Refreshing Jelly Madness

Rosé Jellies

This is a take on that in between of courses, the palate cleanser.  I was doing a few other things in the kitchen pre Christmas and had a few bottles of wine about the place.  So by way of experimentation I came up with these wobbly imaginings.  Spritely and refreshing, this would work as a chilled aperitif with some nibbles, interlude between heavier courses or in the role of zippy closer to a meal.  What more could you want in the warmer weather, it even has a little alcohol kick!   

Dry Rosé, 1 bottle

15g gelatine

Herbs

Lemon juice

Brown sugar

Dissolve the gelatine in 50 ml of boiling water with a little sugar and lemon.  The amount depends on how dry/sweet the wine and your taste, it can even be omitted.  I only use it to cover off the gelatine flavour so the rule of thumb is as little as possible.

Combine with the wine whilst stirring vigorously. Pour into small moulds and add decorative and aromatic herbs of choice.  (Fresh Bay leaves, Thyme, Basil, Mint, Rosemary could be used, for example).  Place in fridge to set.

Remove from the mould to serve, perhaps with a mint leaf and apple wafer.

The gelatine needs to be at about 2% in the solution to set, so this sits at 20g/L.  Obviously you can vary the volumes to suit the quantity of jelly needed.  This quantity makes about 8-10 small jellies.  Depending on the use of the dish you might also vary the type of rosé, ie a sweeter wine if you were using it at the end of a meal.

A Glass Of Riesling

Miramar Riesling 2010 Mudgee, NSW.

I'm quite a fan of Miramar wines and their winemaker, Ian MacRae.  Some really first rate wines are produced across a range of styles: Shiraz, Cabernet and merlot in the reds and Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon blanc in the whites.  This wine is a great example of the white wine style and flair from this producer.  Miramar are well worth a visit if your in the area.   

Pale colour lemon/lime and candlestick on the nose.  Lovely minerality.  Firm mouth feel follows with rich citrus and floral notes, even hint of lemon curd.  Leaness and zesty acidity give great structure and nice length to this elegant wine.  90+

This is great to drink now but will no doubt age well over the next 5-10 years.  Nice with a spot of seafood such as a pan fried fish or seared scallops. 

Festive Delectables

Christmas is often a time of excess for many, which some of the time is a great thing.  Many dishes of rich food, sauced and puddinged to death, it's very clear it's the festive season.  So sometimes it's nice to enjoy the very simplest of foods beautifully prepared.  This dish certainly fits the bill and has the added bonus of being super easy but impressive; equally at home as a casual dinner or main course whilst entertaining.

Rare Seared Beef Fillet

Whole eye fillet

Thyme

Oregano

Rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 onion

Garlic, 2 cloves

Beef stock 100ml

White wine 100ml

Olive oil

Black Pepper

White Pepper

The Beef is prepared in two stages, first seared in a pan then finished in a very slow oven.  A sauce is rubbed and poured over the beef before baking.

For the sauce fry the crushed garlic and finely diced onion in a little oil until slightly coloured.  Throw in the herbs, stir and then add the stock, wine and seasoning.  Simmer briefly to combine all the elements and reduce the liquid slightly.  Set aside.

Rub the beef with a little salt and sear the beef in a very hot pan with a little oil, ideally you would like as much colour as possible, but a rough guide might be 1-2 minutes per side.  Once this is done place the beef in a baking tray and pour over the sauce, if your pan is oven proof you could just use that.

Bake the beef in the oven at about 100-110 degs for 30 min, the point being to gently finish the cooking process and retain the beautiful delicacy and flavour of the meat.

To serve, slice the meat and arrange on a platter.  It can be enjoyed with an array of sides, but simplicity is possibly appropriate as it allows the beef flavour to shine.  Suggestion; Oven roasted Kipflers, or steamed chats alongside some green beans (How about the courgette and bean salad) or leafy salad.    

Tasting the delights outside the Paris of the south... (Or a short segue to the Yarra Valley) Part 2.

Underwhelming photo of Medhurst, twas good though!

Apologies for the delay!...  If you would like to read part 1.

As I listened to the broadcast of Australia playing New Zealand at the Gabba, the Victorian James Pattinson wreaking destruction upon the black caps; here was a reminder that I needed to complete part II of my short tale of the Yarra Valley. It seems many good things come from Victoria.

So I believe we were heading over to Medhurst for more wine and lunch, it was a chance decision that turned out to be a highlight of the day. The drive up to the cellar door was was pretty and the weather fickle as ever with cloud and showers scudding through, quite beautiful, as long as your in the car or at the bar. Medhurst has a new and impressive tasting room/restaurant which is quite an architectural statement which commands some fine views. This theme of growth and development is continued with construction nearly complete on their own winery on-site. The wines on offer come in two tiers, with the Red Shed label at about the $20 mark and the The main range, for around $25. Whilst this still gives a considerable choice to try, I like the fact that there aren't seemingly endless wines at different price points. It can seem a bit ridiculous with some producers when they have endless wines which can all often be similar shades of grey, better to make fewer wines but have quality and distinction in all of them.

