I received the call as I reached the train station, “We need some wine for the dish I am cooking for dinner!”. Naturally I leapt to the nearest wine shop and grabbed up a $500 bottle of Shiraz, thereby saving the meal and the future of mankind.

Ok that is a smidge over the top, however having heard the chef’s chant that one should never cook with a wine one wouldn’t drink, and that it should be a fine wine I find myself ambivalent. I have cooked with wine I wouldn’t drink straight, Old Hayshed Red, made of haysheds as opposed to in one, when added as the essential ingredient of Coq-au-vin absolutely made the meal. A dinner that needs a rough and ready wine to bring it to its full potential.

Tonights dinner was a conundrum, what wine is required to cook red cabbage? A side dish recipe from Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps” recipe book to go with Kaesler Chops. A robust wine I felt, so probably not a Merlot or Sangiovese. A Pinot Noir may have been adequate.. however… In the end I chose a Tatachilla Partners Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz. Now as the dish would only require one or two glasses itself, the rest would need to serve as Cooks Wine ( as opposed to cooking wine )

So although I may cook with a wine I wouldn’t necessarily choose to drink, cooks wine does demand something a little better.

Google Books link to Spiced Red Cabbge in Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps”

Amazon Link to Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps”

Tags: Red Wine // Add Comment »

As a birthday treat we headed up to Healesville in Victoria to spend the morning at the cellar door for Giant Steps Winery. The cellar door is a restaurant with its own bakery, with a section set aside for wine tasting. The bakery is hard to resist so we opened with a relaxing coffee and cake before wandering over to peruse the wine selection.
They have two brands , Innocent Bystander, their drink now label, and Giant Steps itself, the supremo label. Between the two labels there is a large list to go through, but the necessity of finding something to go with lunch spurred us on.

The difference between the two labels was noticeable, with the Giant Steps list proving better on average to the Innocent Bystanders (then again sangiovese and I have never gotten along). Having said that the standout of the lot was the Innocent Bystanders Cordon Cut Voignier, a sweetly delicious dessert wine, that disappeared all to quickly.
The Giant Steps single vineyard Pinot Noir’s were also delicious and extraordinary in the amount of difference that could be found given that they were at most 30km’s apart. They will benefit from some cellaring leaving the Innocent Bystander Syrah free to be plundered straight away.

For Lunch?
freshly shucked oysters with seaweed dressing
sashimi of kingfish with white miso sauce
Pizza: italian buffalo mozzarella, san marzano tomato, basil & olive oil

Drinks

2010 Moscato
2010 pinot gris

Links
Weekend Menu
Giant Steps & Innocent Bystanders Winery

Tags: Red Wine, White Wine, Winery Visit // Add Comment »

Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2007 – Thai Red Curry Chicken

It has been a while, but the cellar was beckoning and we needed something to go with a spicy homemade curry.
Thai Red and Green Curry have become a staple dish, replacing the spag bol when I first moved out of home.

Grant Burge is also a staple member of our Adelaide wineries to visit list. Filsell though was never high on my tasting list, it doesn’t suit my palate when it is young. However the first time I had an aged one I realised what a good bargain it is. It gains character as it ages. Almost as much as my cooking.

Homemade Thai Red Curry.

• Cooking Oil, I use olive oil, sesame or peanut oil is also good
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• Garlic and ginger to taste ( at least one clove )
• 1-2 teaspoons Red Curry Paste
• 250gm chicken
• Lime juice to taste ( a couple of squirts? )
• 1 can coconut milk
• 4 Swiss Brown Mushrooms
• A cup full of cauliflower
• 200gm chopped baby corn
• A generous handful of beans
• Half a red capsicum, chopped
• Half a green capsicum, chopped

1. heat olive oil in a wok
2. saute onions and garlic until the onion is brown
4. add chicken, curry paste and a squirt of lime
5. stir chicken until brown
6. add the coconut milk, mushrooms, cauliflower and corn
7. simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching fluid levels. Add Water if it gets low
8. add the capsicum and beans
9. continue to cook until the beans are heated through, but still crisp (5 minutes? )
10. serve with Rice and a spicy wine

Links
Grant Burge Wines

Tags: Red Wine // Add Comment »

Penley Estate Sparkling Pinot Noir and Duck, Vino Cotto & Star Anise pate.

We spent the entire day gardening, digging up the backyard in preparation for grass laying by the landscape gardener. So a fitting end to the day is  a good Sparkling, Maggie Beer Pate and a King Island Dairy – Surprise Bay Cheddar along with Jatz crackers! Ok the Jatz  are an odd addition but needs must.

Links
Penley Estate Wines
King Island Diary

Surprise Bay Cheddar

Sparkling Pinot

Tags: Red Wine // Add Comment »

Summerfield  Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 – Medium rare Rib Eye Steak

Summerfield Wines

Friday Night dinner after a long long week. Medium Rare steak and a well aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

Nothing too fancy, steamed vegetables, oven roasted chips, steak marinated in Worcestershire sauce and cooked on the bbq. A very smooth glass of red, both the steak and the wine aged to perfection

Finished with a glass of muscat and my personal favourite of chocolate ice cream.

