Author: SO

Dal Zotto Trattoria and Cellar Door, Whitfield, King Valley, Victoria

SO

A family gem in Victoria's King Valley

I must confess that Dal Zotto’s range of Proseccos are among my favourites of all time. Having tasted quite a few of them over the past 12 months in various venues and food and wine festivals around Melbourne, I was very much looking forward to paying their cellar door and Trattoria a visit.

One of the things that has to be applauded is the attention to design in their wine labels. Of course this doesn’t make the wine taste better but their branding is just so strong and modern, but so rustic at the same time with the references to the corrugated iron that is on the property itself.

It’s modern, fresh and confident looking, without being pompous.

Anyway, design preferences aside, let’s talk about the food and wine.

Entry to the trattoria is through the cellar door. A fresh, modern space that can easily services 8 or 10 people at the counter. We lingered a little to take in the space, and then moved into the restaurant for a leisurely Sunday lunch.

Young happy waitresses served us with ease whilst we enjoyed looking at the surrounding hills.

My sparkling companion on this trip had gnocchi primavera, delectable fluffy, creamy, silky pillows with peas, asparagus, with a light touch of cream and a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan. I very much enjoyed the fettuccine with pancetta, spring onions, topped with a poached egg and garlic crumbs...and of course a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan as well. The pancetta had the most beautiful flavour I’ve tasted in a while. Definitely the hero ingredient in this dish.

Ambience was casual, noise levels quite high thanks to the high corrugated ceilings and the fact that it was fully booked. We saw a number of customers come through who hadn’t booked and sadly had to be turned away. Seems like a good position for a country restaurant to be in.

On our way out, we took our time at the cellar door, sampling a large range of their wines, both still and sparkling. I made a bee line for their new Arneis, Garganega and Chardonnay. Along with sparkling wine, chardonnay has always been my white wine of choice, even when it seemed to go out of fashion (when everyone was jumping on the Sauvingnon Blanc band wagon). The Dal Zotto Arneis was lovely. The Dal Zotto Chardonnay, sublime. Just the right balance of oak/wood and depth of flavour. Looking forward to cracking this one open when we get home.

I have always preferred my wines dry. But as there was a dessert wine on offer, and so far, I’ve liked almost everything of Dal Zotto that I’ve tried, it would have been remiss of me not to give it a go. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Called "Elena", it was not sickly sweet, syrupy or sickly as I may have expected, but instead light and silky, with lovely honeyed flavours running through it. Glad I tried it as I purchased a bottle along with the Chardonnay.

All in all, we probably spent just under an hour at the Cellar door, tasting many others in between the lovely man behind the bar, Peter, serving the steady stream of people coming in to taste. We left sufficiently happy with our lunch and tasting experience....and purchases to confirm this.

If you’re looking for a relaxed, genuine, family-style Italian trattoria, and a tasting experience that showcases wines you can't get anywhere else, this is one not to miss.

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Degustation @ Pizzini’s Mountain View Hotel, Whitfield, Victoria

SO

Impressive Saturday night degustation in regional Victoria

I’ve wanted for quite some time to visit all the winemakers in Victoria’s King Valley but as it’s a 4 hour drive, it’s something I didn’t want to rush. i.e. it’s not a day-trip, but something that requires at least 2 or 3 days to have the time to explore and appreciate as many vineyards as you can in the region. The weather gods were on our side with a pleasant 25 degrees, light breeze and perfect sunshine.

Fortunate that I have friends who are also lovers of fresh produce, wine, and creative cuisine, this was one place I knew any friend would enjoy. So we made it a belated birthday gift to have the Saturday Night degustation.

5 courses with matching wines, amuse bouche and palette cleanser.

Servings of wine and food were the perfect size and amount to be sure you've thoroughly enjoyed them, but that by the time you reached dessert, you're sufficiently satisfied and yet still able to enjoy that final plate.

I’ve had many degustations before, and I would have to rate this as one of the most creative, visually stunning without being pompous or have too much “theatre” that seems to be the thing at the moment in Melbourne’s culinary scene. In other words, it was all about the food, with a touch of whimsy (see palate cleaner notes) in there that made it totally memorable and one we will talk about for many years to come.