The Red Shed offerings were all good quality wines, straight forward but tasty and good value. This high quality was reflected in the main range. Sauvignon Blanc was pleasant and in a restrained style I enjoy rather than having excess tropical fruit and gooseberry. Rosé was again in a very fine, restrained style, pale colour. It was very subtle but tasty. I can't tell you about the Chardonnay as they appeared to have run out though I'm sure judging by the other offerings that it's ok... Similarly all the reds were lovely wines: Pinot was good, though didn't stand out for me, I felt the pick of the reds and all the wines, were the Cabernet and Shiraz. On the day the Shiraz really impressed me, but a later tasting of the Cabernet was equally impressive. Without writing a tasting note, both of these wines were fantastic in there balance, sophistication and restrained power. No doubt they also both benefit from a little bit of time in the bottle with the current release being 2006.

Interestingly the Shiraz and Cabernet are bottled under cork which is more the exception to Stelvin these days. I really don't have a problem with cork, providing it's high quality, but one does have to ask why would you when SC is almost foolproof, but then I'm being provocative, think about it... The argument from this producer goes something along the lines of allowing variation between the bottles in a good way, make of that what you will but I rather like the idea. So to soak up some of the booze we had a great platter of antipasto, Anthony being designated driver had a coffee or two and I admit to having a glass of the shiraz. It could not be helped! On we went, but I watch this producer with interest and will definitely have to make a return trip.

This time of the afternoon is a difficult one when your tasting, you've just had lunch, a few wineries ticked off, so a bit of palate and mental fatigue can kick in. I'd be interested to know what others do to rejuvenate and energise, we just pushed on. You can chomp all the raw cashew and apple you like, but there is a limit, it's tough man! On we went, next stop Coldstream Hills.

Now Medhurst was stylish, and so was Coldstream Hills, if a little cold. I have to preface this next bit with a disclaimer of sorts; I have every respect for James Halliday, he knows what he's on about, likes wine, writes the odd review and so on, I even make the odd joke about him, which for those who know me is a token of my esteem. What I dislike is all that being blasted at me at every opportunity, you know what I'm on about, this or that wine being given 95 points by the man, 5 star wineries and all that... Anyway Halliday was one of the original owners here, though don't take it from me, if you visit the cellar door you will get told this 47 times. Signed copies of the next decades wine guides will be available, because you have to face facts sooner or later and check what's rated 5 stars, who would visit a winery otherwise?

You cannot complain about the view from Coldstream Hills...

I may have been a little stuffed from lunch, the view was lovely, the wines were all very high quality, some probably sublime. Great. However the approach to it all was lame and the experience exemplifies what I'm on about. Our barman, expert, taste guide or whatever we title them was disinterested and run off his feet, scampering between 4 different groups. The cellar door has a nitrogen injection system in place, so as the tasting bottles are exhausted, the wine doesn't oxidise, or the process is at least slowed. In theory this is good; didn't work with two of the wines I tried, but of course I had to effectively argue with the poor guy behind the bar and then accept profound apologies when he actually tried what he was offering. All rather tiresome, the high point was watching some of the AFL Grand Final as the TV was perched on the bar.

In short, very good wine but a totally underwhelming experience.

The weather was on the improve as Anthony and I rolled down the path to the car and headed to our final pairing of the day, Allinda and De bortoli. I told you we were dedicated!

Stay tuned for part III as it's taking a bit longer than I thought, bear with me!

Vino Contrasts.

Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 & Printhie MCC Riesling 2010



The iconic label art

 By my own admission I'm terrible at promptly writing up my tasting notes (this one is from back in October). It probably has plus and minus factors, but I do find it makes me think about the wines a bit before putting it all together in a “proper” note. These two contrast nicely, both are classic varieties but come from very different regions and wineries, one an established producer with a distinguished pedigree, the other an impressive newcomer. Each really impressed and were very much enjoyed.

The Riesling comes from the Orange region in New South Wales. Printhie make many lovely wines and this is the equal of any in the range. It also compares well with other varietal examples and indeed other rieslings from Orange.

Lovely pale gold colour and tight nose. Candlestick, minerality and kerosene on the nose which envelopes sherbet and grapefruit/lemon citrus fruit. The palate has zesty lemon lime, generous sweetness, a hint of the floral and a pineapple note. Acidity draws it all together but it's not too dry. Whilst good fresh, I tried it over subsequent days and the wine was lovely, with a softening and a tantalisingly complex mix of all the elements. A little short term cellaring may be an option. 90.

Second up is Cabernet from a classic Coonawarra producer Wynns. (This is the 2005 Black Label), I really like the wines from this producer and this is as good any they have released. The beautiful deep ruby colour (very youthful appearance) is the first aspect you notice and this is followed by the powerful and focused nose. There's cedar, tobacco along with a eucalypt/menthol note. Ample red and black berry fruit comes through, tailed by an earthy ferrous note. The palate reflects all the features of the nose and the fruit is lovely and held by more savoury elements of leather, briar and coffee. The tannins are mouth coating but well measured and close the palate nicely as a dusty afterthought. Great length. Just like the nose the striking thing is the power and focus of the wine delivered with such finesse, it's so complex and yet beautifully integrated and balanced. My pencil scrawl said “understatement & power; a Rolls Royce.” No doubt it will go for many more years. 94.

