Lauren Arena

Australia has a reputation for producing great wine – from unctuous reds born out of Barossa dirt and the Yarra Valley, to clean, crisp whites coming from McLaren Vale and Margaret River. Even Tasmania, with its cool climate, has a boutique industry that produces premium sparkling wine.

Cheers… Klaus Kuerten

But when it comes to bubbles, it seems Aussie wine-lovers prefer to go abroad – and not to France – but to Germany.

Henkell, Germany’s leading sparkling wine, recently celebrated its long-standing presence in Australia with a masterclass hosted by winemaker and global brand ambassador, Klaus Kuerten.

Kuerten, who flew into Sydney from Wiesbaden, said Australia was a key market for sparkling wine brand, established in 1856 and circling the Australian market since 1881.

“Australians, like Germans, love the bubbles,” says Kurten.

“Australia is the seventh largest global market for sparkling wine per capita and a big focus for us.”

Lunch Mag attended the masterclass at the Langham Hotel, sipping Henkell Trocken, a dry white drop with a hint of tropical fruit, and Rosé, which has an alluring bright salmon colour and a fine, fruity character with caramel undertones.

While Henkell’s Trocken is a best-seller in German, Kuerten says rosé is driving the sparkling wine market, particularly down under.

“The Australian climate is perfect for drinking sparkling wine and Australians love to celebrate with a glass of pink bubbles.”

After several glasses, a couple of cucumber sandwiches and perhaps one too many macaroons, the masterclass closed with a bang – with Kuerten introducing his newest wine, Henkell Riesling. Light effervescence, with a deep gold colour, crisp flavour and hints of peach, the Riesling is not yet available in Australia, but Kuerten assures me it’s on its way.

www.henkell.com

Australia is rapidly running out of international icons. It doesn’t have many internationally recognizable brands it can be genuinely proud of. I only think of this as I sit becalmed in an ageing late-running Qantas tinny on an asphalt pond at Sydney airport. It’s a sad reflection of what Qantas has become – fewer flights everywhere is the new business plan at the same time as more of the world’s consumers take to the air.

Iconic… Penfolds

A mechanic scrambles onto the wing with a can of WD-40 and a few minutes later we’re disgorged back into the airport with $20 food vouchers. I’m trying to get to Adelaide where Penfolds are holding a tasting of their 2013 Bin series as well as their luxury and iconic wines such as the 2008 Grange.

Having spent my Qantas $20 exceedingly well I’m thinking Penfolds might be one of the few true international Australian icons. It’s a brand that hasn’t been spoiled by crazy management decisions and might just be our only international luxury brand thanks to Grange, RWT, Bin 707 and St Henri among others.

Then again, the magnificent bluestone heritage-listed Magill Estate, just a few minutes from the heart of Adelaide, is ripe for a casino development. Attach a billionaire to it and it will be green lit within hours.

When I do finally arrive in Adelaide I’m led to a hushed room where Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago flits silently around a small assembly of leading wine writers. None of them seem overly engaged and I’m reminded of a recent chat with a high-profile Sydney sommelier who was fairly nonplussed by Penfolds wines because “it’s Penfolds” – an altogether pathetic excuse.

As for this year’s release and the “it’s Penfolds” crowd, they’d be doing themselves a monstrous disservice. Reason being is the latest release features a line-up from the 2010 vintage which, to put it quite mildly, was a cracker of a vintage in South Australia.

A few highlights included:

Yattarna Chardonnay 2010

Sourced primarily from Tasmania (around 96 percent), the latest Yattarna is a gorgeous reflection of the new age of Australian Chardonnay. Lots of beautiful stone fruits pushing through on the nose with just a subtle hint of oak followed by slightly creamy caramelized peach flavours on the palate and almond nougat. Wonderful.

Bin 23 Pinot Noir 2012

A sweetly fresh example of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir, the Bin 23 is not one of the marquee names in the Penfolds stable but it’s such a cute, young wine. It dances with the freshness of youth, like a stolen swig from your great Aunt’s liquor cabinet with its nose of wild raspberry and cherry liqueur. On the palate the dancing fruits punch through before the tannins ensure a more sophisticated finish.

