Appellation Australia

An amazing experience, I’ll let the photos do most of the talking. There were 20 pieces to this meal, 18 pictured below.

Entrance to Sushi Kanesaka, Ginza, Tokyo

Sashimi Baby Scallops

Cod Liver

Sashimi Yellowfin Tuna

Sashimi Tuna

Sashimi Horse Mackerel

Grilled Sea Eel

Shinji Kanesaka at work

Lightly grilled Tuna Cheek

Sushi Yellowfin Tuna

Chutoro Tuna Belly

Otoro Tuna Belly

Sushi Squid

Shinji Kanesaka

Sushi Sardine

Sushi Prawn

Sushi Mackerel

Sushi Giant Sea Clam

Makizushi Sea Urchin

Grilled Sea Eel

Some wines consumed at a friend’s birthday;

1981 Louis Roederer Cristal
Vigorous bead. Honey, nutty, quince and oxidative notes on the nose. Just enough acid to give the palate some life but there isn’t a great deal of complexity. This bottle would have been better when it was fresher but it was still enjoyable.
89/100

2007 Schloss Lieser Dry Riesling
Lovely floral nose, with slate and some smokey notes. The palate is dry with and has beautiful balance and length with a super line of acidity. Refreshing and delicious with the potential to improve.
92/100

2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Trocken Riesling
Tropical fruit aromas with some light spice. The palate is nice and easy to drink, although there is a touch of warmth on the finish that throws the balance off slightly.
88/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Haart to Heart feinherb Riesling
Perfumed nose of musk and spice with some lemon and a touch of petrol. Palate shows a bit of spice as well. Simple but well made.
87/100

2007 Knebel Winninger Bruckstuck feinherb Riesling
Chamomile floral scents with chalk and slate in the background. Great balance and depth of fruit. There is just a touch of restrained sweetness that results in a lovely lingering flavour. Brilliant wine now and will develop well also.
92/100

2007 Schloss Lieser QbA Riesling
Restrained nose with a touch of yeast. Off dry palate with good balance but not a lot of interest. Easy to drink and not think about too critically.
86/100

2007 Knebel Winninger Rottgen Kabinett Riesling
Touch of floral and lemongrass scents and some spices. Sweetness is evident but it is balanced by a good line of acid. There is great power and quality to the fruit without any broadness.
90/100

2002 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang Sauvignon Blanc
Intense smoke, honey, wax and passionfruit on the nose. A viscous mouthfeel with good intensity and a wild element to it. Good length and intensity. So much going on and it requires attention to unravel it - very interesting.
91/100

2001 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze Pinot Noir
Sandalwood, intense cherry, oven roasted tomato and beetroot on the nose. Muscular and powerful fruit on the palate. There is structure there behind the immense red fruit and I think this will improve over the next 10 years.
92/100

2006 Holyman Pinot Noir
Musk, red cherries, raspberry, spice and a fair bit of oak on the nose. Medium bodied without much depth. Decent length.
87/100

1991 Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
Briar, spice, redcurrant, tobacco and timber. Medium bodied with good flavour and length. Still youthful and has the structure to continue to develop complexity over the next 7 years.
89/100

1976 Bailey’s Bundarra Bin 18 Hermitage
Nutty, sweet caramel and Vegemite aromas. Acidic and a nutra-sweet type flavour. Nicer on the nose than the palate but still not good.
81/100

1977 McWilliams Philip Shiraz
Dead.
NR/100

2004 Wild Duck Creek Wondallee Cabernet Franc Melot
Cherry, earth and plum aromas with medicinal and grassy notes. Medium bodied palate with okay depth and length.
86/100

2005 Baumard Quarts de Chaume
Apricot syrup, quince, honey and peaches on the nose. Intense and rich palate with enough acid to carry it into a long finish and avoid being cloying. So intense that a small amount is enough to satisfy. Lovely now, but seems to have the balance to last for 20 years.
93/100

A few food photos from a dinner put on by Ultimo Wine Centre at Bentley Restaurant & Bar, comparing (one of my favourite) Australian wine producers Clonakilla with wines from the very well respected French producer Cuilleron. I’ll try to put some tasting notes up soon. The food was very good and I’d be keen to try their regular menu at some point.