To top if all off, it was absolutely the best value degustation to date given it included matching wines - and very generous serves I might add. Such a shame it’s not a little closer to home!

We checked into our rooms and made our way to the public bar. From there we were ushered to the intimate dining room with a completely different feel to the relaxed country pub. Perfect ambience. Soft piano-jazz music playing in the background, lighting that wasn’t too low or high in a rustic room that had touches of the modern fixtures combined with the exposed brick and other more classical decor as well.

The tables are set out a good distance from eachother but without feeling like you’re lost at sea.

The service can only be described as warm, sincere, knowledgeable and with genuine care and attention to detail.

Our sommelier Mario, took the time to introduce and explain each wine’s nuances clearly and in such a manner that we could really taste exactly what he was talking about.

Our waiter, Suresh, had carefully researched our dietary requirements and with each dish meticulously delivered a description to confirm and assure us of it’s contents.

No matter how many questions we had about the wines and dishes, both Mario and Suresh obliged.

At the end of the meal, our chef Ben came to our table and had a brief chat with us.
We truly appreciated his artistic creations that had been especially tailored to our requirements.

Everything that was served to us was absolutely delicious, amazingly fresh and a wonderful combination of plates - some delicate, some more robust on the pallette.

Each course was visually exciting, elegant, creative, and designed with love, right down to the different styles of plate or bowl it came in that either complemented the colours in the food itself, or simply made sense with regard to the shape working with the way you would eat that particular dish.

Our wines were:

- Pizzini Prosecco (our aperitif)
- Pizzini Rose
- 2015 Chardonnay 49 from Beechworth
- Pizzini Piccolit Dessert wine

Due to our individual dietary requirements, the chef recommended a pescatarian menu.

Our courses were:

Aperitif - Pizzini Prosecco

1) Amuse Bouche - Oyster ravioli, Pig’s blood pancake and Bloody Mary mousse, served on a sleek, wooden paddle.

2) Artisinal individual miniature bread loaves, served in a tailored hessian bag, accompanied by French-style hand whipped butter that was so incredibly light and creamy.

3) Cured egg with a slice of orange, baby asparagus and asparagus jelly and popcorn. Decorated with delicate flowers and served on something that was like a picture frame. A square piece of glass suspended above a wooden box base with soil and other flowers embedded below.

4) Palette cleanser - Mirror with lipstick. Inside the lipstick was a raspberry and Prosecco sorbet.

5) Trout with quinoa on a bed of picked fennel.

6) Marron on a bed of foam.

7) Cheese platter - served less as a platter and more as a dish. A soft, a gouda, and a blue with deep fried bread, walnut and quince paste.

6) Quinells of youghurt and raspberry frozen yoghurt with home made marshmallows and strawberries with a strawberry sauce.

How lovely at the end of it all to be able to walk only a few paces back to our rooms and retire for the evening.

Definitely somewhere I would recommend and encourage people to do when visiting Victoria's High Country region.

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Vue de Monde @ Rialto Melbourne

SO

Vue de Monde - Winter Degustation

Sometimes life surprises you. I always find when I try too hard to plan something, it doesn't necessarily work out. And yet when I'm spontaneous – which is more often than not – things just seem to fall into place.

This was one of those days.

A friend had requested a lunch catch up in the city. This friend had always wanted to go to Vue de Monde and so I suggested we call and see if perhaps they'd had a cancellation. They were fully booked but very happy to put us on a wait list. The likelihood of getting a table in one of Melbourne's most sought after restaurants on a day's notice wasn't good, but I'm the eternal optimist that thinks it's always worth a try.

My optimism was rewarded with a phone call to say a table had become available so our lunch plans were suddenly elevated to a different status than what we probably would have had given there was no occasion.

Upon arrival in the complex, we were greeted by the concierge who arranged for the elevator to collect us, announced our table number to the staff waiting above, and even though we were in the elevator with others, we were greeted as individual parties by separate waiters upon exit.

Once you're out of the elevator, you can see the opulent Bar Lui.

Our waiter then ushered us through an electronic glass door to the right which is their wine cellar that doubles as the restaurant entrance. Nice way to begin. And adds to the anticipation of what is to come.