The flagship… 2008 Grange

Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2010

A relative newcomer to the Penfolds stable, the Marananga is a sub-regional Barossa Shiraz from the 2010 super vintage. On the nose there was the dark nuttiness of a strong espresso melded with crispy skinned Peking Duck and plum sauce. A delicious mix slightly let down by the almond essence or Amaretto flavours on the palate. It’s definitely one to watch though as the lingering finish of licorice and a berry fruit pannacotta promises a tasty middle age.

2010 Magill Estate Shiraz

This is your homecoming queen. Everything in this masterful single estate wine is sourced, created and blended at Magill. Hand-picked fruit and lovingly handcrafted with spicy sausage and dark-roasted coffee on the nose, it delivers like a posse of hired guns riding in to save a small hamlet from bandits. On the palate, there’s a real slow reveal that will deliver over time a savoury meaty richness.

2010 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz

Things step up a lot at this level. It’s a bit like Steve Carell killing a man with a trident in Anchorman – The Legend of Ron Burgundy. This particular RWT slowly reveals itself in the glass before opening up to a fullness of dark fruits, blueberry and ginger. It’s the ultimate smoothie on the nose before it comes down a level with a hint of sage and thyme tossed onto slightly damp earth. The palate is gloriously silken and smooth. A generous mouth feel with vanilla mascarpone daubed on almond biscotti and gently dipped in wine – a beautiful creation with a menacing promise of power to come.

2008 Grange

The flagship. I walked in already knowing this wine had been awarded 100 points by Lisa Perrotti-Brown from the Wine Advocate. It may have coloured my judgment but this is a classic Penfolds ball-tearer of a wine. Three regions – the Barossa and Clare Valleys as well as a little from Magill Estate make the 2008 a true flag bearer of Penfolds multi-regional house style. On the nose there’s an immediate lift of eucalyptus bark melded with smoked tea tree – it’s time to get the hookah pipe out with this baby. It’s like sitting around the campfire on the ultimate glamping experience. The palate unveils toasted savoury dark chocolate with a high cacao content as well as toffee malt and blackberry fruit – a tremendous wine from one of the great Penfolds vintages.

www.penfolds.com

Mark Eggleton

From the outside the steel framed door and windows of Le Chateaubriand on Avenue De Parmentier in the 11th arondissement looks just like any other bistro. Even after you enter and pull back the curtain encircling the door it still exudes the air of an average French bistro. A smattering of tables and bistro chairs on a wooden floor, an open kitchen at the rear and a bar running from the door halfway down one side of the restaurant.

Fresh... chef Inaki Aizpitarte

The fripperies of an expensive fitout and the attendant staff pretentiousness are nowhere to be found. This isn’t some temple of gastronomy in which the room is designed for you to worship the high cuisine and its creator – it revels in its simplicity and chef Inaki Aizpitarte might just be the saviour of French cuisine. 

Aizpitarte’s neo-bistro brings boldness and vitality back to French cuisine at a time when it seems to be going through an existential crisis. It’s a crisis that is probably the continuation of a deeper malaise affecting the whole country. Unemployment is high, the manufacturing sector stagnant, property prices are down and the Gallic shrug has become an involuntary spasm. There are solutions but for the moment the nation is content to blame two old favourites – the banks and the rich.

Reason being is the French don’t really trust wealth nor do they care much for extreme displays of it either. Sure they’re home to some of the world’s premier luxury brands but those brands exist for the tacky nouveau-riche consumers of China and Russia or the extended families of Gulf-state royals. They’ve even managed to turn on one of their favourite sons, Gerard Depardieu, who says money means nothing to an artist and at the same time flees as a tax exile.

So unlike Americans, the French don’t blame the poor for not dragging themselves up, they blame the rich for pushing everyone down. Unfortunately this funk has made its way into French cuisine. It’s weighed down by its own history and a lost desire to continue to innovate. Where once you could drive around regional France and easily find a half decent bistro or restaurant now you’ll often find over-prepared food made without passion. And unfortunately, it’s the same in Paris.

No frills... Le Chateaubriand

Dare I say it, but much of the cuisine of France has lost its joie de vivre. Where once the delectable joys of French cuisine burst into life on the palate they now seem tired. Food has become a chore and even the Michelin-starred chefs are hiding their lack of innovation, artistry and panache behind ever-richer yet duller creations. It would seem they’ve become fearful of produce and its ability to inspire through natural flavour combinations.

Aizpitarte embraces produce and his creations are genuinely exciting. He makes it interesting by reinventing the simple in a stylish manner. There’s also a certain anger in his culinary invention – it’s not quite polished and it’s stylishly raw.

On the night I visit nearly every course melds normally discordant flavours into seamless creations. A scallop, treviso and butternut squash dish fills the mouth with herbaceous fresh ocean flavours while Iberian Pork belly with roman broccoli and grapefruit provides a new twist on comfort food – the fatty crunch of the pork layers the tongue but it’s peeled back by the citrus tang of the grapefruit and freshness of the broccoli.

A dessert of quince and Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream doesn’t sound right but it cleanses the whole mouth beautifully. The subtle natural sugars of the quince work beautifully with the earthiness of the Jerusalem artichoke.

All of this is matched with some quirky but inspired wine choices, including an Assyrtiko from Santorini – an unusually delicate white wine paired with monkfish. An altogether fascinating Sicilian Pantelleria Gabrio Bini is a rose-style, aged in clay amphora. It’s an extraordinary wine but works wonderfully with the pork.

Aizpitarte conjures up food to make you think but it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Wonderful natural flavours meld together in innovative, unusual combinations. He embraces a whole of European cuisine and, in a way, his edgy, raw creations provide uneasy comfort to a city and a nation that’s suddenly uneasy and unsure of whom to blame for its travails.

Le Chateaubriand

129 Avenue Parmentier, 75011 Paris

01 43 57 45 95 ‎

www.lechateaubriand.net

It’s daybreak and I’ve managed to insinuate myself into the competitors marquee at the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia. Looking like charcoal figures etched in the blue-grey early morning swell, wet-suited surfers line up waiting for a wave on one of Australia’s most famous breaks.

I had scored a rather good bacon and egg role to grease away the effects of a minor hangover from the night before. Beers had been consumed at Margaret River local Must Winebar to wash down a fantastic run of wines we'd consumed at Winos Restaurant earlier in the evening and I was feeling just a little tender.

Dancing with the devil... Oliver Crawford

Winos had trotted out some rather comforting bistro fare including local scallops with Jamon; a duck confit with an orange glaze; moreish beef ribs doused in a chimmichurri sauce as well as seasonal vegetables matched with some pretty extraordinary wines.

Opening with a couple of cracking Chardonnays including a 2005 Olivier LeFlaive Batard Montrachet we progressed to a couple of acknowledged showstoppers including a 1982 Mouton Rothschild as well as a 1975 Latour and a 1975 Les Forts De Latour. Interestingly, on the night the Les Forts was a personal highlight with bucketloads of rich fruit pushing through which was quite extraordinary for a wine over 30 years old.

Now the reason for all this was Devil’s Lair chief winemaker, Oliver Crawford not only wanted to drink some great wines but he hoped to share with his guests a vision of where he’d like to take Devil’s Lair – a winery now firmly hitting its straps with some of Australia’s best Chardonnay and Cabernet already squirreled away in the cellar.

Crawford, who arrived from Penfolds in 2009 where he was chief white winemaker, wants Devil’s Lair to become one of the iconic brands of the Margaret River region.

“I’ve been able to come to something a little bit smaller, where I can put a firm stamp on everything. It’s also a chance to have a crack at doing reds again,” Crawford says.

But first up was the winery’s chardonnay.

