greatest Riesling producers. Insofar as this wine is concerned, the usual comments apply to any Contours: crisp, clean, well balanced, acid and fruit of lemon, lime, and grapefruit hints all working together to produce a delicious wine with a lingering toasty finish with great aftertaste. Not sure that it makes a proper partner for cheese, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, worth a trial.
The final wine of the day was a David Gregory, Rutherglen "Sticky" blend NV. As the name indicates, this was a dessert wine, thick, luscious, and mouth-filling. A great example of how this region can produce sweet wines of distinction. Huge sweet fruit but not cloying, with a clean finish. It is a pity that this wine style seems to have fallen out of public favour, as it is with a wine of this style, a unique and rewarding experience to try something quite different.
30 September Bill Alexiou-Hucker
Food review by Mark Bradford and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
A sunny spring day accompanied the end of September with a highly anticipated and utterly splendid tasting of top tier Penfolds wines – in three brackets of three –throughout the lunch. Our numbers, being capped, were fifty for the day. Understandably, the focus was all on the wines, but immediate Past President and current acting Food Master, Bill Alexiou, stepped up to provide suitable fare to accompany the wines.
Entrée
Instead of standing glass in hand and enjoying canapés being passed around, we returned to the days of the pandemic restrictions and were seated – five tables of ten – for an entrée with the first wine bracket. Bill served us a tasty three; cheese spanakopita of Feta, Parmesan and Tasty, with spinach, onion and parsley, wrapped in filo pastry. Lovely flavours and an excellent accompaniment to the first bracket of chardonnays.
Main
Bill selected brisket to accompany the second wine bracket. All 21 kgs of it was slow cooked for six hours. The brisket was accompanied with a corn rib roasted with paprika, chilli and olive oil, as well as a creamy mashed potato and roasted carrots. These were cooked in chicken stock, then tossed in a honey mustard dressing and roasted in jus. Some members – including Bill – though the brisket to be a little dry, but it was a worthy accomplishment to the three reds.
Cheese
The final bracket needed an appropriate cheese for the three famous Penfolds Shiraz’s, and after some discussion, a Society favourite hard cheese was sourced by the Cheese Master. Pyengana Traditional Clothbound Cheddar is handcrafted using the finest milk from the pure pastures of the Pyengana farm in north-eastern Tasmania. Cheesemaking at Pyengana dates back to the 1890s, and the lush pastures provide a rich diet for the herd of Holstein cows that graze there. The introduction of milking robots reflects how the dairy has brought innovation and tradition together to create their award-winning farmhouse cheddar. The cheese is produced using the stirred curd method, which develops a fine-textured, crumbly body along with aromas of summer grass, herbs and honey. Maturation of up to twelve months on pine shelves encourages the natural microflora which play a crucial role in developing the long, sweet and nutty flavour.
Bill served poached figs in syrup and walnuts with the Pyengana.
Wine
Today we were treated to a superb collection of great Penfolds wines organised by Chilly Hargraves and Nick Reynolds. Sincere thanks to both for the time and effort required to put together a function of this kind. The afternoon was basically divided into three brackets of wine, with three wines in each bracket. We were really travelling in the silk purse division of the Penfolds stable.
The wines were accompanied by a most impressive booklet put together by Penfolds, which was in itself a virtual thesaurus of how to describe what a particular wine tastes like. I will not attempt to go one better; I would soon run out of adjectives. Read the booklet to equip yourself with an array of terms of how a wine tastes, e.g. wet stone, gunflint and so on. Proceed further and you will be the star of any wine show!
Dealing now with each bracket, I will not comment in detail on each wine, just those wines that appealed to me the most. In the Chardonnay department, by popular acclaim, the 2021 Bin A took all the accolades. A wonderful wine, near the top of the tree in Australian Chardonnay, tremendous depth of flavour, elegance, coupled with balanced power. A joy to drink. The other two, the 2024 Bin 311 and the Bin 24 A, were both potentially excellent wines, but needed more time. All the required structures were there.