The restaurant is surprisingly spartan in decor (compared to the opulence of Bar Lui) – presumably the concept is that the focus is only on the views and the cuisine. Large, wide tables, covered in sheaths of leather studded to the tabletops with metal hardware. Also wide and comfortable are the chairs that are a mix of leather and some with beautiful soft fur on the outside that you really just want to stroke the whole time you're sitting in them. It's definitely a very subtle, yet sensory experience.

On the tables are large rocks, stones and wooden branches upon which the various utensils and cutlery are laid for each course.

We had many wait staff for the various beverages and courses. All of whom were friendly, extremely welcoming, knowledgeable, helpful, obliging and totally unpretentious. When I asked a question, it was answered as though I was talking to a friend, not being 'schooled' or made to feel like I should have known the answer. Whoever does the hiring there should get an award for that alone.

We began with (of course) a glass of Champagne. Charles Heidsiek Brut Reserve. Beautiful. Elegant. Fine trails of bubbles that last and last. Not too heavy, toasty or yeasty. Quite creamy really, and with some lovely citrus notes for a crisp finish. On my sparkling obsession discovery, I have often found that Champagne is a little too heavy or full bodied than my personal taste prefers. However, this one broke that mould for me. It's perfectly balanced for my palette.

There is of course the option for matching wines with each course, but we opted for a bottle of Curly Flat Williams Crossing 2014 Chardonnay from Victoria's Macendon Ranges. Our sommelier gave us the option of having it at the recommended temperature, or also a little more chilled (only because most people prefer their whites chilled). We tasted it at both the recommended temperature and the chilled temperature. And it was very quickly apparent that the less chilled version allowed the full flavours to come out. This is what I mean about knowledgeable and unpretentious staff. There is a full understanding that people have different tastes and that there is no right or wrong when it comes to that. So what they give you, is the pleasure of discovering yourself what your preference is without shoving opinions down your throat.

Our 8 course (although I suspect it was a little more than 8) meal was superb. In this current climate of over-the-top food theatrics that seems to have taken over what food is really all about, it was genuinely lovely to be presented with fresh, seasonal, local, and uniquely Australian produce, with an honest, yet very stylish and creative, Australian concept.

I will not outline every single plate we had for you, as it changes seasonally. The pictures in the slideshow above can inform you. However I will  say that every dish we had was the perfect size, and was mostly protein with light accompaniments. Most memorable for me was the marron course, which came in two parts – the first a raw version cured with citrus, and the second, a mini barbecue with Marron sausages brought to the table served with caramelised onions and other condiments – the most stylish and delicate salute to the Aussie BBQ I've had to date.

Poached fish with a beautiful broth, David Blackmore waygu with the most delicate brussel sprouts ever. Many other amazing morsels, the names of which escape me. Two palette cleansers, both unique in their own way…one was like a miniature round icy pole with really Australian bush flavours and aromas…tea tree being one. The other a nice mix of theatre for the eyes and surprises for the taste buds. Flowers and herbs served in a bowl. Liquid nitrogen poured on them. You then smash them into crystals with the pestle supplied and then a plum sorbet is served over the top. Once you mix those flavours together, there's definitely something I hesitantly call a "disco" happening on your tongue (only because I cannot think of another word to describe this unusual sensation) – it's just such a surprise as it contradicts the visual softness of the ingredients.

We finished with a macadamia ice cream with fermented apple, followed by a lighter-than-light chocolate souflee that is hand-topped at your table with white chocolate "snow". It was a little on the "eggy" side for me and I probably would have preferred to taste more chocolate, but that's a personal preference, not a criticism of the dish itself.

A true selection of hand picked teas is also available, and the staff are truly knowledgeable in this arena too. For a tea-drinker and collector, this is wonderful. Most venues in Melbourne are still not au-fait with tea varieties and how best to serve them, as Melbourne is a city of coffee connoisseurs.

I'm sure many would want to dissect the meal even further, but for me food and wine are all about pleasure, sensations, the company you're in, the environment you're in, the quality of the produce, and (on most occasions) the creativity of the cuisine. And even on the most soggy Melbourne winter day, this was a genuinely relaxing and delightful space that delivered all of the above.