Although absolutely different wines, red and white, old and new, this pair are wonderful in many ways but share one crucial characteristic. This is the manner in which they reflect a sense of place and style; terroir. It may seem obvious, but there are far too many wines which don't do this and are generic. This might be ok for industrial high volume production, but I don't want to drink those wines and quite frankly life is too short. The depressing point here is that sometimes it isn't just cheap wines which are guilty of this, there are some supposedly quality examples which are in the frame. I'm not going to endorse faulty or rough wine making, but I'd take on these problems in a wine if the maker has “gone for it” in an attempt to strive for some style and individuality. From this point they can begin to create wine, because like playing music if you don't bring some style or something new to the process it's not really art and not really wine is it...

Breakfast Variations For All Occasions, Or BLT Bliss, nom nom nom!

So in the interest of continued diversification and variety here's another first.  We seem to be having a few, but then these are such exciting times! It's a breakfast construction or “stack”, I use the term because it recalls the humour of a year or two ago (well it got to be funny), when everything you were served, be it in restaurant or more casual eatery was described as some sort of chimney pipe construction. “Stack of duck confit, green pea and kipfler” or “Beef with vegetable stack” and so it goes, you get the idea and one has to admit it is probably a better word than pile, though it can be a challenge to see the difference. Anyway, what matters is the product and the flavour, something good to chomp on! I think this is something along those lines.

*I confess it's only really a stack/pile because I opted for the open sandwich idea, keep that to yourselves though.

Breakfast is not something you really want to mess around with. Your a bit sleepy, at best a bit slow but feeling refreshed, at worst hungover and feeling about as good as last nights ashtray looks. You need a tea/coffee/juice and something to revive the long flagging blood sugar levels. Here's something to help, it might even impress if you have friends and hangers on present.

Suprisingly I took the photo...

I must call it a BACT really, I omitted lettuce and added a slice or two of cheese. Rationale? Who wants lettuce at 9am and you can't have enough tasty protein in this mix.

So to the recipe...

Sourdough Bread, sliced (I use my own, always wanted to say that!)

Avocado, sliced

Bacon (here use whatever cut/type you like or have, remember it is 9am)

Cheese (I used a bit of aged cheddar, but again personal preference and availability is king)

Tomato (I repeat the above statement)

Optionals

butter

garlic

Pepper

Sauce of choice (I'd like to say I enjoyed something sophisticated here, but my guilty pleasure is a dash of tomato sauce.)

Fry some bacon, as this cooks slice your avocado, tomato and cheese. When the bacon has nearly reached the level of cookedness (dodgy word there I know, so sue me) you like, toast the bread. At this point when the toast is done I give it a little rub with a cut garlic clove, not too much and it's very tasty. This is one of the options I suggest and you can also butter or not butter as you desire, I just felt with the cheese and avocado it didn't need it, but choice and free will are great things.

On the toast arrange the ingredients in as artistic or haphazard way as pleases. I did make mine look ok for the photo but I promise everyone that the whole cooking process, even the photography only took me about 15 mins and I made it early in the morning.

Eat it! Possibly with Coffee, Tea or a Bloody Mary depending on how desperate the circumstance.

Not Drinking Wine? So Talk About It. Cygne Blanc...

Benson Rise Cygne Blanc 2007 Limestone Coast, South Australia.

I find myself having a non drinking evening, rather silly if you ask me, so what to do but think about a good drop.  Here's an opportunity I thought to delve into my tasting archive and put one of those rather silly notes to some use! 

Cygne Blanc is an interesting and rare variety I came across and was intrigued to taste. The grape has it's origins in the Swan Valley area of Western Australia and would appear to be a white mutation of Cabernet Sauvignon, a chance discovery in the garden of a vigneron at that. Propagation began from this single seedling and test batches and small scale production have followed from that point. To date the variety perhaps hasn't risen to the level that was hyped by some, but on the basis of this wine I feel further experimentation is worth the effort, as you will see by my ramblings below. I should also note I tasted the wine properly after it had been open a day, on opening I would say the wine was tighter, but there was some volatility. It was all more settled the next day.

Approaching 5 years old, the wine has a very youthful pale lemon hue. Nose has lemon citrus, stone fruit, lanolin and a hint of spicyness (spice may have faded somewhat over 24hrs) with a touch of flint. On the palate the texture jumps out at you, with a full, mouth filling but soft quality, my note said (“interesting!”) the lanolin quality comes through but there is also fruity sweetness with peach and melon. A savoury quality, underlines and counterpoints these features in the form of a grassy herbal note. This savoury quality is bolstered by pleasing acidity and lingers on the palate. A split personality was the thought I had of the wine as a whole, but in rather a good way. 87?

