Wine Purchases

as suggested I am attaching descriptions of my wine buys for members info on the blog – here are the first few cut and pasted from the original source:

PS: Unless indicated otherwise all lots are 6 X 750ml

House of Arras Grand Vintage 2004  RRP $70 – Paid $53.50 from Dan Murphy

Region: TAS- Bay of Fires Size: 750ml Tasting Note: Jeremy Oliver 97 Points! “Beautifully complex, this evolving but vivacious sparkling wine is deeply scented with waxy, toasty aromas of honeysuckle, brioche, cloves and cinnamon with underlying smoky, meaty and mushroomy notes. It's long and luscious, smooth and creamy, with a delightfully layered but fluffy presence on the palate of peach, melon, apple and nougat-like flavours invigorated by gentle, ultra-fine bead. Exceptionally long, with remarkable staying power, it finishes with a lingering note of wet slate.” Jeremy Oliver, Wine Annual 2012

This wine is rated as good or better than the 2003 Vintage - JP

SONOMA COAST. 252 DOZEN MADE. This site lies northwest of the town of Occidental on the south shoulder of a 1200' ridge. The soils are extremely diverse including shales, sandstones, greenstone (undersea volcanic uplifted) and Yorkville series. All three were planted in 2001. This is usually the latest ripening site in the Littorai family. The Haven contains approximately 40 different rootstock and clonal combinations within a very small 4 acre vineyard. Farmed biodynamically. To be a vine at The Haven means struggling through sandstone, shale or gravels. Yield is tiny, but intensity is great. TED LEMON, Littorai

(13.4% alcohol; these vines, located two ridges north of Thieriot, were planted in 2001): Bright medium-deep red. Captivating, soil-driven nose melds black fruits, musky earth and underbrush; reminded me of Bonnes-Mares. Then large-scaled, dense and seamless but light on its feet, showing sweet berry fruit enlivened by spices, pepper and wild herbs. As classically dry as this broad wine is, it's also quite plush, not to mention powerful. The long finish features thoroughly buffered tannins. Very complex pinot in a Burgundian style.

STEPHEN TANZER

I  bought Ted Lemon’s Pinot from California last year with some Burn Cottage Pinot from Central Otago NZ which he also makes.  Outstanding wines at tasting - very French in style. - JP

6 BOTTLE LIMIT, AVAILABLE APRIL Prince $120 (to us $100)

Jacquesson Cuvee 735

$59.00 per 750ml bottle ($70 Shelf Price) (Prince Wine Store)

Drank this recently with freshly shucked Oysters – Brilliant!  JPThe NV Brut Cuvee N? 735 is a gorgeous, fleshy wine laced with radiant fruit. Lemon, white flowers, spices and crushed rocks are some of the notes that inform this deep, satisfying Champagne. A round, creamy finish wraps things up in style. The 735 got better and better over time, always a good sign. The 735 is 72% 2007 juice, 47% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 20% Meunier. It is a bit richer, rounder and more immediate than the 734, not a bad thing for a wine meant to be enjoyed on the young side. This bottle was disgorged in the first quarter, 2011. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015. ANTONIO GALLONI, Wine Advocate 2011 Chateau de Sours Grand vin de Bordeaux Rose 2010 Made from beautifully ripe and luscious Merlot and balanced nicely  by a little Cabernet Franc. It is full and rich, but balanced by a lovely refreshing acidity  and a long dry finish. No Rose in the Cellar - there is now!  Pleasant savoury dry style. – JP

RRP - $30 – bought for $20 from the Gourmet Traveller Wine Concierge

Menu Dinner 721

721st Dinner – March 15, 2012

Racer’s Bar & Café

2 Wendouree Parade

President: Robert Campbell 

CRUDITES

Pork belly and watermelon

Salt cod croquette with garlic aioli

Smashed broad bean and mozzarella bruschetta

Piper Heidseck NV

ENTREE

Moroccan lamb shank salad 

with spiced carrots, pickled apricots and labne

2007 Leasingham Classic Clare Shiraz

MAIN COURSE

Duck trio on spinach and beetroot salad 

with apple pickle

1985 Cote Rotie Leon Chival

1995 Georges Duboeuf Cotes du Rhone

2005 Chateau Margaux Brane-Cantenac

****

DESSERT

Neapolitan sandwich

1982 Morris Liquer Muscat

Coffee or Tea

Chef: Adam Rasmussen

Food Master: Rob Campbell

Winemaster: Mal Anderson

Wine of the Night

2005 Chateau Margaux Brane-Cantenac

Course of the Night

ENTREE

Match of the Night

ENTREE

March Dinner 721 Invitation

Invitation to the March Dinner

Members are advised that the 721st meeting
will be on

Thursday March 15th 2012
At
Racers
Webster St.