Other beautiful things that added to the sensory experience were the exquisite, lightweight champagne glasses by Zalto (handblown I was informed upon enquiring of their origin) and the heavily ornate and stunning engraved cutlery that adds further dimension as the grooves pass over your tongue. There's no rush to usher you away from your table, and upon leaving via the wine cellar, you are accompanied by your waiter who presents you with a gift bag for breakfast the following day. Each of our bags contained two Vue de Monde croissants, two tiny, tasty macarons, Vue de Monde muesli and a few servings of black tea.

I will say when we left, I had thoroughly enjoyed the meal, the service, the company and the views. But I was left feeling a little lack-lustre about the decor, as I had expected that a premium venue would be a lot more showy. But the more I thought about it, the more I realise that the entire concept is probably the only 100% genuine Australian fine-dining experience I've had. What I mean by this is that Australians in general prefer to play things down, rather than be showy. They also prefer casual surrounds and attire over glitz, glam and formality. And the thing they hate most, is to feel like someone is looking down their nose at them. So in essence, this concept is genius as it gives you a perfect sense of what Australia and Australians are like: no fuss, friendly, relaxed. Which is actually the loveliest way I can think to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I look forward to returning again. Perhaps next time in the evening for a different view of Melbourne, or a stay at the Intercontinental.

 

(A bit of information for the uninitiated: car parking is only $15 on weekends underneath Rialto, but although it appears closed, their carpark is open on weekends to restaurant patrons and hotel guests so you need to be buzzed in.)

http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/

http://charlesheidsieck.com/

http://www.curlyflat.com

http://www.zaltoglas.at

 

 

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Giant Steps ‘Sexton Vineyard’ Chardonnay @ Innocent Bystander, Healesville

SO

GIANT STEPS 'SEXTON VINEYARD' CHARDONNAY

Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander is a fabulous modern industrial warehouse style building on the Maroondah Highway in Healesville. 

Whilst there is no green vineyard to gaze upon, it really doesn't matter as there's so much to distract you. on the premises….  taste their wines, freshly baked produce, cheeses and genuinely flavoursome food menu.

As I'm a long time fan of Innocent Bystander's Moscato and Prosecco, for this lunch with a family member, I opted to try a non-sparkling beverage for a change. I'm also a big fan of chardonnay and as we were already seated for lunch, our warm and friendly waitress allowed us to do some tasting at our table, making what I knew was going to be a great experience even better.

My dining companion on this day was more of a red wine drinker so she chose one of their Merlots. My tasting consisted of Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay and Giant Steps 'Sexton Vineyard' Chardonnay, both of which were lovely, but Sexton was the winner for my palate on this day. Dry, smooth and not overly fruity, just the way I love my Chardonnay. And interestingly, it was a little paler than I expected and lighter in flavour, so it worked well on a warmer day. This is definitely one I'd order again next time I return.

Their menu is sophisticated, modern and clever. Designed for sharing either tastes, small plates, larger plates and what they're so well known for – their wood fired pizzas.

Between us we had their Smoked ham croquettes w. pickled cabbage slaw (delicious), Grilled lamb + pine nut koftas w. cucumber + cumin yoghurt (super tasty), and Zucchini, basil salad w. chilli vinaigrette (superb, so fresh, so simple).

Our pizza of choice was actually the Roast mushroom, fontina, black truffle oil, garlic + parsley, however the waiter who took our order brought us what he had said was his favourite – the Puttanesca  (White anchovies, San Marzano tomato, capers, black olives, dill + buffalo mozzarella). It must really be his favourite as he couldn't get it off his mind enough to order what we'd actually asked for! However, given it was a long weekend and extremely busy, we just didn't have the heart to return it to the kitchen. Plus, having been there before, I knew that ANY pizza that came out was going to be good. And it was.

After our deliciously fresh lunch, on this long weekend, they had a huge barrel hall sale as well so we wandered through the complex and out the back to find where the sale was happening.

There's something so magical about barrel rooms. So dim, peaceful, calm, organic with all that wood in curved shapes of the barrels. And all stacked up high for a totally majestic spectacle.