Mahi Mahi with Globe Artichoke, Potato Yoghurt Puree and Squid Ink Crumbs

Roasted Duck Breast with Lentil Puree, Pumpkin and Rhubarb

Wagyū Beef Cheek with Smoked Beetroot, Mushroom and Horseradish

Personal Cheese Plate

Toast Custard with Lychee Puree and Chocolate Parfait

Service: Friendly
Food: Very good overall - a couple of excellent courses, a couple great and a one not to my taste
Value: About $120 a head all up including corkage, coffee and tip.
Glassware: Good
Wine list: Had a quick glance but we brought our own wine so I didn’t spend much time going over it.
BYO Details: $8 per bottle

Score: 13.5/20

Photos:

Jerusalem artichoke, walnut soup

Scallops, picada, foie gras

Bantam egg, tasmanian truffle, brioche

Mulloway, fennel, speck, black sesame pearls

Chicken, celeriac, puffed grains

Pork, kartoffel knodel, kale

Calvados custard, jasmine, pink lady

Pear, chocolate, celery sorbet

Petit fours

Cuisine: Chinese
Service: No problems.
Food: Very good - a couple of dishes were maybe a step below others, but overall a good experience. Spices obviously feature prominently, but for the most part were well balanced. The hottest dishes are indicated on the menu if you want to either avoid or try them, none that I tried were mouth searingly hot for my taste.
Value: Worked out to about $55 a head all up excluding wine. There is also a $69 banquet option.
Ambiance: Impressive, really well thought out use of lighting.
Glassware: Excellent
Wine list: 100 wines with most looking like they would go well with various dishes. We had the 2007 Hirsch Heiligenstein Gruner Veltliner for $69 and the 2007 Marcel Deiss “Alsace” (listed on the menu as Pinot Gris, but I think it’s a blend) for $70. Both went well with the food and I thought the prices were reasonable for a restaurant.

Photos:

Animated, digital display on the front door

Steamed shredded chicken with garlic and spring onion oil

Fried squid with whole five spice and dark chilli paste

Stir fried spicy pork and fermented chilli with crispy fried noodles

Fish drowned in heaven facing chillies and Sichuan peppercorns - Leatherjacket Sichuan style

Hunan style crisp pork belly with fresh and dried chillies and mushroom soy

Tea smoked chicken with black vinegar

Three shot chicken - Beer, chilli and soy

Hot pot of fresh shiitake, oyster, enoki and wild Chinese mushrooms,Yunnan style

Mango mousse and sesame nougatine

Peanut, chocolate and caramel parfait

Jasmine rice sherbet and banana ice cream with candy corn

I went along with a group of friends to Glebe Point Diner a couple of weeks ago. I was very impressed by the restaurant and I may put up some images and impressions of the food in a separate post later on. The wines brought along by our group were almost all outstanding and it was a great night!

Taittinger Comte de Champagne 1982 -

Dark golden colour. Fine bead, quite lively. The nose got better with time in the glass, developing citrus rind, honey and roast chestnut aromas. The acidity on the palate is fresh and lends a crispness to the aged flavours. Around its peak as long as you like the aged style of Champagne. Drink over the next couple of years.

93/100

Krug Collection 1985 -

Astoundingly youthful on both the nose and palate as well as the light straw colour. Aromas of quince, citrus notes and floral characters. The palate has excellent flavour intensity and has lovely length. Probably needs another 7-10 years to reach its peak.

94/100

Zind Humbrecht Clos Windsbuhl Pinot Gris 1995 -

Light golden coloured. White florals, quince, light spice and lychees on the nose. The palate is beautifully rich and unctuous, and it has the acidity to carry the flavours through into a long finish. Drinking very nicely now, but should be great over the next 3-4 years as well.

95/100

Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne 2000 -

At first this was a little bit closed, but with some vigorous swirling and time in the glass it opened up beautifully. Light popcorn and hazelnuts, gunflint and steel, with a edge of musk. The palate shows very good focus, restrained flavours with a tight core of acid driving the line. I’d wait another 4-6 years before opening another, and I think it will be at its best around the later part of that timeline.

92/100

Arnoux Romanee St Vivant 1993 -

A rich, perfumed nose with intense violets, forest floor, red cherry and raspberries. Lovely pure fruit on the palate with lots of depth and texture. Got better as it was allowed to breath. Very well balanced, genuinely pleasurable to drink now and with the potential to improve over the next 10 years.

94/100

Penfolds Grange 2004 -

Intense purple colour. Very opulent on the nose, black fruits, raspberry, liquorice, vanilla and coffee notes. The oak is noticeable on the palate currently, but it is balanced by the depth and intensity of fruit. Indisputable class showing right now, but will be superb given enough time to develop.