So a few wild stabs and questions! It feels a bit like a weird blend of Semillon/Chardonnay/Viogner (or something... Vermentino)? My questions were: Could it take some oak and would it be better a little leaner with a bit more acidity? To this end there would be pros and cons. In the rather sprawling world of wine it's always good to have something different and new, but only if it genuinely contributes something worthwhile or compelling to what is an already overflowing market. Another angle that might add to arguments for and against this variety is how it fairs in the shifting growing conditions we are experiencing due to climate change and water availability. I'm not sure if it shares the late ripening characteristics of Cabernet, but this would surely be an asset if it were the case. On having a glass of this as a drink, the lingering savoury quality is what struck me most. I felt like I'd been eating some tasty antipasto or the like. Perhaps similarly to Vermentino, this would be great with food, and versatile. If you get a chance to try some, see what you think.

Baby, You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To... or Mint Orange with Pomegranate Molasses

I'm not much of a dessert man if I'm honest. There isn't some particular prejudice towards dessert, I quite enjoy them and indeed have been known to have a second go at ones I particularly esteem; I even create them on occasion, it's just not a focus I have. Too savoury a palate, or maybe the title suggests I'm subconsciously in a hurry, I have no idea. Here we are anyway with a dessert, which is a first for musings.

Just a note at this point that I think pomegranate molasses the most amazing thing. It is so good in a variety of savoury and sweet situations because of it's beautiful intertwined sweetness and biting acidity.  Translating to a great counterpoint in a dish like this, or a tremendous flavour booster on the savoury plate.

A dessert most simple yet intoxicating, with a tantalising play of sweet and savoury, it could even be used as a palate cleanser if you intended to follow with a more "proper" dessert. Personally my choice after this little number would be a coffee and chunk of chocolate, simple tastes I know...

Mint Orange with Pomegranate Molasses

4 Oranges (navels may be the go, otherwise deseeding is an additional task)

Pomegranate Molasses

Mint, handful torn

Optional White Port

With a knife, top and bottom the oranges, then take the skins off. Slice finely crossways. Arrange on a serving dish as you please, throw some mint over and add another layer of orange. How you do this step all depends on the quantity your making, obviously you can make more and this would allow more layers. When constructed drizzle generously with pomegranate molasses. Refrigerate for 2hrs or so for maximum flavour. If you like, a drizzle of White Port (or favourite liqueur, Cointreau would work well) with the molasses adds further tastiness. Garnish with whole fresh mint leaves when serving.  It really is quite the delightful melange.

Despite the apparent simplicity, this really is a show stopper!

Warm Courgette & Bean and Salad

Most of the time I like to try and be an original, or at least think I am. I know I know, it's all been done before but I resist as I can. So anyway this is a first where I post another's recipe pretty directly, bear with me though as it serves a purpose beyond mere cookery. Oh and it's fantastic in flavour and simplicity.

The recipe comes from an episode of Poh's Kitchen where Poh teams up with Antonio Carluccio. For those unfamiliar with either, do you live under a rock? Google them! It's Antonio's recipe, sure, but not really (I'm certain he would agree). It's so simple and classic that it or a variation has graced many a table; we are blessed to have and be able to pass on dishes like these.

So before I get to the recipe, this dish says a number of things to me: It illustrates beauty in economy and quality of ingredients. It also allows me to express one of the joys which food gives me in that it is a celebration of what unites us, whilst encouraging diversity.  The two cooks in question come from very different origins, yet have such a similar outlook when all is said and done.  I admire very much Poh and Antonio for their enthusiasm and love of great food and the atmosphere it engenders, both show such obvious delight in what they do.

What of this recipe you ask? It's so simple!

Green beans

Courgettes

Garlic, roughly crushed

Mint, torn

Olive oil (I infused the garlic for an hr or 2 in the oil)

Lemon juice

In salted boiling water cook the beans and courgettes until slightly softtened, al dente etc (it really depends how you like it) but don't go too far! Drain and toss through the oil, lemon, garlic and mint. Quantities, well I'll just say have a little more courgette than bean and be generous with the mint and garlic over the top. Slosh some oil and lemon over, season, and well, pleasure should ensue! Also, you can obviously adjust it to suit the number eating. Still confused? Click here...  There's also a great load of recipes available, so it's well worth a look.  (Thanks ABC TV).

Easily a good dish to go with lamb or another cut of meat, it is also delicious alone or with some salami and good bread.

In closing as Antonio Carluccio says, MOF. Minimum of fuss, Maximum of flavour! Thanks to you and Poh Ling Yeow.

“What's that Skip, you fancy something Italian?” Kangaroo Bolognese...

It's funny how some people react when you mention Kangaroo featuring in a dish you cooked or tried, I'm not entirely sure why, but it seems to divide, some love the idea whilst others appear perplexed. Sure I understand the notion of it being a national symbol; many seem to see kangaroos as cute and cuddly, up there alongside koalas for example, but there's some irony in the fact that neither are particularly like this most of the time in the wild. Not that koalas are eaten regularly, but I digress! Kangaroo seems a logical additional protein choice for a variety of reasons, but principally, alongside more familiar meats, such as beef, chicken, lamb etc, here is a relatively sustainable and low impact product. There is some argument about how sustainable, but there is no comparison between the relative environmental impact of cattle vs kangaroo.