Thinking we might grab a bottle or two, we left with a car boot full of boxes….Merlot, Moscato and Prosecco at insane prices. Even if we had not stopped there for lunch, it was certainly worth the drive just for the wine sale.

For more about Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander visit : http://www.innocentbystander.com.au

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Devaux & Yering Station Yarrabank Cuvee @ Matt’s Cafe, Yering Station

SO

Yarrabank Cuvee

A long weekend just calls out for an escape to the country, whether for a day or overnight. ANZAC Day fell on a Monday this year, so we were given the gift of a three day weekend, which in my book, is not for staying at home the whole time, but gives us the opportunity to venture out further and explore.

The drive to Yarra Glen in Melbourne is a really easy one. Just under an hour from town. If you leave early enough, you'll get very little traffic and only the last stretch of road is only one lane.

Arriving at Yering Station, this beautiful oasis rises up out of the dry surrounds with its perfectly pristine manicured gardens. I parked the car and walked down the path to what I thought was the place I was going, but in actual fact I had opened the door to the hotel or guesthouse on the property. It looks very old, but very beautiful with internal architecture and styling that was lost in time and yet so well preserved. Glossy wooden railed staircase with heavily patterned carpet, you can envisage what I mean, I'm sure.

The girl behind the desk kindly advised that there was no lunch being served in that building but that breakfast had finished being served and dinner was hours away from commencement. She directed me towards the cafe and restaurant, just a short stroll down the old stone path.

A minute or two later I arrived to find an old red brick building with a few tables and chairs outside and what looked to be a balcony above.

Walking in, I was surprised to find a small retail space that had organic produce from the local regions. Anything from chutney to sea salt, jams, teas, honeycomb, chocolate. All things you'd expect to see on a gourmet food or fruit platter, or a gourmet breakfast.

Produce was simply displayed on huge wine barrels, giving it that rustic feeling.

Beyond this room, it opens up into a large, imposing, double storey ceiling height space with an equally large rectangular bar in the centre. The bar was three people deep doing tastings, and as I was flying solo on this day, I decided against standing around to wait for the crowds to die down.

Instead I took myself upstairs to Matt's Bar, a relaxed little casual dining area above the retail space at the front of the red brick building. With a simple 4-item only cafe style menu encouraging swift selection, I ordered a sparkling wine to accompany my lunch of lamb sliders and beer battered chips with aioli.

The staff were friendly, took the order efficiently and the food appeared in a reasonable amount of time. The balcony/deck has a perimeter lined with an outward facing, continuous wooden bar space and stools. The rest of the indoor and outdoor space has tables and chairs. I pulled up a stool which was perfect for one as it was facing out over the Yarra Ranges and the rest of the estate.

The sparkling was Yarrabank Cuvee by Devaux and Yering Station and it certainly didn't disappoint. If you're read any of my other posts, you'll note that my palate seems to favour the pale, lighter tasting sparklings. I was half expecting that being a joint venture with a French winemaker, that Yarrabank Cuvee would have the heavier yellow tones and flavour that I'm not as much in love with.

The one thing I'm loving about this journey of sparkling discovery is that I'm constantly surprised. And when I saw the lovely pale colour of this one, the surprise was a good one.

Again, I'm no wine connoisseur, but this one was about half way between the super pale that I like and the heavy ones that I don't favour as much. And what a lovely compromise, plus the addition of bubbles that just seemed to last forever….well for the entire glass at least. This was a good thing as being my own designated driver on this day, I was only going to be having one glass of any alcohol, so it allowed me to take a while and savour it along with the greener than green views over treetops and mountains in the distance.

From there I moved to through another tree-lined path where a beautiful and majestic glass modern building has been designed to completely encapsulate the stunning views in the surrounding area. A modern fountain and lake provides a peaceful and calm entry to the restaurant, and if you venture past the restaurant door without entering, you'll find a vast, open space of steps and flat terrace that are also designed for guests to the entire property (not just the restaurant) to enjoy the view and take in the breathtaking green valley. What a wonderful place for photos with a small or large group.

