Peregrine Saddleback Pinot noir 2007

Central Otago, New Zealand. Pinot noir. 13.5%. Screwcap. Source: Gift.

A recommended read: Jules the talented wine wanker, posted an excellent and commendable summary of the regional characteristics of New Zealand pinot earlier this month.

A recommended wine: Sappy and bright with dark cherry, earth and woody herbs. The initial, and perversely pleasing, whiff of reduction (call it a fart or rubber skid mark) soon fades. In the mouth it is notably sweet and bright. Succulent, flavoursome and true. The emphasis is frontal, the aim, which is achieved, seems to be seduction rather than intrigue.

Very good.
90.
Now - 2011.

Recommended reading: Halliday and Lanzafame

Two quite different books to replenish the soul. First, an image free, double columned book full of anecdote and fact. Halliday's latest book is easy to recommend, it's a lifetime of vinous information and knowledge clarified and distilled. Lanzafame is the 2008 World Pizza champion and his book Pizza modo mio is superb. Full of humility and love, as well as capitvating images and delicious pizza recipes, it is my favourite cook book of the year.

I have far too many books about wine as it is, and hesitated for a few minutes before deciding to purchase this. I already own various wine atlases, annuals and an old copy of the Oxford. Do I really need another? The precision and depth of some of the entries soon swayed me and after reading the entry for Wendouree (and Wynns, All Saints etc etc) I soon had the book tucked under my arm. It's a great resource for interested students of Australian wine, and as Hugh Johnson mentions in the introduction it's the nearest thing to a constant personal briefing.

Pizza scrolls

My work free Thursdays have taken on a note of domestication. I've stopped going out for breakfast (dropping a few kilograms as a result) and for the last few weeks have made pizza dough.

While the dough was maturing today I prepared the following ingredients.

• Onion confit - finely slice 2 medium onions and place in an oven proof bowl and cover with olive oil - half a cup should do, and then cook at 120 degrees C for 90 minutes.
• Garlic confit - do the same as above, but use 30 cloves of peeled garlic instead.
• Home made Tomato sauce - take 1 tin of diced tomatoes and fry in a pan with 2 cloves of crushed garlic till concentrated and reduced. When cool, blend with a bunch of fresh basil leaves.
• The meat stuffing - take 100g each of ground pork and beef, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp of garlic confit, 1 tbsp onion confit, 1 egg yolk - mix together by hand.
• Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheese - so you have a small handful of each
• Small handful of basil leaves - washed

15 minutes before you are ready to eat, roll out your dough (on a bench scattered with polenta grains) and top with sauce, cheese, basil and fragments of the meat stuffing. Then roll into a tight roll and cut into segments. Place on a baking tray and cook in a hot oven (250 degrees C) till suitably golden.

Mitchelton Botrytis Riesling 2008

Blackwood Park, Central Victoria, Australia. Riesling. 12.5%. Screwcap. Approx $A16

This is like opening a tin of apricot nectar. It's rich, sugar laden and stuffed with the scent and taste of apricots. Beyond this there is candied ginger and honeycomb and in the mouth there twist of citrus pith and marmalade. A little too short and simple for higher points.

Very good.
87.
Now - 2010.

Trentham Estate Noble Taminga 2003

Murry Darling, NSW, Australia. Taminga. 11%. Screwcap. Approx $13.

From the book - The room is full of people I don't recognize. I've missed the part where the guy talks and hands out samples; I've arrived during the part where wine tasting becomes wine drinking and, though every now and again I spot someone swilling the wine around in their mouth and talking bollocks, mostly they're just pouring the stuff down their necks as fast as they can.

Taminga is a CSIRO creation, bred from Riesling, Traminer and Farana. I gather it is high yielding and prone to rot.

From the glass - Impressive and surprising. This is very floral, with acacia, rosewater and at times a suggestion of peppermint tea. . . Later on a more expected note of aldehyde and glue. . . at other times I think I can detect orange zest. Lush and seductive in the mouth, though the texture and flavours are too short lived and the seam of bright acidity flickers and fades prematurely.

Very good. (Excellent value)
90.
Now.

Garlic pizza

Barbara has once again raised the torch for cancer awareness and is hosting Livestrong with a taste of yellow for 2009.

This is my contribution.

Ingredients:

• 1 portion of pizza dough
• Garlic confit - do this before hand by taking 30 cloves of peeled garlic and covering with half a cup of olive oil. Cook in an oven set at 120 degrees C, for 90 minutes.Remove and cool.
  
• Grated mozzarella
• Parsley
• Rock salt and pepper

How?
Roll out the pizza dough and coat generously with the now puréed garlic (about a third of the above amount). Top with the mozzarella and scatter with salt and parsley. Cook in a hot oven (250 degrees C) till suitably crisp and golden.

Roger Sabon Chapelle de Maillac 2007

Lirac, Rhone, France. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault. 14.5%. Cork. Approx $A36

Bright, cheerful and slightly confected before becoming more animal and rustic. Fragrant and fruit driven, with cherries and an almost cordial like softness and broadness. This is soon corseted and restricted by the chalky tannins. By night's end, the nose is more savoury and the pace of the wine seems to have quickened.

Very good.
90.
Now - 2012+

The shape of wine retailing. . .

I visited my first Dan Murphy store today and was inspired to put pen to paper. The place was teaming with customers and scantily clad women offering shots of Jim Beam in plastic cups. I smiled vacantly and headed for the wine tasting, which was being put on by Fosters. I had a quick sip of a sappy and tight 07 Devil's Lair Chardonnay, a slightly green and tough 06 Devil's Lair Cabernet, before luxuriating in the excellence of the 05 Penfolds St Henri, which seems more sensuous and lighter than the previous vintage.

Wandering around the store, I remembered something I read in the financial papers, perhaps a month ago. The duopoly of Woolworths and Coles now accounts for over 52% of the retail alcohol market (when it comes to food, it is over 80% I think). This is not a uniformly good thing of course. . .

Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc 2006

Burgundy, France. Chardonnay. 13%. Cork. Approx $A50.

A cloudy day, punctuated by drizzle, but without the sting and bitter cold of winter.

A delicious wine, which seems to possess all the classic white Burgundy traits. Grilled stone fruit and crushed almonds with a pleasing whiff of struck match and a suggestion of marzipan. Intense and satisfyingly searing, it manages to be tight and fleshy at once. Again the flavours are expected, and welcome. Grapefruit, essence and butterscotch, all in correct proportion and order.

Very good - excellent.
94.
Now - 2012+

2011 tasting note - here.

On the plate: Orange marmalade chicken.

Devil's Lair Cabernet sauvignon 2001

Margaret River, Western Australia. Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot. 14%. Cork. Source: Cellar. Approx $A40 on release.

Conformity in a glass? Same as it ever was, same as it ever was? As good as the wine is, how do I work this? How do I describe it without repeating myself?

0 - 15 minutes: Leafy and ripe, this seems rounded, big and almost fatty. A plush wine with a sweet core and fine tannins and a hint of meatiness. I wonder if it will become stinky and vegetal in age. I'm not convinced. . .

3 hours later: Dinner is long gone, I'm ready for supper, the kids are finally in bed and I am starting to like this. Any suggestion of stink has gone, there is still eucalyptus and an almost peppery point to the nose, though certainly nothing green. