Mark's Blog

10 February 2007

Melbourne – 26/12/06 – 12/01/07

It is hard to explain the exact reason Melbourne is my favourite city, but the first time I visited in 1993 I felt immediately at home.

I have always enjoyed the distinctly Mediterranean style of living that influences day to day life and every time I go back I’m pleasantly surprised by the increasing influence Asian culture has on a distinctly Western city. Melbourne offers a mixture of everything, which makes it a very dynamic city which is readily expressed through its excellent restaurant and bar scene.

Reading restaurant reviews of the city’s many fine eateries a phrase that regularly pops up when describing the cuisine is “Modern Australian”. My interpretation of this is a fusion of all the best Europe has to offer with a thick slice of Asian creativity, especially Japanese.

One of the gastronomic highlights of my recent trip was an incredible lunch at Taxi in Federation Square. The menu is created by executive chef Michael Lambie who learnt his craft under the instruction of Marco Pierre White. He is joined in the kitchen by sushi chef Ikuei Arkane. The menu as you may have guessed is Modern Australian with a Japanese twist. The wine list is superb, with a great mixture of top end Aussie and a cultured selection of fine Europeans.

For my entrée I ordered the “rare tuna - 4 ways”. This by far the finest sushi I have ever tasted and was presented beautifully. I chose a Pichler 2001 Riesling to accompany my starter - the extra bottle age had intensified the rich lime and citrus flavours which matched the sushi to perfection. The fact that a restaurant in Melbourne had an Austrian Riesling on its wine list was a bit of a shock; I doubt that even a couple of years ago, this would have been the case. I say this with an air of confidence, as I know for a fact the restaurant’s young sommelier is recognised in the Australian wine industry for being instrumental in bringing these types of wine to Australia in the last few years. He was, needless to say, very pleased with my choice! This expansion into less traditional wine regions only illustrates further how very cosmopolitan Melbourne has become.

For my main course I selected the roast rabbit saddle with shitake mushrooms, green bean salad and truffle vinaigrette. This again was immaculately presented and superbly cooked. For the wine choice I handed the decision over to the sommelier. He selected a fruit driven Pinot from the Napa Valley which suited the dish extremely well.

When I’m in Melbourne there’s certain places that I have to visit, St Kilda along the waterfront is definitely top of the list for its urban vibe, great restaurants and funky bars. One of my favourite haunts is Chinta Blues on Acland Street; this relaxed Malaysian restaurant is a local’s secret and makes a Seafood Laksa to die for. Wash this down with a local Pinot Noir and you have yourself a culinary treat for the bargain price of £10. Also on Acland Street is Il Fornaio which is great for Sunday brunch. The scrambled eggs are delicious and the coffee is superb. A visit to St. Kilda is not complete without a visit to the legendary “Greasy Joe’s”. Famous for their “full English” and the perfect place to head for a hangover cure - I suggest you start with one of their Bloody Mary’s. They’re seriously tasty and the perfect hair of the dog. The portions at Joe’s are on the large-ish side, but as the menu charmingly puts it, don’t be a SC, just finish it.

When I am in other towns and cities I like to check out what other wine merchants are up to. Melbourne has some fine establishments selling great wines and one of the finest would have to be Armadale cellars. The guys who work there are extremely passionate and professional and their range is exceptional with everything from VB to DRC. I have been going there for some years now and always walk out with a varied and interesting selection of wines. One wine that I picked up on this trip that really impressed me was a Chardonnay from the Woori Yallock sub region of the Yarra Valley. The Mac Forbes Winery has created a Chardonnay that has an elegant charm and the subtlety of a great European wine; I have no doubt that the wines from this estate will be on our shelves very soon.

One thing that I have noticed on this trip was the greater availability of classy Champagne in wine merchants and on wine lists in general. It is not uncommon to see Jacquesson and Billecart Salmon as house Champagnes. I think this is great, if only places here would move from the comfort zone of Moet and Veuve!!

I look forward to next time to see what new surprises Melbourne has in store for me.

Cheers,
Mark.

Tasmania 7/1/07 – 11/1/07

Domaine A, Stoney Vineyards.

I first came across Domaine A wines about 3 years ago at the Australia Day tasting in London. The bold and colourful labelling stood out from the crowd and drew me in. I was actually looking for some Tasmanian wines to add to our list as I had been converted to their charms a long time ago. After trying the range of wines on offer I was convinced that I had found what I was looking for. The Lady A Fume Blanc is simply world class. Tasmania produces very fine Sauvignon Blanc anyway, but the oak fermentation and maturation of the Lady A offers a layered complexity that is very near impossible to find in any Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon. The Pinot Noir and Cabernet are both excellent as well, but I’ll come back to the wine later.

On a recent visit to Tasmania I couldn’t pass up the chance to go Domaine A to see for myself the home of these superb wines. The Vineyard is situated in the Coal River Valley about half an hour’s drive from Hobart. The property was purchased in 1989 by Swiss businessman Peter Althaus and his wife Ruth. After an exhaustive search around the globe to find the perfect location, they settled on Southern Tasmania.

On a sunny Tasmanian morning, my wife Damina and I set off from Hobart in our little red Peugeot, to have lunch with the guys at Domaine A. Whether it was my driving or Dee’s map reading that was to blame for us going the wrong way a few times, we shall never know, but let’s just say I don’t think it was my driving! However it gave us a very scenic trip through the Coal Valley and we still arrived in plenty of time.

The estate is extremely neat and precise, I’d definitely say there is some of Peter’s Swiss influence there. It reminded me very much of properties that I have visited before in the Loire valley. We were met by Paul (export manager) and Maria (marketing) and after brief introductions were given a tour by Paul. The winery is beautifully laid out with an impressive barrel hall and probably the best cellars on the island. The marvellous Maria had laid on a wonderful spread of local produce for us including locally cured and smoked meats and fish and some delicious mushrooms from the Huon Valley.

As we sat down, Peter emerged from the cellar with a couple of full decanters in his hands. Over the course of a great two and a half hour lunch we tasted several vintages from the Stoney Vinyards range and Domaine A itself. Peter is a great raconteur and the time literally flew by. Though Tasmania is better known for its Pinot Noirs and dry aromatic whites, Peter, a fan of Bordeaux, spotted the potential for Cabernet Sauvignon. The Domaine A Cab Sauv is the favourite wine of the range and is justly listed in the Langton’s 100 best wines of Australia.

We could have spent all afternoon talking and sampling but there was work to be done and we had another appointment to keep. As a wine retailer I believe it is important to get a real feel of where the wines come from and meet the faces behind the products. My visit to Domaine A confirmed what I already new - that they are wonderful wines, made by passionate people in a remarkable place.

Cheers,
Mark.