95/100

Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella 1998-

The very definition of full throttle wine. Extremely intense nose of liquorice, blackcurrant, ash and tobacco. Bold, luscious flavour that fills the mouth and finishes long and intense. 17.5% alcohol, but the alcohol didn’t stand out or seem out of balance for my taste. An experience.

94/100

Huet Moelleux 1ère Trie 1961 -

Lanolin, mandarin, wax, resin and some funky earthy characters on the nose. Superbly balanced palate, I expected it to be sweeter but it had quite good richness instead. Still youthful thanks to the acid and structure of the palate. Very good.

91/100

Quinta de la Rosa 1998

Sultanas and dark chocolate on the nose. Palate shows the alcohol a bit too much over the top of the medium body of the wine for my liking.

87/100

A while since I’ve updated, but I’m back with a quick post and some photos from lunch at Aria that I had earlier this week.

The food was excellent and the service professional without being too uptight. At $85 for three and a bit courses (Hors d’œuvre, bread, entree, main, dessert) I felt it offered good value for money considering the quality, location and experience.

From the wine list we had a bottle of really delicious 1997 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett right at its peak and a glass of very overpriced but good (but really youthful) 1996 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec.

Photos:

Split pea soup

Salad of winter vegetables with buffalo ricotta and walnut vinaigrette

Roasted spiced scallops with prawn crisps, shaved fennel and a tamarind and date dressing

Roasted Glenloth chicken breast with crushed minted peas, ricotta filled zucchini flower and almond dressing

Chargrilled sirloin with sautéed kipfler potatoes, mushrooms, mustard and parsley butter

Passionfruit soufflé with passionfruit Eton mess

Rich chocolate délice with chocolate sorbet

Petits fours

1985 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Charlie
Honey, toast, nuts, spice, nutmeg and green apples on the nose. Delicious palate with excellent acidity.
93/100

2008 Wine By Brad Sauvignon Blanc Mantra Revelation
Grass, some honey, not too herbal. A nice palate with good acid providing a refreshing crispness. Nice wine.
89/100

2008 Wine By Brad Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Strong grass aromas with some spice and lemon. The palate is nicely crisp. Good value.
87/100

2007 Wine By Brad Mantra Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Affirmation
Oats and light honey nose. Medium bodied, shows more restraint than I expected based on the nose. Okay, but not very exciting.
84/100

2007 Wine By Brad Mantra Chardonnay Invocation
Banana, musk and oak. Palate is quite broad. No depth to the flavour.
79/100

2007 Wine By Brad Mantra Chardonnay Reserve Muse
Nice perfume to the nose along with some oats. Palate is nicely balanced but the depth is superficial. Drinks well at a basic level.
85/100

2006 Maison Alex Gambal Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc
A light nose with some wild flowers and oatmeal. The palate is much better, there is good balance and acid with persistent length.
87/100

2005 Maison Alex Gambal Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Prestige
Ripe nose with meal, light nuts, flowers and melon. The palate has good structure and acid. The flavours are well balanced and enjoyable.
89/100

2006 Maison Alex Gambal Saint-Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien
Light spice, a touch of smoke and some lime on the nose. The palate is good without really standing out. Medium length.
86/100

2006 Maison Alex Gambal Meursault Clos du Cromin
Nutty nose with some lime and pear as well. There is a nice richness to the palate and good intensity of fruit. The length and persistence is very good.
89/100

2001 Maison Alex Gambal Bourgogne Cuvee #19 Vieilles Vignes
Licorice, meats, vanilla and honey - quite interesting. The palate though is very thin with a touch of a herbal element and this was quite a letdown after the nose.
81/100

2005 Dupont-Tisserandot Cote de Nuits Village
Bright nose of violets and cherry. The palate is light but not thin. Dry and earthy with some gripping tannins. More enjoyable than described.
86/100

2005 Dupont-Tisserandot Ladoix
Red berries, spice and quince on the nose. The palate has tannins that are quite grippy, there is some medium bodied fruit and the end result is quite luscious even with the tannin structure.
86/100

2005 Dupont-Tisserandot Savigny les Beaune Les Gollardes
Light cherry, blueberry and a touch nutty. The palate has good flesh at the start but the finish is a bit sour.
85/100

2006 Maison Alex Gambal Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes
Juicy nose, with blue fruits, stalks and some red berries. The palate has decent length and is a continuation of the juicy nose.
86/100

