Dalwhinnie Pyrenees Eagle Shiraz 2001

It was a big week. The Pommery and Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagnes are once again getting noticed, the back garden is green again and the cold I have dragged through the week is almost gone. Yet as the saying goes, 'There is no rest for the wicked', and even though I am (sort of) not wicked, it all starts again on Monday with the annual Australian Sommeliers Association XMAS Lunch at Mahjong in St. Kilda.

This will be a day when 50 or so sommeliers from mainly Victoria, with a few coming down from Sydney and Brisbane, get to sit around a big table and chew the fat over a busy 2009 with a cheeky glass of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne - an unashamedly promotion - and essentially sit back and let someone else serve really.

But it will not just be Pommery Brut Royal sipped over lunch. It is a lunch where all the diners are invited, nay encouraged, to bring something delish along for others to have a glass of. Decisions, decisions - what shall I take?

Yes, 2009 has been a big year for memorable wines. Pio Cesare Barolo, Lamy Pillot Montrachet, Etienne Sauzet Montrachet, Merricks Estate Close Planted Pinot Noir, Punch Close Planted Pinot Noir, Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir, Krug Grand Cru Champagne and on and on and on.........

I am not saying that my cellar is of slim pickings at the moment, but my choice of wine has been limited with plenty of corks being released this year. I will probably take a Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot Noir 1998 or 1999, but it is the wine that I would really love to take that got away earlier this year - The Dalwhinnie Pyrenees Eagle Shiraz 2001.

This was a wine that I had the pleasure of drinking at The Point Albert Park over a very impressive Chateaubriand. An almost ink tone to the wine, I found it near impossible to drag my nose away with plenty of cedar and mocha screaming up my nose. After about 45 minutes, a heavy spice layer of cinnamon and black pepper became the secondary wave on the nose. Plenty of ripe morello cherry on the initial palate, the wine once again changes in the decanter to a very earthy and savoury beast - an almost blend of Cote Rotie and Burgundy I would suggest. Throughout the life of this bottle, taught silky firm tannins were always present which were absolutely perfect with the Chateaubriand; a Susan this one!

Quite simply stunning!

Drink with Chateaubriand medium rare
Drink till 2020
99
Quality cork 13.5%v/v $310 wine list at The Point Albert Park

T’Gallant Mornington Peninsula ‘Juliet’ Pinot Grigio 2008

Looking out at the Brunswick skyline this morning, all I can see is an endless grey horizon with rain, rain and more rain. It is fair to say that today’s events are going to be in closed quarters, which is not pleasing a certain big four year old called Imogen I tell ya! It is rainy days like this in December that I turn my thoughts to those hot nights of October and November and remember the gorgeous and bright white wines that were going to be the toast of the 2009 summer – still a sceptic on climate change Abbott and Minchin?

Anyhoo, I was rambling on about crisp summer wines for this season before rambling on about dinosaur politicians, with one of those being the fantastic T’Gallant Mornington Peninsula ‘Juliet’ Pinot Grigio 2008. This is a wine that has probably been surpassed by the 2009 vintage by now, but a wine that should not be overlooked never the less. Bone straw in the glass with a positively water like hue to it. A faint nose of wax is evident up front with a very appealing palate of crisp acid and soft tropical fruit such as passionfruit and melon.

Side note to parents; could you imagine the school holidays being drowned out by six weeks of rain!

Great summer wine with a real easy drinkability about it.

Drink with asparagus and egg salad
Drink now
88
Screwcap 12%v/v $12 Psarakos Markets, Thornbury

Sunday BBQ - Sichuan salt and pepper squid - part 2

... and yes, I did pick that shirt myself and still wear it, thankyou for asking!

Sunday BBQ - Sichuan salt and pepper squid part 1

Last week, our good friends Tracey and Pete came over for a little BBQ, and Tracey, who is a little media whiz, brought her video to do some playing around. Long story short, here is the outcome; my Sichuan salt and pepper squid - part 1.

Red Hill Estate Mornington Peninsula Botrytis 2000

When I was a wee lad growing up in the old port town of Fremantle, there was nothing better – I thought, anyway – than heading off to the Esplanade after a feed of Fish and Chips and rummaging through the flea market stalls. To me the two highlights were Lawson’s Castle (jumping castle) and the lucky dips. For 20 cents I got to stick my arm in to a box and pull out a magical delight; spinning top, paddle bat with ball, miniature Godzilla and numerous other titbits that would usually not see the day out.

Fast forward 30 odd years and the excitement of the lucky dip has somewhat faded with this joy now passed on to my daughter Imogen. Yet it was a dinner party Erin and I hosted a few weeks ago that the lucky dip concept was re-visited with the Red Hill Estate Mornington Peninsula Botrytis 2000. This is where it gets funky; Botrytis what I hear you ask, with the short answer being dunno (we will not bother with the long answer seeing that it would in fact be quite long indeed).

The colour was very orange with a very obvious brown sneaking in. This wine drew varying tasting notes so I will list them from who said what.

Pete – smells like cheddar cheese.
Tracey – far too sweet even for me!
Erin – what’s with all the toffee?
Tim – who wants to open up something else?

For the record this wine gave off quite a bit of marmalade and subtle saffron yet it all seemed to finish quite quickly with the nose becoming dull after about 10 minutes. Tracey and Erin were right; there was toffee and way too sweet! In my notes, I must add, is a comment about a blow up doll. This I think was the fifth bottle of wine opened that night so this remark could mean absolutely anything really.

Drink with crème brulee
Drink now
81
Cork 10.5%v/v $15 from Red Hill Estate Cellar door in 2002

Pommery Reims Brut Royal NV Champagne

Today I re-entered the workplace, leaving behind my poor gazumped son Henry in the care of his mother and taking on the role as Brand Development Manager for Vranken-Pommery Australia – that’s Champagne, people. Yes, it is my task to show-case Vranken-Pommery’s Champagne portfolio to all of the sommeliers out there in restaurant land with such Champagne as Pommery Brut Royal, Cuvee Louise 1998 – super drop that, and Heidsieck & Co. Monopole which has had zero presence in Australia for quite some time.

So it is with great pleasure that I give you the Pommery Reims Brut Royal NV. Now I am not going to tell you it is the greatest Champagne ever made and that you would be a dead-set nimrod if you don’t buy one now, tomorrow will be fine. The Pommery Brut Royal has a presence in over 85% of Michelin Star restaurants in France right now, so you don’t need me telling you how good it is.

A traditional aperitif style Champagne with a third each of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, this wine presents a very lean and crisp palate with a very tight bead. Green apples and slight lead pencil aromas are evident with seamless acid holding everything in place.

So next time you head out to a restaurant, ask for Pommery, and if they don’t have it on the list tell them to get in contact with me at tcohen@vrankenpommery.com.au


Drink with freshly shucked Tassie oysters - a fair dinkum Susan these two!
Drink till 2011
No rating
Quality cork 12.5%v/v from Vintage Cellar stores nationwide.

Remy Martin XO Champagne Cognac AOC

I don’t need to say anymore really; smells yum, tastes yum and is yum. Yum yum yum yum yum yum yum!!
Drink with big fat Cuban cigar
Drink till you are at least 75
No rating, just gorgeous!!!
Cork seal 40%v/v $AUD210 Hong Kong duty free