Felton Road Central Otago Block 3 Pinot Noir 2006

This is as close to Grand Cru Burgundy New Zealand have ever got. The Felton Road Central Otago Block 3 Pinot Noir 2006 is an elite wine that can definitely be excused for the price tag. Very little translucency in the glass gives me the impression that this was left on skins for at least 17 days and maybe more. Bitter chocolate and spicy plum are very forward on the nose yet it is the palate that is the absolute star; thick red fruit of tart cranberry and cherry are followed by seamless acid holding together spices of cinnamon and dried tea with a gorgeous hit of game and funk – bacon fat meets forest floor if I may say. it all sounds terribly wanky but this is why Pinot Noir drinkers are labelled fanatics! Sensual and elegant in every way. Mucho Fantastico!!

Drink with five spiced duck – a fair dinkum Susan!
Drink till 2018
99
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $90 Barrons Cellars Perth

Logan Weemala Central Ranges Shiraz Viognier 2007

Lately I have had a fascination, more a hankering really, for wines produced from Orange and the Central Ranges in NSW. There are plenty of good wines coming out of these areas but you have to look for them. One thing I also have to say is do not dismiss these areas because they are not that well known; our wine drinking habits have come a long way since Mateus and ‘Man and Woman in Boat’, aka Coolabah cask wine, but I digress.

The Logan Weemala Central Ranges Shiraz Viognier 2007 is packed with wonderful layers of fruit and savoury notes. Deep garnet with a purple tinge to it, this wine throws plum and rhubarb on the nose. In the mouth there is an abundance of licorice and morello cherry with the faintest hint of apricot kernel at the end. Add in the silky smooth tannins and even acid, this is a wine that will last for at least seven more years yet is drinking absolutely fantastic now. Another great find from Blackheart and Sparrows.

Great balance and length; a real crowd pleaser this one!

Drink with roasted pork and especially the crackling!
Drink till 2015
94
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $19 from Blackheart and Sparrows, Lygon St Brunswick

Austins Geelong Shiraz 2005

This is another cool climate ripper. The Austins Geelong Shiraz 2005 has had a presence here in Brunswick now for the past six months and as long as Uncle Dan’s keep stocking it, will feature for some time yet. In the glass this wine has a very deep garnet colour with no real distinction in the hue. The nose throws off plenty of complexity with licorice and rum raisin being predominant. The palate has an instant hit of more licorice, all sorts this time, that balance the oak and opens up with a great smack of black pepper with tight firm tannins and clean acid holding everything in place.

Great balance and length and a surprising medium weight to this wine; at 14.5%v/v, maybe the winemakers have fudged this a little in an attempt to steal some of Barossa and Mac Vales domination in Australian Shiraz sales – it feels more like 13.5%v/v and not the brooding 14.5%v/v.

Drink with BBQ pork spare ribs
Drink till 2013
92
Screwcap 14.5%v/v $23 at Dan Murphy’s Coburg

Pio Cesare Piedmont Barolo 1997

One of the best food wines I have ever had. The Pio Cesare Piedmont Barolo 1997 is an absolute monty for a Susan when paired up with osso bucco or cep risotto. An achingly dark colour with the nose throwing an abundance of roses, ripe strawberries, tart cherry, spice, earth and tar – busier than Bourke St mall in December! Even though it has 12 years on it, I would still decant this wine using a Pomerol decanter; this one has a very small egress as not to allow too much air contact with the wine. Thick tar on the palate with the acid still very relevant. A long, elegant finish with plenty of time left in this one – simply incredible!

Drink with osso bucco
Drink till 2025
99
Cork 13.5%v/v $$$$ from http://www.langtons.com.au/

Terre Da Vina La Villa Roero Piedmont Arneis DOCG 2007

Wonderful colour to this wine, with a developed yellow to it even though it is only an 07. The Terre Da Vina La Villa Roero Piedmont Arneis DOCG 2007 is a fantastic example of how a wine should taste when grown and made properly. Arneis to me is a youthful enough wine with very easy and floral aromas followed by a citrus herbal palate – and low alcohol; I have seen some New World Arneis coming in at 14-14.5%v/v!

Again, a great yellow in the glass with green pear and floral notes on the nose. There is a little spritz on the tip of the tongue followed by subtle acid with a finish of herbs – anise comes through at the end.