Crawford acknowledges Australian Chardonnay is evolving and he says it's primarily because Australian viticulture has gone through a dramatic change.

“As a winemaker I have my own style that I like to make but I also respect what Devil’s Lair Chardonnay is all about and what Margaret River is all about. There’s much stronger vineyard management nowadays. When I first started in this industry, most winemakers’ had the philosophy that the fruit arrived on the back of a truck. I strongly disagreed with that then and I strongly disagree today. Get the fruit right and the winemaking is easy.

“Now you’re seeing a lot more leaf cover on the vines which means less sun exposure. I don’t mind if, when we’re picking, we don’t see those honey melon/yellow peach characters that come from a lot of sun exposure."

Unique blends... Devil's Lair

For Crawford though, the smaller economies of scale, away from a big brand like Penfolds, means he can do more of what he wants to do.

Moreover, he can have a more hands-on role in the vineyard.

He says one great advantage he has as a winemaker is the 10 years he spent helping his parents in the family vineyard at Orange in New South Wales.

“Every waking hour was spent in the rotten thing. Now I can walk out into the vineyard with a pair of secateurs and prune it for the viticulture team if I want to. It’s a great advantage because it helps me interpret what you do in the vineyard determines what happens in the winery."

He says soil variation is a big factor and he and viticulturist Simon Robertson work very hard to understand the land and its soil.

“Simon’s very particular about it and that whole notion of precision viticulture. If you walk through the vineyard with an aerial map, you can see exactly where the soil differences are and you can taste the differences in the fruit.

“As a winemaker, you can pick according to how it’s naturally growing or take out some of those inconsistencies. You can change how irrigation is managed or apply a little bit of mulch to the top of the block or the bottom of the block to change the water flow and get the vines to work for you a lot better.”

Crawford believes the viticulturist deserves more respect.

“Go to Burgundy and grape growers aren’t called grape growers, they’re wine growers. Whether you’re physically planting, pruning, picking the fruit or stirring the barrels, you’re a wine grower.”

As for the future, Crawford is keen to challenge the status quo in the region.

“We released a Cabernet Shiraz rather than Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River because it’s a better wine.  Why can’t we have a Mt Barker Riesling or a Pemberton Pinot? And sure Devil’s Lair is a Margaret River winery but why can’t we do a Mount Barker Cabernet – sourcing the best fruit from the around the area?”

And importantly, Crawford seems to be in it for the long haul – he loves the region.

“The beach is just down the road, we can go fishing in the dam right in front of the winery, my family loves it and it’s a lot better than the Barossa,” he concludes.

www.devils-lair.com

The Crave International Food Festival kicked off last week and as Sydney enjoys all things sweet and savoury in the culinary world, a celebration of local wine seems only fitting.

 Saturday 13 October

6pm-9pm 

123 George Street, The Rocks (opposite MCA)

If you're feeling saucy, sip your way through 'Fifty Shades of Gris', where up to 50 takes on white wine pinot gris and grigio are on offer.

Unctious, rich and full of flavour, this white wine variety is known for its clean, crisp elegance.

Wines to try from Brown Brothers, Devil’s Corner, Trout Valley, Ra Nui, Peter Lehmann Wines, Moondarra, ArtWine Estate, Climbing, Angullong, Pizzini, Taylors Wines, Tempus Two, Mount Majura, McGuigan, Lawsons, Henschke, Petaluma and Philip Shaw. 

Friday 19 October

6pm-9pm 

123 George Street, The Rocks (opposite MCA)

Loved for its medium-bodied, cool-climate elegance and finesse, pinot noir is the new black.

 More than 20 varieties are on offer, showcasing the broad range of bouquets, flavours and textures of this classic drop.

Wine to try include Brokenwood, Moondara, Brancott Estate, Drift, Holm Oak Vineyards, Villa Maria, Hungerford Hill, TarraWarra Estate, Tamar Ridge and many more. 