At 7.00pm

Food Master: Rob Campbell
Wine Master: Mal Anderson
Dress Business smart
Guests are most welcome
Electronic banking via account:
ANZ BSB 013 520 ACCOUNT 008699266 is recommended.
Cost $130 per person


Reply to Rob Campbell

RSVP Sunday March 11th

racam@westnet.com.au

Annual Subscription $300 due
Please pay via electronic banking

Urban Myth

At last night's Dinner an Urban Myth started by the New York Times, that goat is the world's most popular meat was repeated. Good idea but sadly not true and not supported by the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization, which say:-

"The most common sources of meat are domesticated animal species such as cattle, pigs and poultry and to a lesser extent buffaloes, sheep and goats. In some regions other animal species such as camels, yaks, horses, ostriches and game animals are also eaten as meat. To a limited extent, meat is also derived from exotic animals such as crocodiles, snakes and lizards...
Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world accounting for over 36% of the world meat intake. It is followed by poultry and beef with about 33% and 24% respectively. [ovine (sheep & goats) are 5%]."

A source for the NYT article may have been Raising Meat Goats for Profit by Gail Bowman, Bowman Communication Press. The author also claims that "70 percent of the world’s population eats goat meat" You can find these numbers repeated all over the place, attributed and not attributed.

The picture with this post relates to my favourite urban myth. If you have not heard the story, check it out .

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blgorsky.htm

Dinner 720 Menu

720th Dinner – 16th Febuary 2012

AGM
Craigs Hotel

President: Robert Campbell

CANAPES
Seared Scallop
Mango and mint salsa, Micro herbs
Suckling pork belly
Toasted brioche, pickled onion And seeded mustard

Lanson Gold champagne 1996

FIRST COURSE
Ceviche of Kingfish
Lime vinigarette, fennel, Grapefruit segments, micro herbs

Penfolds Eden Valley Reisling 2004

SECOND COURSE
Seven Hill Goat Pithvier
Eggplant and basil caviar, Pomme boulangere, olive jus
Massolino Barolo DOCG 2006
Yalumba Signature Cab/Shiraz 1998

****
THIRD COURSE Duck Breast
Parsnip puree, baby vegetable, Sauce periguex
Amisfield Pinot Noir 2002
Dominique Laurent Bougogne Passetoutgrain 2002


DESSERT
Petit Fours
Chocolate truffle , Fresh berry tartlet , Lemon meringue pie
Orange and poppyseed friend, Rasberry macaroon

Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett 2001


Chef: Phillipe Desrettes
Food Master: Stuart Eaton
Winemaster Phil Dover

Wine Master's Report 2012

Thank you for allowing me to be your wine master over the last 3 years. It has been an interesting learning curve for a professed foodie.

I have been able to extend my knowledge of and confidence in serving of our European wines and have enjoyed using some of the best wine Australia has to offer.

The food matches at times have been challenging but on the whole my choices have met with approval from some of the best palates in Ballarat. I must thank all the foodmasters and chefs of the region for the culinary delights presented to us over the last few years.

I must thank the contribution of our cellarmasters, for adding some great wines to our cellar and especially the work of Jim Patterson with his emphasis on very good quality cellaring wines and some ready to use styles from Italy and Spain.

I look forward to having to taste blind wines rather than the other way round.

Many thanks for the compliments given to me on my choices

Phil Dover

President's Report 2012

    
     WINE AND FOOD SOCIETY OF BALLARAT    
    
    
PRESIDENT’S REPORT  2011‐12    
    
    
    
2011 has been an interesting year, initiated by the changes in the    
Constitution allowing the introduction of female members and all the    
information which was originally provided in the Presidents Report is now on    
the Blog. This has been a fantastic innovation by Bob House.    
    
Dinner venues, courses and wines are well described on the Blog.There    
have been some interesting themes for some of the dinners this year, namely one    
centered around the Titanic, the David O’Sullivan dinner, a Pork-based dinner    
and the Japanese function which notably completed the year.    
    
Phil Dover has been a most able Wine Master, building on his previous    
years of experience. Bob House continues to amaze me with his exploits as    
Secretary and Paul Hemming has been a most able Treasurer. Jim    Patterson,    
Cellar Master, has left no stone unturned in his quest for a blended mixture of    
traditional andold‐world purchases. John Coco, Dean Stevens and Stuart Eaton    
have acted as Food Masters as have other members of the Committee.    
    
After 2 years of being President I,look forward to handing the baton to    
Dean Stevens and thank all members of the Committee for their support.        
    
    
RA Campbell.    
    
President