A great wine made for lazy summer days.

Drink with antipasti or Fish and Chips
Drink till 2011
89
Cork 12.5%v/v $16.95 from Mediterranean Wholesalers, Sydney Rd Brunswick

Pierro Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot L.T.Cf 2005

‘Lucky is he who has been able to understand the causes of things.’ Virgil 70-19BC.

Lucky indeed are the people who are able to blend wonderful wines. The Bordelaise have been doing it for quite some time, with their wines constructed based on geography; left bank based on Cabernet Sauvignon with flavours dominated by blackcurrant and the right bank based on Merlot with a more fruitcakey flavour and more aromatic in character.

If this Pierro Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot L.T.Cf 2005 were to be imported from Bordeaux rather than Margaret River (the L.T.Cf standing for little touch of Cabernet Franc), it would definitely be a first or second growth from the left bank. Decanted for a while, this wine shows visible SO2 dissolving through the dark deep garnet colour. The nose is absolutely dripping in cassis and other red fruit – totally seductive. More cassis in the palate but it is not the dominating presence however; spine tingling acid and firm grippy tannins drive this wine. An dead-set food wine this one; definitely not a quaffer and definitely not a wine that belies it's massive 14.5%v/v.


Seamless balance and complexity and a bargain at $35!

Drink with roasted shoulder of lamb
Drink till 2025
96
Quality cork 14.5%v/v $35 Dan Murphy’s Parkdale

Agrapat & Fils Avize Blanc de Blanc ‘Terroirs’ NV Champagne

Elegance and charm. The Agrapat & Fils Avize Blanc de Blanc ‘Terroirs’ NV Champagne can easily and succinctly be described as just that without anything else to be said – but that’s just boring and defeats the purpose of this exercise. In the glass the wine has a very tight bead that also displays a straw yellow to it. Leesy brioche and nuts come through on the nose with a crisp bite of green apples and lead pencil on the palate. This is a ‘Growers’ Champagne at its best. Just Lovely.

I am tipping that a few of these corks were released celebrating the now infamous 'Hand of Frog' goal by Thierry Henry. Ohh well, cei la vei.

Drink with scallops in beurre blanc sauce
Drink till 2012
94
Quality cork 12%v/v $100 at Rathdowne Cellars, Carlton North

Dr Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling 2007

“Behold! The beast who soars with needle tail
through mountains, shattering shields and city walls!
Behold! The beast that stinks out all the world.”

Canto 17, Commedia Cantica I: Inferno
Dante Alighieri

By golly it is hot! Right now most of south east Australia is sweltering in a very unseasonal heat-wave, and though I will concede that we have not quite got the conditions of Dante’s Inferno, it is only November and all we have to do is think back to what happened in February this year in Victoria.

There are a few measures we can take this summer for cool respite; the beach or pool, midnight showers, icy cold beer and mouth watering Riesling. So it is Riesling I have been turning to lately (there is always room in the fridge for beer as well!) and one of those has been the brilliant Dr Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling 2007 from Germany. This is a wine that I had on the pour at The Point Albert Park and was a wine that was greeted very well by the dining public while it was on.

Though it is probably not the current vintage, this wine has fantastic minerality and flintiness that make it perfect for lazy summer day salads and seafood. In the glass the wine has a very yellow gold colour to it, which is very deceptive to what is to follow on the palate. The nose throws up a very distinct stewed pear and lime aroma, with, as I just said, a very surprising palate following of crisp, clean acid holding together a bright linear feeling of flint and river stones. A massive contrast to the colour and nose but one that is rewarding none the less!

Super balance, gorgeous length with complexity I have not seen for a long time. Dare I say mucho fantastico!

Drink with sashimi
Drink till 2013
98
Quality cork 12%v/v $35 from King and Godfrey Cellars, Carlton

Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2007

I do love my cool climate wines; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sparkling and Shiraz – all have great demand in my Brunswick habitat. All of these wines can easily be grown and made in virtually every wine region in Victoria, bar the Murray Darling of course, yet it is to that hot of hot states South Australia that we go to today, who are in fact enjoying (sic) their hottest November on record, for some cool climate juice in the guise of the Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Shiraz 2007.