For more info about Matt's Bar at Yering Station, visit: https://www.yering.com/visit-yering-station/restaurant-bar/matts-bar/

 

 

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Bianca Vigna Prosecco @ The George Hotel South Melbourne

SO

Bianca Vigna Prosecco

On the same day as the Port Phillip Mussel festival at South Melbourne Market, we decided that a more lingering afternoon was on order, given the beautiful sunlight we had been blessed with on this spectacular Autumn afternoon in Melbourne.

My sparkling companion and I moved on to The George Hotel, diagonally opposite the market, on the corner of Cecil and Coventry Streets. As a market regular, I had often passed it, and only once so far had I eaten there, so it presented us with another opportunity for the day.

Because of the sheer volume of people at the Mussel Festival, no doubt many of the crowd had decided the pub was a good people watching spot as well. The George has a decent amount of outdoor bench and table seating, which is great as it promotes chatting amongst both friends and strangers.

The inside was buzzing with people but the day was too good to sit indoors, so we grabbed a spot outside with a group of strangers and had a fabulous afternoon chatting with them about life, food, what we were drinking...

Which brings me to the next taste-test that I did on the day. Most pubs have one, maybe two sparkling wines on offer, but The George Hotel gave me four to choose from! There was Stony Peak NV Brut (Central Victoria), Bianca Vigna Prosecco (Italy) and Les Petites Vignettes Chardonnay Pinot Noir (France) and Louis Roederer NV (France). The first three available by the glass, the latter, available only by the bottle.

How wonderful they've covered 3 fabulous winemaking regions of the world.

I went straight for the Bianca Vigna Prosecco, but with a bit of apprehension, as I haven't yet found an Italian sparkling that I'm truly enamoured with, compared to our Prosecco makers of the King Valley in Victoria. 

Luckily, this one didn't disappoint. It had the beautiful pale hue and taste-wise, what I'm learning to be the taste of pear and dry finish I really love.

To accompany my Prosecco, I had the Three Cheese Arancini Balls with Fire Roasted Capsicum Sauce served on a bed of rocket and parmesan, plus the more-ish beer battered chips.

Our newly made friends questioned why I was drinking sparkling wine in a pub. It's always interesting to me the image that is formed in people's minds about those of us who love our bubbles. These people seemed to think that a love of bubbles instantly means one of a few things: (1) That you are somehow upper class, or want to be, (2) That you are a "party" person, and (3) That you're an elitist of sorts because you're not drinking beer.

When I explained that it's a simple thing: I just really like it and love tasting new incarnations of it, they still thought I should be drinking what everyone else is drinking. But that's not me. Being a sheep is nothing I've ever done, and I'm not about to start now.

Bring on more bubbles I say! And thankfully, they certainly did…kindly buying myself and my sparkling companion the next 3 rounds – including the almost-fluorescent Aperol Spritz – making for a much more "bubbly" afternoon that either of us had expected.

For more information about The George Hotel South Melbourne, visit : http://www.tgsm.com.au

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Rob Dolan Blanc de Blanc @ Port Phillip Mussel Festival

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ROB DOLAN BLANC DE BLANC

March in Melbourne is often one of our warmest months, even though it's technically the first month of Autumn. So when it comes to weather, you can never be entirely sure what you're going to get.

As with most of my recent escapades, the sun came out and gave us its best display, allowing for a prolonged and unexpected day out for me and my Sparkling companion.

I hadn't been to this particular event before, even though South Melbourne Market is a place I frequent at least every couple of weeks. So for this reason I was expecting that the "festival" was perhaps going to be more of a "sale" pointing you to the many seafood vendors there.

Instead I was overjoyed to see that street (Cecil St) on the east side of the market where the main strip of  restaurants and cafes are was closed off and filled with marquees, umbrellas and tables for people to really engage.

We had arrived around 1pm so it was in full swing by that time, and we were lucky enough to get a standing table with a tiny bit of shade available.

Whilst I held the table, my companion for the day went off to explore the various stands, which were by well known Melbourne restaurants who were selling their own particular style of mussel fare. Some were spicy Mexican, some were more subtle, but either way, it was all there to be enjoyed, perused and devoured.

And of course what better accompaniment than a glass of sparkling wine that magically appeared in front of me along with my plate of steamed mussels courtesy of my partner in crime for the day.