Tickets are $30

50 Shades of Gris: http://www.stickytickets.com.au/8793

Sip Your Noir:  http://www.stickytickets.com.au/8792

Tantalising... the 1887

The creation of the 1887 marks 125 years since the opening of the hotel. Inspired by the Singapore Sling, the 1887 combines a base of Billecart- Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne with some tantalising flavours. Keen to ensure the secrecy of the recipe, the creator of the new sling, Randolf Velasco, has revealed that Gordons Gin, Cointreau and the essence of orange, lemon and lime are only parts of the mix.

Since bartender Ngiam Tong Boon designed the Singapore Sling in 1915, the cocktail has become an icon of the hotel. The 1887 joins the Singapore Sling in the Long Bar, so guests can enjoy a new delight as well as an old classic.

The 1887 is now available exclusively at Raffles hotels around the world, including Singapore, Raffles Beijing Hotel, Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris and Raffles Dubai.

Raffles Hotel retains a strong connection with Singapore, and is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of the city.

Raffles, Singapore:

www.raffles.com/singapore

Each year during the Hospice de Beaune wine auction, Bouchard Aîné & Fils hosts a special creative themed tasting, bringing together original food and wine combinations. 

This year's event will feature foreign flavours incorporated with Burgundy wines in a menu full of new sensations. It is a discovery of Burgundy wines in all their guises, including a sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne, wines from both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, a wine from the barrel that is rarely offered to the public and a selection of old vintages.

No other winery in the world offers such a comprehensive and complimentary after-sales service. Well over 100,000 bottles have been assessed at Penfolds Re-corking Clinics since 1991.

Penfolds... discussing wine history

These Clinics provide owners of Penfolds wines a distinctive and intimate wine health examination. Penfolds winemakers visually inspect the wine, open if necessary, assess quality, top up (if appropriate), certify and re-capsule bottles.

More than a health-check for your wine, a clinic appointment also affords a personal opportunity to meet the maker, recount the wine’s ‘story’ and discuss drinking windows and cellaring tips. It’s also an opportunity to engage first hand with almost 170 years of continuous winemaking endeavours and history.

Experts from leading Australian Wine Auction House, Langton’s, are available to investigate the investment value of prized wine possessions, family heirlooms and drinking investments.

Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker said, “We’ve been staging Penfolds Re-corking Clinics across the globe now for more than twenty years …. We’ve opened a Pandora’s Box of a huge array of wines spanning numerous decades. The experience is as fresh as it was back in the beginning—no two Clinics have been alike, no two stories the same. It’s all about people, humanity, emotion and wine, the Clinics are imminently rewarding”.

After the Australian dates, Penfolds Re-corking Clinics travel to New York and Houston.

Appointments are essential, visit www.penfolds.com or call 1300 651 650 in Australia.

PENFOLDS RE-CORKING CLINICS 2012 DATES & LOCATIONS

• Perth 29–30th August Burswood Entertainment Complex
• Brisbane 4–5th September Hilton Brisbane

For further details or to register please visit www.penfolds.com or call 1300 651 650.  Registrations are now open.

As part of the region’s recent rebranding campaign that positions the Hunter Valley as a contemporary wine destination; Billy Law, of recent Masterchef fame, Lisa Perkovic, a self confessed travel addict and Siobhan Curran, a Newcastle local and foodie, will over the coming year unveil their Hunter Valley gems to their followers and interested consumers through regular blog entries, tweets and facebook updates.

Billy Law who competed in season 3 of MasterChef, currently writes a Sydney based food blog called ‘A Table for Two’ (www.atablefortwo.com.au).  Billy believes that we should all try everything once, which is why he loves to immerse himself in various culinary worlds. Billy will share his Hunter Valley experiences with over 13,000 dedicated fans that he has built up over the last number of years.