Now most of you out there know I am not a fan of over ripe South Australian juice from Barossa or Mac Vale, but the Adelaide Hills throw up wine that is made with all the savoury nuances that describe food friendly wines for the discerning wine drinker (or snob). After about an hour in the decanter, the colour of this wine (though nothing to do with the decanter) is deep red with a crimson purplish hue. The nose has an instant hit of licorice all-sorts and morello cherry with white pepper playing a role after a while. More sweet licorice in the mouth up front with fine grippy chappie tannins followed by a whack of pepper and more morello cherry. This is a delicious wine.

Super balance and length without having the weight of the world on its shoulders.

Drink with BBQ venison cooked rare
Drink till 2019
96
Screwcap 14%v/v $39 from Randalls, Bridport St Albert Park
http://www.randalls.net.au/

Mount Gisborne Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2005

When people talk about wine and food matches, the two obvious to me are lamb with Cabernet Sauvignon – a no-brainer in my books, and Pinot Noir with duck – ditto. Yet the Pinot Noir/duck pair is based on the old world Burgundy style Pinot Noir and not so much the new world style that is usually dominated with strawberries. There are however some very good Pinot Noirs in Australia that are very duck friendly, but these tend to be quite expensive; think Bindi Block 5, By Farr and Bass Phillip which all come in $100 and then some.

Just down the road from Bindi is Mount Gisborne Wines, and for those of you who are regulars you would know I am a massive fan. A part of the selection of wines proprietor David Ell dropped off for me to taste, the Mount Gisborne Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir 2005 is a fair dinkum super wine and a Susan with Duck.

With no fining or filtering, this wine presents a very dirty nebulous red with a tinge of brick red hue. The nose has plenty of funk and wet earth with plenty of prickly acid tickling the olfactory. There is massive acid to this so I would definitely decant this one for a good hour or so before getting stuck in. Soft spice of cinnamon and bay leaf gives way to a more green tomato leaf feel. Bloody good wine this one.

Fantastic balance, great length with plenty of complexity. Mucho Fantastico.

Drink with, well, duck!
Drink till 2017
97
Diam 14%v/v $58 from Gertrude Street Enoteca, Gertrude Street Fitzroy
http://www.gertrudestreetenoteca.com.au/

Sorby Adams Eden Valley Individual Vineyard ‘The GT’ Gewürztraminer 2008

I was down at Blackheart and Sparrows a while a go now looking for a Gewürztraminer for an Asian chilli dish I was preparing that night. Now it is a fair given that Gewürztraminer wine is a monty with Asian food yet here in Australia I find it increasingly difficult to find a half decent version of the Alsacean style; distinctive aromatic wines with a whack of floral notes and the obligatory lychee taste. It is because of this I generally go for a Riesling or perhaps even an acid driven Chardonnay.

In Australia however, it all just seems to be lychee, lychee and more lychee... with a hint of lychee at the end! And this was all too apparent with the Sorby Adams Eden Valley Individual Vineyard ‘The GT’ Gewürztraminer 2008; let me just say that the name packs more of a mouthful than the actual wine! The wine in the glass presents a strawy yellow with a clear watery hue. The nose gives the predictable lychee aroma with a hint of rose petals after a while. The palate I must say was a little disappointing – quite flat with no real oomph to it; no real anything actually.

The wine in the end did not hold up well with the chilli dish, so we had to make good with a couple of Tiger beers from Singapore – this was a far better option in the end. Crisp dry and very easy to drink, an almost Susan with the Nasi Goreng.

In the end, a pretty disappointing Gewürztraminer.

Drink with Nasi Goreng
Drink till 2011
80
Screwcap 13.5%v/v $23 Blackheart and Sparrows, Lygon Street Brunswick

...and

Tiger Beer
Drink now
About $45 for a case at Tsarakos Grocers in Thornbury

Paesi Tuoi Piedmont Barolo DOCG 2003

Do me a favour; just humour me for a sec. You know the song they play at baseball games where it ends with, ‘Charrrrrge!!!’ When I first had this wine, all I that was happening in my head was the baseball Charge song, with ‘yum yum yum yum yum.....’ – It was a Kodak moment I guess. Anyway, that wine was the Paesi Tuoi Piedmont Barolo 2003, and it was fantastic!