From the consumers point of view this meat is interesting for a few reasons: it can be seared as steaks for a lean and flavoursome dish, and many prize the gamey quality of the meat. This high quality, it's leaness and flavour also suggest it would make excellent carpaccio. However for this dish I'm using a mince, the main concern with any preparation of roo remains ensuring the meat does not dry out due it's extreme leaness (for those unfamiliar with it think of venison). It's handy to use a little bit more oil or even use another fat or stock to maintain the delicacy of the meat.  For steaks, in the form of marinades and bastes; in this case a little more olive oil in the initial cooking process.

For this take on a dish possibly done to death, I feel the kangaroo brings such a wonderful depth of flavour and a welcome twist and sense of difference. It is also intentionally an easy one to prepare regardless of your skill level.  The nervous or novice can do this one and it's great for the pros when you want something good, but don't want to be slaving in the kitchen for hours.  I love cooking, just not all the time!

Ingredients



The dish goes nicely with a Cruickshank 2007 Shiraz...
(See it in the previous post)

 Olive oil

2 small to med onions

3 cloves garlic

500g kangaroo mince

½ tsp cumin

1 tsp mixed herbs

A little dried chilli

Good grind of black & white pepper

salt

1 tsp sugar

2 bay leaves dried (really a matter of taste, I'd use less if fresh)

Some of my superdupa pork belly stock! (beef stock is ok if you don't have the former) *

2 400g tins of tomato

a little quality red wine (2 dessert spoons approx)

parsley

parmesan cheese

Piling it all in the pot

Sweat off and lightly brown the onion in a little oil, throw in a little salt as this nears completion. Add your mince and garlic, cook until the meat is coloured through. pop the spices in and let this cook a little as you open the tins of tomato. Whack these and your stock in the mix and combine. You should have quite a lot of liquid, but this is good as I just let it all cook for a couple of hours and reduce gradually to a rich sauce, really the longer the better, but if your low on time turn the heat up. Right at the end of the process I add the small amount of wine as an essence to the sauce, it gives a lovely subtle lift to the flavour.  You may like to use the same wine you will serve with the food, if your having wine.  (Who makes statements like that?  Of course you shall have wine!) You can also check your seasoning at this point as well and adjust accordingly.

Mix through al dente cooked pasta of your choice, I like Fettucine, but the choice is between you and your pantry shelves.  Garnish with parsley and parmesan if desired.

*My Pork stock is the rendered material of an oven roasted piece of pork belly, there's onion, spices, wine and various other goodies that went into the roast originally, anyway I froze the remaining liquid and have been using it in sauces and other dishes to give depth and richness. It's great! If I don't use this or another “proper” stock, I've been using good quality stock cubes in recipes, this would be fine here.

Skippy rates it 5 stars ;)  Actually reflecting on it, the thought of Cannibalistic Kangaroos digging into this is somewhat disturbing, or the seed of a new horror film...  On that note, enjoy!

A Doubleheader, Cruickshank Cabernet Rosé 2011 & Shiraz 2007

I felt it only appropriate to complete the cycle of Cruickshank wines I have to hand in the current release.  We have already looked at the Cabernet and Chardonnay/Verdelho blend, but Cruickshank are well regarded for their rosé and indeed the Shiraz may be the best of their wines.

Rosé can often be a non event rather than the most beautiful of understatements.  They should not be in your face with acid, or overladen and sweet, but it's always such a plus when these wines whilst retaining delicacy and finesse, have depth and some complexity lurking. Here is one of those wines, there's something for all comers, meaning you could serve this to wine lover or casual friday night drinker alike and both would probably enjoy, if not demand another glass!

A beautiful pale red colour fading to rust at the edges. Smells of confectionary, strawberry and grassiness combined with lovely musk and perfume notes. Unlike some the wine has a nice fullness of body in the mouth, flavours of sweet fruit played off with sour cherry. My very minor quibble is that it could be a little tighter in the mid palate, but hey, very small complaint! Acidity and dryness really carries it through well anyway. Better wines of this style often improve with a bit of bottle time, obviously not really to age, but they settle down and integrate, so 6 months to a year and this might be even better. 89.

(As a postscript, I was tempted to up the score as time passed, pleasure impairing judgement in a good way I think. Also that the wine was indeed lovely the day after opening and probably more seamless.)

So to the Shiraz. I confess I was aware before tasting that this had received some pretty good reviews, but usually if anything I think this make me more sceptical. (Just to give you some background to tasting this, and how I see things generally I suppose). Getting to the point, this is a pretty good little wine.  It has style alongside varietal and regional character with full flavour and balance. It was even better a day after opening. I hope your getting the impression I really enjoyed it...

Bright fruit heads the lovely rich nose alongside oak and spice. When just opened, this shaded earth, straw and sweat notes which were peeking though, but came up more as the bottle was open. I still think the oak is too pressing, though not to the same extent as in the cabernet. Flavours of generous shiraz fruit and beautiful leather and earth, sweet but still savoury. Oak and white pepper also figure, whilst healthy tannins shape it nicely and the flavours persist nicely for a finish of some length. As mentioned it really came into it's own on the 2^nd day, so decanting may be helpful, as would stashing a bit away, if only for a year or two (that's also known as a clever move!).   92+.

Wine time; A Hunter interlude.