Travel writer and photographer Lisa Perkovic, could be called a professional when it comes to exploring. Having travelled Australia, South Pacific and central Europe extensively, Lisa (www.lisaperkovic.com.au) through her travels to the Hunter Valley promises to share the most captivating photos of the region as it’s never been seen before.                                                            

Finally, Siobhan Curran who writes food blog ‘Cooking from the Heart’ (www.cookingfromtheheart.com.au) will educate followers with her Hunter Valley experiences and her favourite regional food and wine delights. Siobhan has had a wide variety of occupations relating to food including roles as an apprentice chef, nutritionist and food magazine writer, so her knowledge extends widely.

These lucky winners have each won three all expenses paid weekends for them and their guest to the Hunter Valley, valued at $5000 in total, thanks to the Hunter Valley region and Yahoo!7. Each visit will be completely different, as the ambassadors will be exposed to a new Hunter Valley secret each time they arrive. They will also be invited as VIPs to hallmark regional events such as Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month in June and Hunter Valley Uncorked in November.

Wine Country Tourism spokesperson Dean Gorddard says, ‘We look forward to our three winners experiencing all the Hunter Valley has to offer. I’m positive that those who read their blog posts will see the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest and most revered wine region, through completely different eyes, and discover secrets and stories they have never heard or seen before.”

To share or find out more about the Hunter Valley’s best kept secrets, join the conversation at #hvsecrets or follow Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourism (@huntervalleywc) on Twitter.

http://www.winecountry.com.au/

OpenSkies ... Business class winner

The glass of bubbly you’re offered in business and first class while you sit at the gate after boarding is the only time you will taste a wine with your palate in full working order on an aircraft. As soon as you head into the deep blue sky, funny things happen to your tastebuds as you dehydrate at altitude.

Here at Lunch Magazine we feel it’s vitally important airlines put plenty of thought into their wine lists as we adore alcohol with altitude. What tastes pretty good standing around a tasting table down on terra firma can often reflect what you’re travelling in (a tin can) at 30,000 feet. Taking this into account we humbly suggest all research into airline wine lists should be done on a long haul flight with seasoned aircraft drinkers such as … us.

As for drinking in the air, it’s probably best to start with still water (not sparkling) to get the palate into full working order and then match a glass of water to every two glasses of wine. After about four you’ve probably had enough and it’s time to call for the cognac.

When it comes to the best wine in the air British Airways’ business class only airline OpenSkies (operating between the US east coast and Paris) was a big winner in this year’s Global Traveler’s 2011 Wines on the Wing airline wine competition as was Asiana Airlines.

This year, 28 airlines throughout the world submitted 136 wines from their current international business-class, international first-class and North America lists. Thirty-one professional judges tasted, tested and rated them. And when the results were tallied, it was OpenSkies whose total wine score was the highest among international business-class competitors and Asiana Airlines whose score topped all other international first-class competitors.

Theirs were highly competitive wins. OpenSkies rode into first place a bare .51 of a point ahead of Qatar Airways, and Asiana Airlines was only 3.58 points in front of TAM Airlines of Brazil.

As for leading Wines on the Wing, OpenSkies commercial and marketing director, David Erich said the airline was extremely proud to be recognized by Global Traveler’s expert panel of judges.

“We try to find the best wines we can. We choose them through a blind tasting of about 100 wines and Champagnes. We change our wine list on board twice a year and often have other special onboard wine events.”

In the champagne stakes, V Australia won the International Business contest with Lanson Gold Label Brut 1999, which the judges called rich, complex, delicious and flavoursome.

In the International First Class Champagne contest, Asiana Airlines came in first with Comtes de Taittinger Blanc de Blancs 1999, earning such judgments as “elegant with balanced acidity” and “both delicate citrus and toasty notes.”

Other winners included EL AL Israel Airlines’ Carmel Winery Gewürztraminer from Israel in the International First Class white wine category and Etihad Airways won the International Business Class award for best white with Dr Fischer Riesling, Germany.

There was a tie for the top red wine in International First Class between Asiana’s Château Gruaud Larose and Lufthansa’s Astrales Ribera del Duero from Spain.

In International Business Class, TAP Air Portugal won first place with its red Portuguese entry, Casa de Santa Dão Reserva, a wine that judges called complex, very well balanced and savory.