The next bracket consisted of two Bin 389's, 2023 and 2012 and a Bin 407 2023. My pick of this lot was the 2012 St 389, now 13 yo, but drinking at or near its peak. A high proportion of Cabernet for a 389 (Cabernet 54%, Shiraz 46%). Great integration of oak, tannin, acid and fruit producing a wine of real character and style. Rich with hints of earth spice and cedar, it reminded you of what a really good aged Australian red wine tastes like. The other 389, the 2023 was in my view too young to enjoy now, tannic and acidic, but will, I am sure, develop well in the future. The final wine in this bracket, the 2023 Bin 407 was for me a real surprise. I have avoided drinking 407 in the past as I have regarded it as the weak link in the Penfolds chain. It has never in the past shown any true Cabernet features, and was a wine lost between Shiraz and Cabernet and tasting like neither. However, today, much to my surprise, the 2023 407 burst out of the bottle with an abundance of Cabernet flavours and trademark deep berry fruit nose and taste. Well done, Penfolds, you have saved Bin 407, at least for me!
The final bracket was the silk purse department of the Penfolds wines for today, two St Henri and a Grange. The St Henri were from 2010 and 2022, and the Grange was from 2021.
My first choice of the two St Henri was the 2010. Now 15 yo but drinking superbly. Plush, rich with flavours of chocolate and dark cherry and traces of earthy spice. Everything balancing out to deliver a delightful, alluring finish. The other St Henri the 2022 was to me a bit too young to gain a proper insight into its structures. At this stage, the wine was a huge black thing, brimming with tannin and acid. Huge fruit. Needs much more time, but I am sure develop well. This is a wine for the future, not now.
Final wine was the 2021 Grange, and this wine, along with the Bin 407, were the surprise packages of the day. I think it is fair to say that, traditionally, drinking a Grange under 10 years of age would be severely frowned upon. Not so with this little baby! My first sip told me that this wine is almost drinkable NOW! Could you believe it! I kid you not. Massive vibrant black fruit colour, brimming with plum, chocolate and liquorice hints, noticeable tannin and oak, but somehow not mouth puckering, and dare I say the wine is approachable now. Without doubt, the wine will improve with time to achieve its destined greatness, but somehow the wine makers at Penfolds have, through some process, produced a Grange that would be very drinkable in say 6 or 7 years post-vintage. Perhaps this is Penfolds attempt to cater to the market that is demanding red wines that do not have to be kept for a lifetime before they can show their real class.
A great day all round. Makes you realise the value of membership of the WFS, special thanks to Chilly and Nick.
23 September 2025 Paul Irwin
Food review by Frank Liebeskind and wine review by Stephen O'Halloran
Food
Calling Paul’s meal a deconstructed Reuben was a total disservice to a brilliant dish, a CoTY contender.
Canapes
Three canapes today, the first was tasty and simple, cherry tomato and baby bocconcini, peppered, oil and balsamic glaze.
Followed by Steve Liebeskind’s marinated herring on pumpernickel bread, which was a favourite (especially with President SOH), Bismarck herrings, sliced onions and sour cream create this flavour bomb.
The third canape was a Paul Irwin creation, smoked potato squares, not just squares, but a 15-hour layered potato that used smoked brisket tallow to give it a light savoury smokiness.
This smoked creation was a great introduction to the main, where Paul again used his offset smoker to create his pastrami.
Main
OK, what makes a Reuben?
Corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, pickles, Russian dressing and rye bread.
Well, Paul had all these PLUS. The cheese was presented as a tuile, brilliant, crispy and tasty.
Russian dressing of mayo, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, paprika, horseradish and had sweet relish pickles, chives, and white onion finely diced through. A large, tasty smear on the plate.
Rye bread, a toasted, flattened slice of rye, crispy and a perfect accompaniment. A large home-made rye crisp bread.
Pickles were aplenty, and no, Paul didn’t pickle these; they were excellent store-bought European pickles.
Then the homemade hero of the meal was the sauerkraut. Paul sliced the cabbage (4 kg to start), salted and squeezed, and the resulting juices are the base for the ferment. Paul added caraway seeds, placed them in jars and fermented them over 4 weeks. Nothing tastes better than homemade sauerkraut, and it is great for the gut, full of probiotics.