Yet another find from Mediterranean Wholesalers on Sydney Road, this wine gave me everything I wanted for a very good price, for Barolo anyway. There is plenty of SO2 in this wine so give it a good decanting before drinking. The colour of this wine had a real deep red garnet to it, yet still had a subtle translucency with the onset of an orange hue. As I said, give it plenty of time in the decanter – it needs it, and after a while the nose shows plenty of dried apricot and tar. The palate is puckery dry with a very distinct cranberry tart flavour about it; lovely and long and very Nebbiolo. Mucho Fantastico!!

Drink with Corsican slow braised beef with papadelle
Drink till 2035
97
Quality cork 13.5%v/v $45 at Mediterranean Wholesalers.

Hewitson Barossa Valley Miss Harry Shiraz Grenache 2007

The regular readers of this blog are well aware of my constant avoision of anything starting with Shiraz and ending with Barossa on the label. Yes, I am a lush when it comes to Pinot Noir, aren’t we all? And then there is Champagne; am I not human, do I not bleed when cut? It is true that I have been called a lot of things over the journey, but Shylock is not one of them.

It was a conversation I had a few weeks ago with a friend in Brisbane who told me that I should not pay you too much bias to a particular variety and style and judge all wines on their merits. This is all true of course, but its coming from someone who is paid for their contributions on wine. Me, I just love Pinot Noir and Champagne, but to appease my tropical natured friend, I have started trolling the aisles of Dan’s, Blackhearts and other wine outlets in search of the Barossa Shiraz that is going to leave me smiling. This one, however, did not leave me running around my backyard with my shirt covering my face ala celebrating soccer players.

The Hewitson Barossa Valley Miss Harry Shiraz Grenache 2007 is an OK wine with no great surprises. Deep, deep red with a purple pinkish the in the glass, this wine automatically gives me the cue that there will not be too much acid. The nose is all sweat ripe fruit with oak also abound. The palate delivers similar to the nose with more ripe fruit and a hint of spice with no real acid to drive it through to the end. It reminds of the late Anna Nicole Smith; all flesh with no real substance. A definite JABS.

Drink with meat and three veg
Drink till 2011
84
Screwcap 14%v/v (??) $20 from Dan Murphy’s in Coburg

Bindi Macedon Ranges Block 5 Pinot Noir 2006

It was such a lovely day today. It wasn’t too hot, Henry had two really good sleeps and went down without (sort of) a peep, and Erin got her travel itinerary for her Asian trip - a lot shorter than first expected. So with all of this good news, something good had to be opened. The Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir 2006 was exactly that wine – you can almost hear Bruce McAvaney whisper ‘Special’ can’t you?

Such a great wine. In the glass the wine has a very dirty plummy red colour to it due no fining throughout the 17-18 months it has in barrel, with maybe 2-3 times it being racked off it lees by yours truly. This is not a simple wine on the nose with plenty of complexity abounding – lots of soft spice and earthy characters coming through. The palate engages with firm savoury tannins and wonderful minerality coming through in the acid; the length is tight and almost endless. There is an almost delicate addition of red fruit with tart cranberry and raspberry being an unlikely, yet affective duo. Great now but fantastic with 5-15 years and even more. Mucho Fantastico!!!!!!!!!!!!

Super, Super, Super!

Drink with thrice cooked duck
Drink till 2021
99 - I had to score this one, too good not to!
Diam 13.5%v/v, expect to pay plenty at auction sites such as Langton’s and MW Wines:
http://www.langtons.com.au/; http://www.mwwines.com.au/

Chandon Yarra Valley ZD Blanc de Blanc 2005

Another hot one in Melbourne and another hot wine to drink when said day is, well, hot! The Chandon Yarra Valley ZD Blanc de Blanc 2005 has got hot weather written all over it with its clean bone dry feel making it a monty for your next aperitif.

Now ZD is an acronym for zero disgorged. This is when a sparkling wine has the crown seal – its initial closure – released to remove any dislodged yeast sediment. There is generally a little wine lost so a dosage (minus sugar in Australia) is added before it gets its cork and cage. This does not happen with the ZD, hence the crown seal. What you get is a very dry sparkling wine with clean acid, which as I said, is perfect for an aperitif.

The 2005 ZD is fantastic; pale straw in the glass with a very fine bead. The nose is all green apple – very Blanc de Blanc because of the low v/v and 100% Chardonnay; more malic acid than lactic acid. The palate has up-right acid with a lead pencil taste to it, for those who remember lead pencils that is. This is a great wine.