What I tasted was the not-too-sweet flavour of Rob Dolan Blanc de Blanc from  Rob Dolan Wines Black Label range. It had that beautiful pale straw colour that I love to see in a sparkling wine, with a flavour I can only describe as fresh yet delicate. Nothing overpowering here, just a very drinkable drop that I did enjoy whilst listening to the buzz of the crowds and the live music.

As this was a spontaneous visit, we missed much of the scheduled mussel cooking demonstrations by various top restaurants, but that didn't take away from the great vibe of the day as a whole. The live musicians, roaming performers and just experiencing South Melbourne Market in a different way was fantastic.

So book yourself and some friends in for next year. For more information and inspiration on the day that was, visit http://southmelbournemarket.com.au/mussel-fest/ 

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King Valley Proseccos : Dal Zotto, Chrismont, Pizzini @ MFWF

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DAL ZOTTO, PIZZINI, CHRISMONT

Prosecco Road Leads to Southgate

The city of Melbourne has many seasons, and ask anyone who visits and they'll say we get them all in one day.

In a lot of places, when the weather starts to cool down, so does the opportunity to go to great events. But in Melbourne, there's always something happening and Autumn is no exception.

Each year in March the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival brings us the delights of our amazing, world class culinary scene. And this year we went along to the event called "Prosecco Road Leads to Southgate" where an amazing collection of our most spectacular Victorian Prosecco makers transformed Southgate's promenade into a lively, vibrant scene of wine tasting accompanied by food, live music and hoards of people destined to appreciate the delights on offer.

Strolling on a glorious sunny Autumn day, meandering through the crowds and having a chat with many was nothing short of a divine way to spend a day. And so many options on offer it was almost impossible to know where to begin.

Dal Zotto's offering included Non-Vintage Pucino Prosecco, 2014 Vintage Pucino Prosecco and their amazing 2014 L'Immingrante Prosecco, all of which were stunning.

Pizzini had their Prosecco and also the low-alcohol Brachetto, which is perfect for late breakfast and brunch drinkers.

Chrismont had their incredible La Zona Prosecco, which I've already covered in a separate blog entry earlier this year.

Brown Brothers and Sam Miranda also had their sparkling on show but we didn't quite get to them and I look forward to trying them when I next visit the King Valley.

Lots of people, live music and bocce games amongst the wine tasting created a relaxed yet buzzing vibe.

Further along Southbank promenade was the River Graze, where there was a pop-up seafood festival, Crown Riverwalk hosted the Oakridge Urban Vineyard where members of the public were invited to take part in grape squashing and the more intricate nuances of winemaking. The AVPN Pizza Fest provided a space in which to meander through the many pizza makers with their staff furiously finishing dough by traditional hand kneading methods facing Melbourne's Yarra river with the relaxed crowds happily devouring their creations at the many tables on offer. Also nearby was a Veuve Clicquot Airstream bar with it's bright orange-yellow tables.

The Urban dairy at Queensbridge Square was also a great place to check out all things cheesy and creamy with of course, it's own bar as well. 

There was just seriously so much on offer at this year's MFWF that even with some serious planning you could not possibly attend every available event or event properly enjoy each section along Southbank and everything else happening along the Yarra. The superb weather made sure the masses were out in full force making for a vibrant, fun filled weekend no matter where you chose to be.

For next year, I've got the ticketed event, City Cellar on my MFWF 'must do' list.

Plan early for next year's MFWF by following them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and their website: http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

 

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Punt Road Sparkling @ Melbourne Tomato Festival

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Punt Road Sparkling @ Melbourne Tomato Festival

What does a Tomato Festival have to do with sparkling wines? To most people, probably nothing, but for me, cooking with fresh produce and enjoying wines go hand in hand.

And besides, what self-respecting event organiser would not have a decent beverage supplier on site to accompany the wonderful array of foods on offer at such an event?