2006 Dupont-Tisserandot Fixin Les Treuilles
A bright nose with candy, berries and some earth in the background. The palate has a lifted sweetness to it. Well balanced and quite fresh and clean. Very tasty to drink.
88/100

2006 Dupont-Tisserandot Nuits St Georges Les Topons
Cherry, iron, cocoa and spices. Dense palate, good persistence. The tannins add good structure. Very well made and enjoyable.
90/100

2006 Maison Alex Gambal Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Vieilles Vignes
Earthy with violets, dark cherries and spices. The palate is savory and has good length and flavour. Nice.
88/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Gräfenberg Riesling Kabinett
Minerals and citrus on the nose. Quite a bit of fruit sweetness on the palate, but this is balanced with good acidity.
87/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett
Orange, pears and manadarin aromas. Lovely balance, it tastes sweeter than I expected but the balance from the acidity is just superb. Great length and depth.
90/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Spätlese
Spice, lime and graphite. Good balance, light sweetness and good acid structure. Length is excellent. Really enjoyable.
90/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese
Lovely nose with minerals, floral notes and spice. The balance is impeccable. Absolutely top class, delicious wine.
92/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Auslese
Slate, honey, a touch of florality. This is stepping up in sweetness now, the balance is good but a touch more acid wouldn’t hurt.
88/100

2007 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Auslese
Matchstick, spice and orange peel on the nose. Medium intesity sweetness is balanced by exceptional acid structure and great depth of flavour. This is seriously superb.
93/100

2007 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
The nose is a little bit muted, there is a bit of lime and coconut. The palate is mild and lacks punch. Still nice but not nearly as good as expected.
85/100

2006 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Lang Goldkapsel
Delicious, layered nose, I could smell this all day - honey, orange peel, peach, spices and lemon. The palate bursts with flavour, there is a great length, depth and balance to it and shows genuine class. Still young, it is superb now but will only get better over the long term.
95/100

2007 Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein Schieferterrassen Riesling

Honey, spice, pencil shavings and strong pear aromas. Touch of sweetness to the palate, an interesting texture and good weight of flavour.

90/100

2006 Domaine Ninot Mercurey Vieilles Vignes

Lightly coloured, there is red cherry, musk and some earth on the nose. The palate is on the lean side and finishes a bit too early. Nice enough to drink but it doesn’t stand out.

85/100

2006 Mountain X Hunter Valley Shiraz

Spice, floral, red berries and some vanilla on the nose. The palate has a soft mouthfeel with the tannins not standing out but there is almost a floral quality to it. Medium bodied with good persistence. Very nice.

91/100

1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Cooked.

NR

1982 Château La Louvière

The nose and palate show some age but the colour is youthful with only a tinge of brick red at the edges. The nose has aromas of leather, gravel, licorice, spice, coffee and cedar. Very nicely resolved palate, there is enough structure to hold it together and this is holding right at its peak. Excellent.

92/100

1996 Château Haut-Batailley

Cedar, blackcurrant, spices and a hint of mint. Sweetly fruited palate, this is very approachable but has a good enough structure that I’d like to see it again in 2-3 years time.

90/100

2004 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta

Fairly luscious fruit on the nose with red berries, licorice and blackcurrant prominent along with a fair bit of cedar. The acid stands out a bit from the rest of the components on the palate and while the finish is of decent length it probably needs food to shine.

88/100

2006 Wendouree Malbec

A delicious, intoxicating nose of cardamon, cinnamon, roast nuts and smoke. The tannins are obvious but smooth and they do not stand in the way of approachability. Good length and excellent balance. Interesting and delicious.

93/100

2001 Sine Qua Non Sémillon Mr. K The Straw Man

So amber in colour that it appears to be gold tinged red. A complex nose of apricot, honey, grapefruit, orange peel and spices. The palate is intense and extremely rich, mouth-coating and persistent in flavour. It borders on cloying but just barely manages to steer clear (for the first glass anyway!).

92/100

The Australian wine trade has come together with some amazing generosity to put together a raffle to raise funds for the Australian Red Cross to use in assisting the people affected by the bushfires in Victoria over the past couple of weeks.

Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by following the link below and then following the links on that page to buy the from a participating retailer.

There are 34 prize packs in the raffle, with first prize being valued at a retail price of $25,000 with some awesome wines like Salon, Grange, Meerea Park, Dalwhinnie and many more.

Visit here for details and links to participating retailers