 

Diverting from the Yarra Valley for an evening...  Let us raise a glass or two to Cruickshank Callatoota Estate, a winery located in the Upper Hunter Valley at Denman, New South Wales.  The opportunity to open a few bottles with dinner guests was a great way to sample a few of their offerings together. Cruickshank is an interesting winery for a few reasons and I thought rather than just a raw review here was presented an opportunity to look at wine from a few slants.

note the poor quality and graininess in shot...

Personally, it's one of the first producers I can remember singling out as one I particularly enjoyed and was attracted to for their style and approach. Being small producers, they could be forgiven using another winery and contract winemaker to produce their wines. Instead they do it all in house, formally at Wybong and now at the new vineyard and winery at Denman. This allows the wine to be made the way they want, and to pursue wine styles as they feel appropriate and compelling. Cruickshank has had to relocate in the last few years as a result of a new open cut coal mine which was opening adjacent to the Wybong site, thus the move to the new Denman locale. I find it appalling really that a piece of prime agricultural land and producer come second to a coal mine, but this seems the way of things unfortunately.

A few wines were tried, both old and new, we even had a lovely 2007 Brangayne Cabernet (Orange, NSW) for a bit of difference and comparison. The Cabernet franc comes from the Wybong site, the Cab Sav and white from the newer Denman vineyard.  

  

Cruickshank Chardonnay/Verdelho 2011

Something a bit different, here's a 50/50 blend.  Fruit salad nose, citrus and tropical fruit. Rich with some fruit sweetness, in the mouth similar to the nose but with a lovely melon note, dryness on the finish retains line and refreshment. Here's a great little summer quaffer, 88.

Cruickshank Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Deep Ruby wine, lightens at the edges, smells rich with fruit and chocolaty vanilla oak. This somewhat masks the inherent cedar wood cabernet characteristics that are present, though these came up with a little air. The palate presents considerable power and generosity, there is something of grandma's Christmas cake here and the American Oak is very present. Thus toasty vanilla and even hints of coconut combine with the fleshy fruit elements of the wine, the cedar and spice also come through. The finish is surprisingly savoury with a satisfying lick of acidity and tannin tying it all together. Flavour lingers nicely in the mouth. Needs more time and should age well. 90.

Cruickshank Cabernet franc 2003

Quite a lovely autumnal colour to this wine as it fades to brick red tones at the edges. Smells of barnyard floor, straw and sweat, remarkably fresh fruit peeking through as well. The palate is redolent of these lovely elements mingling with fruit and cigar box/tobacco notes.  Nice vegetal characters and fine tannins.  Line and length complete an elegant wine of finesse and rustic charm.

We enjoyed the wines with a lovely rare seared whole eye fillet, potatoes and greens.  Simple but beautiful and a recipe which I will post in the future.

I'm loathe to score the Cabernet franc because it really was beautiful and somehow a score diminishes it all a bit. Being as objective as I can I still think it's a 93+ wine! As I have stated before I only like to score to give a rough guide, it's also usually reflective (or tries to be!) of quality and style as I try and take my personal preferences out as much as I can. If indeed this is possible, is really a valid question and challenge of any taster or commentator.  Can personal taste and opinion ever be practically moderated in a meaningful way to this end?  I think not, but I'm all for personal musings and lively discussion.

It seems that over time the wines have been tidied up and are cleaner and more polished in their production. Again it's arguable as to the relative pros and cons of this; cleaner wines promote the purity of fruit and varietal expression, but the slightly dirty rustic quality does lend some charming idiosyncrasies to the wines. Overall it's probably a move in the right direction, the wines should last better and indeed they still have the qualities that appealed previously. The dirt and paddock are still there but with a degree of subtlety absent previously. It may also be prudent to remember that the new source of fruit has no doubt changed the equation somewhat as well.  With regard to the fruit I'm tipping some great things as it settles down and the vines get a little older, heady times!

At the moment I thought the Cab Sav a good wine, but not to my taste entirely as the oak component seemed rather overpowering. The wine should integrate nicely over a few years though as it settles down and things harmonise a bit. On the Oak; and I'm being picky here, (I have a bit of an American oak thing!) I prefer french or atleast old oak, as otherwise I feel like things are a bit of a coconut vanilla bomb. For those who love it, this may be your thing.  For myself it just comes across as heavy handed, sticking out everytime I taste.  Time to pour another Malibu and Pineapple by way of training... 

In The land of Verdonnay/Chadelho/Denman gold things were suprisingly good. There has been much speculation amongst others who enjoy a Cruickshank drop as to what this wine would be like. Well, here it would seem is a lovely summer afternoon/evening drop!  I'm not a huge fan of the straight Vedelho, so this impressed and may even be something better than the individual varietals offered.  Regarding a name for the wine, perhaps a more oblique name or reference might give it a suitable title. 

So finally to the Cabernet franc much lauded previously, not much needs to be said; lovely wine and one so identifiably of the Hunter Valley, perhaps even more than the varietal characteristics.  Bliss!

Have a look at their website for more info, well worth a glance http://www.cruickshank.com.au/

Tasting the delights outside the Paris of the south... (Or a short segue to the Yarra Valley) Part 1.



The Boss...