Drink with freshly shucked oysters, a fair dinkum Susan!
Drink till 2012
94
Crown seal 12.5%v/v $35 from Rathdowne Cellars, Carlton North

Woodside Valley Estate Margaret River ‘Les Bas’ Chardonnay 2007

Plenty to like about his Chardonnay. The Woodside Valley Estate Margaret River ‘Les Bas’ Chardonnay 2007 was dropped off to me at The Point Albert Park just prior to me resigning, so I am pretty sure that it did not make the cut. If I had stayed on however, it definitely would have been in the Chardonnay column, probably pouring as well.

Bone straw to look at, the nose is a wonderful marriage of stonefruit – peach primarily, and oak. The wine really hits its straps in the mouth with a punch of grapefruit, more stonefruit of peach and nectarine with spine tingling acid which tells me this wine will develop very nicely over the next 10 years.

Wonderful balance and length with its complexity spelling out what Margaret River Chardonnay should taste like.

Drink with pan seared scallops
Drink till 2018
95
Diam 13.1%v/v $40 from http://www.woodsidevalleyestate.com.au/

Yalumba Y Series South Australian Pinot Grigio 2008

I don’t k now why, but when I first had this wine I instantly thought of this song:

“Hey you, stare at the sun,
You’re not gunna see anyone
Lost my nerve I didn’t know what to say
The weakness may have gone away...

I might sit on a beach
Where the waves are out of reach
Watch the ocean as it rolls on the wave
My weakness may have gone away.”

Losin’ it – Underground Lovers

With the Celsius more than likely hovering around the low 30’s here in Melbourne today, the idea of twisting a few screwcaps around the BBQ and picnic rug is spot on. One such wine, the Yalumba 'Y Series' South Australian Pinot Grigio 2008, will I think lose many lids today.

There is nothing pretentious or humdrum about this wine. The colour is bone straw with an almost sparkle to it. The nose instantly has a freshness of white pear and the prelude of piercing acid.... and it was with more freshness coming in the way of clean acid and more white pear with a touch of Granny Smith apple to boot.

This is a short wine with not much complexity, but when you are sitting around with friends deciding when to pull out the back yard cricket set, this wine is the perfect companion.

Drink now
Drink with picnic basket contents
89
Screwcap 12.5%v/v $10ish at most Dan Murphy stores

E. Guigal Côte Rôtie Brune et Blond 2000

This is a stellar wine! The E. Guigal Côte Rôtie Brune et Blond 2000 was absolutely pure joy to drink and unfortunately my last one.

E. Guigal has been described as the ‘Locomotive’ of the Rhone and the ‘Pirate of the Valley’ in the way they forage out the best fruit year after year. I would describe them as the Penfolds of the Rhone with parcels of fruit from Côte Rôtie up in the north to Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the south and everything in between.

From an average year, this wine still has all the hallmarks of a great Côte Rôtie wine. There is still plenty of brightness in the colour with no signs of an orange rusty hue. The nose is the winner here with layers of complex aromas; savoury cherry, herbs - bay leaf sticks out massively, and the prickly spice of tobacco. The palate still has a wonderful acid hit that is not astringent but clean and sharp with more savoury flavours dominating and finishing with subtle dusty tannins. Pure joy this was!

Drink with Roast Chicken
Drink till 2020
96
Quality cork 13%v/v $130 Langton’s online auctions www.langtons.com.au

Summer BBQ Time! - Cookbooks Part 2: Ross Dobson's Chinatown: sweet sour spicy salty

Home from hospital – it’s a good feeling! The stay at North Park Private to try and get Henry to sleep has sort of worked, cos’ I have come home with some better strategies for him to sleep longer – fingers crossed!! Home from hospital also means no more hospital food. I can categorically say that I will not miss their cooking! Sitting down and filling out my meal orders was probably one of the hardest things I did in the last week. All I could think about was my BBQ - pork, beef, crabs and prawns sizzling away while I sip a frosty beer.

It is going to be a bit tough to get organised for a feast tonight with not much in the fridge or pantry, so it will have to wait until tomorrow night for our gourmet spectacular. So to continue my series on summer cookbooks, tomorrow I will be using Ross Dobson’s Chinatown: sweet sour spicy salty.