Links

Summerfield Winery

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Two Hands Winery

We were over in Adelaide for the Australia Day Weekend and as always we headed off to the Barossa to try out some wines. On the advice of a friend we ended up at Two hands Winery on Friday afternoon ready for our final tastings of the day.

A large selection of wines were on offer, so while the kids explored the back of the winery we set down to work.
We sampled from the all their ranges: The Flagships, Single Vineyard series, The Garden and the Picture series generally trying their red wines. The only off note of the tasting was the Bad Impersonator, which none of us took a shine to.
We eventually gathered the children and headed home with a small box filled with Gnarly Dudes and Yesterday’s Hero’s.

Tasting:

• Flagship Range:
  • Ares Shiraz, 8
• Single Vineyard Series:
  • Barney’s Block Shiraz McLaren Vale, 8 with 15+yrs cellaring
• The Garden Series:
  • Bella’s Garden Shiraz Barossa Valley, 7 needs age.
  • Harry and Edward’s Garden Shiraz Langhorne Creek, 7.
  • Max’s Garden Shiraz Heathcote, 7
• The Picture Series:
  • Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Barossa Valley, 8.
  • Brave Faces Shiraz Grenache Mataro Barossa Valley, 8
  • Yesterday’s Hero Grenache Barossa Valley, 8
  • For Love or Money Cane Cut Semillon Barossa Valley, 8 with extra rahs
  • Bad Impersonator Shiraz Barossa Valley, 4.

Links

http://www.twohandswines.com/

Tags: Red Wine, White Wine, Winery Visit // Add Comment »

Peter Lehman 1999 Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz – Choc-mint ice cream pudding

A lovely way to finish Christmas Day, sitting back, watching the sunset while sipping on Sparkling Shiraz.
This vintage has been ageing nicely in our cellar, and the years have done it justice.
The choc-mint pudding was a new treat just for Christmas, straight from the coles cookbook.

Coles Choc-mint Ice cream pudding

• 750ml Vanilla Ice cream. ( we used Maggie Beers Vanilla Bean ice cream, choose your favourite )
• 200g pkt Chocolate Mint Supreme biscuits – chopped
• 750ml Chocolate Ice cream. ( we used Chocolate Obsession ice cream )
• 1 cup frozen raspberries.
• fresh or frozen raspberries, mint leaves and icing sugar, to serve

1. Line a pudding bowl with plastic wrap, then with non-stick baking paper. Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a large bowl and leave to soften slightly. Using a large metal spoon mix through the biscuits.
2. Spoon mixture into the pudding tin, and press with the back of the spoon to smooth the surface. Cover with the plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours, until firm. Repeat with the chocolate ice cream, mixing in the frozen raspberries, and spoon the mixture on top of the already frozen pudding. Return to the freezer for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Up to 1 hour before serving, chill a serving platter in the freezer. Turn the pudding onto it, and remove the plastic wrap and paper. Return to the freezer until serving.
4. To serve, top with fresh or frozen raspberries and mint leaves, duct with icing sugar and cut into slices.

Links

http://www.peterlehmannwines.com/
http://www.maggiebeer.com.au/
Maggie Beer Vanilla Bean and Elderflower Ice Cream

Tags: Red Wine // Add Comment »

Christman qba 2008 Riesling – Marinated Sardines

City Wine shop

We visited the city Wine Shop for our anniversary, and finally managed to move past the pickled onions and cheese as an accompaniment for our wine. Instead we chose the marinated sardines, recommended to us by many officianados, and selected a 2008 German Riesling from Christman as well as a 2007 French Sancerre from Champault to go with it. [Read more →]

Tags: White Wine // Add Comment »

Chalkers Crossing 2008 Sauvignon Blanc – Tapas

We ended up at Station St Café in Nunnawading for dinner only to find some hard choices needed to be made. Which Tapas selection would we have? While deciding upon the correct nibbles we sampled  Sauvignon Blanc’s from  Chalkers Crossing, Tumbarumba NSW, and Branken Hill Marlborough NZ. Too help the decision a Jazz duo, King and Lily, played in the background easing the choice of Tapas to the Chef’s Selection.

Highlights of the 12 tapas were

Katafi Pastry wrapped prawns with seafood aoli.

Labna balls with Station st taboulis.

Lamb Kofta balls with minted apple yoghurt.

The two sauv blanc’s were quite different, one a quite typical Marlborough Sauv Blanc, fresh and crisp – 7/10, while the Tumbarumba wine was  softer and smoother across the tongue – 8/10.
Links

• http://stationstreetcafe.com.au
• http://www.chalkerscrossing.com.au

Tags: White Wine // Add Comment »

Woollaston NZ 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. – Lamb ragu with potato gnocchi.

Spent the evening in Degraves St at a lovely cafe “La Citta” watching the rain and passers by. We tried a few different wines but finally settled on the Woollaston Sauvignon Blanc from Nelson Bay NZ. Combining that with the lamb ragu was inspired.

I gave the wine an 8, light fresh and definitely morish.

We also tried an italian pinot grigio from Due Monde – 7.

Tags: White Wine // Add Comment »