And the Melbourne Tomato Festival delivered my wishes. The lovely people from Punt Road Wines served us their deliciously summery sparkling wine, and in a most elegant and practical (unusual for these two things to be together) vessel. Whilst others were being served in clear flimsy plastic picnic cups, Punt Road Sparkling was poured into these lovely stemless (and I’m not normally a fan of stemless glassware) acrylic glasses with a horizontal indent for your thumb. Not only was this a lovely aesthetic to make a non-glass vessel more sophisticated, but it also served to cleverly stop any slips from one’s hand whilst meandering through the stalls and demonstrations. On a warm day with rocky paths, steps and tiered grass areas to negotiate, this was perfect. I’ll be hanging on to these little beauties and adding them to my picnic basket for future use.

The Punt Road Sparkling was light, fresh, fizzy and with a hint of fruits that I’m guessing was peach or nectarines. Not too sweet and the bubbles lasted to the end of the glass. Not that it took long to drink....went down very easily in the warmth of the afternoon.

A bit about the festival....we arrived early at the venue (Edendale Farm in Eltham) so as to attend the opening ceremony with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Guy Grossi an Aboriginal Elder and two other indigenous young men. Guy spoke first, explaining the reason for the festival (keeping Italian culture of family and food practices alive in Melbourne) and showcasing some of Victoria’s brilliant fresh produce.  Premier Andrews spoke of the history of Italian immigration and it’s priceless contribution to food, culture and coffee. Then the indigenous group created fire in the traditional way by rubbing sticks to officially open the festival. 

There were cheesemakers, olive oil producers, pizza makers, Sicilian street food stalls, gelato makers, salumi bar, winemakers, fresh produce growers and cooking demonstrations by leading Australian chefs : Guy Grossi, Karen Martini, Liz Egan, Scott Pickett, Matt Wilkinson, Dani Valent and adopted Aussie Irishman Colin Fassnidge.

A feature throughout the day were the multiple passata making sessions that took place under a marquee so that all not participating could also see. Just beautiful to see a sea of red juice flowing from the hand-operated devices.

Other demonstrations were : A Mozzarella making session by Giorgio from That’s Amore Cheese, a make your own pizza oven by Polito Ovens, sessions on butchery, food choices and bees/polination. And of course, the Melbourne’s Best Tomato Competition winner was announced.

All in all, a really fabulous day out, a festival that’s not so large you have a lot of back-tracking to do, and amazing Victorian produce all round. And, of course, with a lovely glass of newly discovered Punt Road Sparkling wine in my hand. Couldn’t ask for a more perfect day!

#fruity #tasteofsummer #melbournetomatofestival #puntroadwines #yarravalley #victorianproduce #karenmartini #guygrossi #bubbles #australiansparkling #sparklingobsession

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La Zona Prosecco by Chrismont, King Valley, Victoria

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La Zona Prosecco

I have been waiting for ages to write about this particular sparkling wine, because it is high up on the list of favourites for me. The winemakers of the King Valley in Victoria certainly know how to romance my taste buds, and Chrismont makes this stunning Prosecco that just never fails to please me.

It's fizzy, light, delicate and satisfying all at the same time. And whilst packaging and labels don't  affect the flavour of the wine, they've got the label design right as well. It's elegant and sophisticated, has tones of classical eras gone by, and yet somehow still modern...representing the La Zona Prosecco beautifully.

I had some guests over for what I like to call my "couch dinners". Instead of being too formal at the dining table and making people think they've come to a dinner party, this is food set up on a coffee table so all can kick back and relax on the couch, talk, drink, laugh and maybe take in a movie or whatever is on the box that night.

It casual setting, but that doesn’t mean lazy food. To go with Chrismont's La Zona Prosecco, I absolutely had to make some proper pasta – the hand made variety. And on this particular night I decided some silky pappardelle would be perfect. It's an old recipe, made with smashed up broccoli, garlic, anchovies and chilli as the "sauce" with a couple of other ingredients to top it off.

Needless to say it was a real hit, complimented the food perfectly as it just sings in unison with Parmigiano Reggiano we added. 

It’s the perfect pre-dinner drink, dinner drink and after dinner drink!

#‎KingValley. #‎iloveprosecco #‎proseccotime #‎friends #‎family #‎couchtime #‎lazona #‎lazonaprosecco #‎kingvalleyprosecco #‎sparklingobsession

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