The homemade pastrami was the true hero. Paul didn’t want a simple corned beef, Paul started with 8kgs of brisket, trimmed it, brined it in salted water for 72 hours, then refreshed it in distilled water for 12h hours. The brisket was crusted over an American mustard rub (common brisket technique to make the rub stick) in a blend of mostly cracked black pepper, along with coriander seeds, dried onion, brown sugar and paprika. And 3-4 hours in Paul’s offset smoker (brisket shrinks big time, and Paul was left with 5kg of his pastrami). Then, it was brought to the REX and rewarmed before slicing and serving. The meat was juicy, soft, beautifully smoked, and the dollop of American mustard gave an alternative to the Russian dressing.
But there was more. Steve Liebeskind created his version of a German potato salad, and each table had a couple of bowls, and we could help ourselves to this tasty addition.
Truly a fantastic, innovative take on a Reuben.
I went away happy and full.
Cheese
Gruyère Vieux AOP, served with an excellent rocket and pear salad, with a caramelised balsamic vinegar dressing. Perfect pairing with the cheese, a Society favourite. One of the best aged AOP Gruyères from a single Swiss cheesemaker.
This raw milk, cooked curd cheese uses milk sourced from small herds farmed close to the dairy, and just six cheeses are made each day.
Matured locally for 18 months, the cheese is brine-washed using Alpine Bex salt to encourage the thick rind formation.
The flavours reflect the milk of the season – spring and summer cheeses are sweet and herby, whilst autumn and winter cheeses are saltier and savoury. The smooth texture and rounded flavours have fabulous depth and light crystallisation.
Wine
A small gathering of 19 enjoyed one of the most delightful lunches of the year, food-wise, with Paul Irwin's deconstructed Ruben. Warm brisket with all the trimmings that go into the classic Ruben Sandwich, but without the bread. The meal was so good in such a small gathering that the words of Shakespeare, Henry the Fifth, came to mind, "we few, we happy few, we band of brothers. And, gentlemen in England now-a-bed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here." My thoughts exactly about WFS members who found themselves otherwise occupied yesterday. Missed a treat, fellas.
Wine-wise, we started with an outstanding German Kabinett Riesling from the Rheinhessen region, a Gunderloch "als Wars Ein StückVon Mir Riesling" 2021 @ 11.5%.
A really delicious wine, perfect with the canapes. Clear, brilliant mid-yellow colour, plenty of acid, delightful fruit but quite dry with a little residual sugar, and a crisp aftertaste. A top wine, my favourite wine of the day. This is, I think about the second or third week in a row, where our Winemaster has served what I consider to be the wine of the day first, bucking the trend established by none other than Jesus Christ at the Feast of Cana in serving the best wine last. In any event, this wine would have shone no matter where it was placed in the lineup. I would love to think we have some more in our cellar.
First of the lunch wines was an Eden Road Shiraz 2021 @ 12.5% from the Canberra region. I actually liked this wine, quite elegant, modest alcohol, light to medium weight, a nice change from the thunderous Shiraz with high alcohol we often see nowadays. Good integration of fruit and mild oak with restrained tannin. Plenty of acid to carry it through to a satisfying finish.
Second lunch wine was a visitor we do not see here often, an Argentinian Malbec 2024 @ 13%, from the Mendoza region. This wine surprised me, as most of the Malbec I have drunk from Mendoza have been huge black things, with high alcohol and massive Malbec flavours with tannin. This wine, to me, was much more in the mid-weight category, restrained fruit flavours of blackberry and plum, with a nice balance of oak, tannin and acid delivering an enjoyable finish. Overall rating, a pleasant surprise package.
Final wine of the day that we all drank was the Valminor Albarino 2022 @ 13% A very popular Spanish white wine, a good all-rounder, that pairs well with a wide range of foods. I found the wine quite rich and mouth-filling with slightly sweetish overtones. Pear and apple flavours were evident, as was a very crisp acidity at the finish. I found the wine enjoyable, but I felt it was a bit lost in its placement at the bottom of the list of luncheon wines. Perhaps it may have been better paired with the canapes.