Long overdue, but here it is.  I had a lovely jaunt to Melbourne a few weeks ago, it certainly was a pleasure to catch up with my dear friends Anthony and Andrew; in addition to their four masters Hebe, Lucy, Pixie and Millie.  If only landlords were as considerate as the boys cat bosses, and that's after one decided my luggage was an attractive place to relieve the bladder.  Just as well I'm not one to hold a grudge!

Anyhow amongst other activities Anthony and I headed off to the Yarra Valley to taste, rate, even gulp some of the local wines.  Things you should know at this point: Andrew didn't make it, he was “tired”/hungover.  The weather was balmy, a lovely 8 degrees in fact.  I had to break out the shorts! 

Sun cream packed  we motored north east, I dreamed of the Caribbean, working on the tan as Anthony got slightly lost...  A bit of my GPS later and all was back on track.  Laughter aside the locality itself really is a lovely part of the world, rolling hills, the resulting verdant vistas and... vines!  So we pulled in at a toilet block.



Look at that sun!  We could be in Champagne.



It wasn't a public convenience, that's just what I told Anthony it looked like (James Halliday gave it 91 points and described it as unassuming, the cellar door, not the wines)!  No, here was St Huberts cellar door.

To be fair, the view from inside the building was good and the wines very good.  Chardonnay and Pinot were the stand out.  Bit disappointed there was no straight Cabernet to try, but you have to remember that the area was subject to smoke taint due to the terrible bushfires a little while back.  Thus many producers literally have nothing to release at this time as a result. 

As we drove away it still looked suspiciously like a toilet block, but on we went!  A pullover, sunshower and   u-turn later, we arrived at Oakridge.  I probably should mention at this point that this was the AFL grand final Saturday, thus we were amazed to find anyone actually at the cellar door.  For any international (or non Victorian readers, because they consider it a world sport...) AFL is a provincial and somewhat bizarre ball game, where players fumble around for the small version of what looks a rugby ball, occasionally trying to get the ball between a couple of pairs of sticks.  Anyway, being the truly international sport it is I was a amazed to find this place full of young women.



Slightly blurred map, after a tasting or two.



Had I been of sound mind we probably should have gone over and ingratiated ourselves, though  foolishly we concentrated on the wines.  All was not lost though as there was some good stuff on offer here. Quite deliberately I won't bore with tasting notes (serious reviews will come), go and try it for yourself!  But some observations:  I had a Pinot Grigio that was actually of some interest, very nice.  Chardonnays were again very good, lovely.  Cabernet from here was excellent, yum :)  Pinot was ok and our lovely pourer/server/bar attendant was beautiful and informative.  Which sounds like I was biased or distracted but she really was and I am most sorry I can't remember her name.

A couple of happy snaps later and we were back on the road.  Sensibly Anthony suggested we really must have lunch and thus it was decided we should head immediately to Medhurst Wines.  They had Wine and food!  (And were seriously good!)

Continued in part two, which is on the way...

Cavalier Crest Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Margaret River, WA



I've decided to go for the most amateur and crappy photography
ever when it comes to my blog, bucking the trend. 
You saw it first here...



Something to get you all in the mood, and to convince everyone that I don't just sample wines from Mudgee.  This ones a cracker... 

Having tried a couple of vintages of this wine I thought this one the best to date. Classic Cabernet nose with cedar and sandalwood combined with lead pencil, menthol and a hint of spice. In the mouth this nose is reflected but augmented by savoury juiciness and fruit with dry herbs.  There's also leaf, stalk and meatiness, all meant in the most positive way as it builds complexity in the wine.  I was reminded of prosciutto ham at a few points. A somewhat extracted quality is present, but that adds to the intensity and fleshy feel of the wine. Fruit is there, but this wine does a nice line in acidity and fine tannins, which along with the restrained oak integrate all the components here. A little time should see it all marry together and smooth out whilst becoming even more savoury.  This would make a natural choice to accompany some great food, particularly lamb or pork, 92.

The Sourdough Odyssey

It's been a little while between posts here; things have been busy and distracted.  All is Ok though, as I will be endeavouring over the next few weeks to make up for lost time!  I felt it timely to include the long promised update on my bread making, which has been an interesting experience of infinite variation.  These undertakings seem to be entered with a degree of naivety in that you think, "Well righto, I'll just make some bread".  Yeah well...

So to fill in the gaps, since I last posted about bread making I've been baking all my own loaves, there have been ups and downs.  The idea from the outset was to produce sourdough from scratch, no commercial yeasts; the beauty in simplicity of flour, water and salt.  To get to this point I made a sourdough starter and baked some loaves with commercial yeast to start getting a bit of experience whilst the starter matured.  The loaves with shop bought yeast were similar to those in the previous post, but I did play with the kneading process and fluid levels.  I'm deliberately not going into too many specifics here, rather this is more a reflection on how this baking is going.

I must say a big thankyou to Warwick Quinton, despite the fact that we have never met, his web postings provided me with inspiration, guidance and a start point.  If you want to see some recipe specifics (and these are what I began with), check out the link http://www.sourdoughbaker.com.au/ .  I'm now doing things much more by feel but this was and continues to be a great help.