A couple of weeks ago I had a massive hankering for some home cooked Chinese food. My cookbook range on the subject was very thin, so instead of spending mucho $$ on some new glossy from Kylie Kwong, I borrowed one of the many cookbooks my sister has on the subject, with Ross’ definitely looking the best.

So, in no particular order of what’s going on the BBQ this summer, here are some of the dishes that will get a decent circulation; and yes, I know I have two tofu recipes here carnivores, but they are both delicious so get used to it you meat lovers out there.

Salt and Pepper Tofu – this is such an easy and cheap dish to prepare. It will only work on the BBQ if you have a side wok attachment.
• 600 grams of silken tofu, cut in cubes
• 750 mL vegetable oil
• Half a cup of cornflour
• 1-2 teaspoons of Sichuan pepper and salt mix – one tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, two teaspoons and two tbsp salt
• One lemon, cut into wedges
Cut up tofu in to cubes and carefully place onto a plate lined with paper towels. Place a couple more paper towels on top and leave for about 30 minutes so the water may be absorbed; roll in cornflour. Heat oil in wok and gently slide/place tofu cubes in wok two at a time for about a minute or golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain then toss in salt and pepper mix. Serve with Peter Lehman Barossa Semillon 2006.

Char Siu rack of Lamb - another super dish for the BBQ with fantastic sweet and spicy flavours from the marinade combining with the juices of the lamb.
• Third of a cup of Chinese BBQ sauce – Char Siu
• Two tbsp honey
• Third of a cup lemon juice
• One teaspoon sesame oil
• One tbsp peanut oil
• Rack of lamb, about 750 grams
Combine Char Siu, honey, lemon juice and sesame oil and rub marinade in to lamb rack and refrigerate for at least eight hours. Char the rack on the BBQ for about 30-45 seconds to burn a little; this gives a really good flavour hit from the Char Siu. Place in a baking dish and cook for a further 20 minutes in BBQ. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and carve up. Serve with Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 or De Bortoli Estate Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.

Chilli Blue Swimmer Crab or Singapore Chilli Mud Crab - this will get messy so don’t forget finger bowls and not your children’s wading pool!
• Four blue swimmer crabs/mud crabs
• Three tbsp Chinese chilli sauce
• Three good glugs of tomato sauce, not ketchup – we are in Australia people!
• 200mL chicken stock
• One teaspoon castor sugar
• Half a cup of vegetable oil
• Two garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• One tbsp grated ginger
• Two spring onions, white bit chopped and green bit sliced diagonally
• Two large red chillies, not birds-eye, thinly sliced diagonally
• One egg, lightly beaten
Combine chilli sauce, tomato sauce, stock and sugar in a mixing bowl and dissolve the sugar; set aside. If the crabs are still alive, put them in the freezer for about an hour. Using a cleaver or a heavy bladed knife, make and incision through the head of the crab, put the crabs on their back and lift the tail apron and using your thumb, lever off the top of the shell. Remove the spongy grey gunk and rinse. Cut the crab in half and half again and refrigerate until ready.

Heat the oil in the wok to very high heat. When it reaches smoking point, toss half of the crab contents in and give a good toss for about 3-4 minutes or until coloured. Remove from wok.

Drain almost all of the oil from the wok and add garlic, ginger, spring onion whites and half of the chillies and cook for about 7 seconds then toss in crab and sauce mixture and bring to the boil – keep the kids away at this time cos’ it gets really hot! Keep tossing for a while then slowly pour the egg in as you keep stirring. Cook for another minute. Serve with green spring onion and remaining chilli as garnish. Serve with Provenance Geelong Pinot Noir 2007 or Pepper Tree Hunter Valley Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – this has a lovely tang to it!

Tofu with soy and ginger – this is a great appetiser for something like the last recipe.
• 600 grams of silken tofu, cut in cubes
• 750 mL vegetable oil
• Two tbsp light soy sauce
• One tbsp fish sauce
• Two teaspoons grated ginger
• 40 grams tapioca flour
• Half a teaspoon of fine ground white pepper
• Two spring onions, green part only thinly sliced, diagonally
Prepare the tofu the same way as the first recipe. Simmer fish sauce and ginger in a small bowl to soften ginger. Remove from heat. Heat the oil in the wok to very high. Toss the tofu in flour and cook until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Reheat the sauce mix and pour over tofu with spring onions to garnish. Serve with Bloodwood Orange Riesling 2009.