Starter, well this stuff could drive you insane!  Basically you ferment flour and water to encourage the natural yeasts and bacteria, this acts as a leavening agent and imparts the distinct flavour of sourdough.  It takes a week or so to get it going and then you can try baking...  After this you have a new pet that lives in your fridge, needing love care and attention to thrive.

When you bake for the first few times, it's advisable to add a little yeast, cheating I know, but you need to give the starter a chance to stabilise and get stronger, and while this happens it needs a hand in the bread making process.  I have to admit in these first few efforts I had a disaster or two.  I tried bakng with no extra yeast whilst the starter was not very active, which effectively meant no rise!  I thought the first starter I made went off, abandoned it and restarted.  With hindsight I really should have kept it and simply refreshed it (more on that later) a few times to clean it up, my mistake here was not realising how active and alive a starter is once it gets going.  When you want to bake bread about half the starter is combined with your water, flour and salt to make dough.

So to the present.  I now have a liquid starter that is doing well, which I refresh every 5-6 days as I bake a couple of loaves, some of which I freeze or give away, using the other as my bread for the following week.  Over time I've been trying some subtle variation of mixture, knead and proof times to gain experience and feel.  At the moment I've been finding a wetter dough better for getting a lighter loaf, and the humidity and temperature in the oven are key to good crust.  Flour and water quality are also critical to results, amongst other things... ;)

To close this post I must say it is an immersive and rather addictive process which you enter into at your own peril, but the rewards are really there with good results achievable if a little patience is applied.  Patience may indeed be the biggest thing, as you really have to go with the process and allow things to happen at their own pace, rather than dictate a time frame.  The dough will rise when it wants to, may need more/less time etc.  Happy bread baking!          

Ossobuco alla Sydney

Well this is definitely one of my favourite dishes for winter. It's rich, tasty and satisfying, with the best part being the ease of preparation. For this edition of the dish I had a collaborator, with my brother joining the fray. Full credit must go to him for the delicious mash we served with the meat and broth!

We improvised the recipe really, don't all the best rustic Italian farmhouse cooks? Anyhow the result is fairly faithful to the dish most of us know, with a few tweaks here and there. Interestingly there are really two main types of sauce you can go with: The modern version we know with a tomato base, onions, celery, carrots etc, and the much older Ossobuco bianco, which is primarily flavoured with bay leaf, cinnamon and gremolata. I always find it fascinating the extent to which we associate the tomato with Italian cooking, when in fact it is a rather recent addition, tomatoes arriving in Europe from South America in the late 1500's with the returning Spanish. Even from this point not being adopted into Italian cuisine on a large scale until the 17^th century.

In a nod to the older version of the dish, I started with a mix of spices including cumin, bay and cinnamon, I love the tomato richness as well so here's our take...

Ossobuco pieces, dusted in flour (as many as you need, 1 per serve)

2 onions

2-3 cloves of garlic

chilli flakes (few dashes to taste)

cracked black pepper ½ tsp

white pepper ½ tsp

mixed herbs 1-2 tsp

cumin ½ tsp

cinnamon ½ tsp

salt 1 tsp (to taste really)

sugar (again to get balance, to taste)

Rosemary 2 sprigs

Sundried tomatoes 150-200g

2-3 dried leaves, (use less if you have fresh, and of course these are always better!)

handful of chopped parsley

I also added about 75g of rendered sauce from a pork belly roast I made, and froze. It was a little like a stock base I guess, and you could use something similar or add some more stock to the mix of a type to your liking. The whole point is the depth of flavour in the finished dish.

red wine 250ml

water and/or stock (judge to cover the meat)

Tin of whole tomatoes 375g

2-3 carrots, roughly halved or chopped

Butter

Olive Oil

In a large, heavy pot, brown the meat in a little oil and butter, the more colour and caramelisation, all the better for the flavour later! When you are happy with this stage, throw in the chopped onions and garlic along with the herbs and spice (at this point I added my “Pork belly booster” and the sundried tomatoes).  Mix it all together and let the onion and garlic cook a little before adding the wine to deglaze the pan. At this point you can add the canned tomatoes, mix them through and then add the other liquid ingredients so everything is immersed. We simmered on a very low heat for about 5-6 hrs, obviously you can go shorter if time is tight, just simmer a bit faster. With the extra time you can go for a very low, barely bubbling simmer, everything cooks very slowly and is extremely tender. The carrots were added with about 2 hours to go and the lid removed for the last hour, to cook off a little liquid. Don't really reduce as your after a broth rather than a thickened sauce.

For the potatoes, quarter and boil in salted water until tender. We mashed with butter, salt, black and white pepper and a good handful of finely chopped parsley. If your adventurous a squeeze of lemon really lifts the mash, whipped through just before serving.

A flexible dish, my brother enjoyed this with a Guinness.  I on the other hand thought it sublime with a 2004 Adelaide Hills Nebbiolo, each to their own I guess but it worked nicely both ways. (I'd say try with the Piedmont expat though ;) ! )  There may have to be a review of this wine now...  

What else to say but a tasty, satisfying and glorious dish for the cool weather when something hearty is craved. I think it's so good you can do it anytime...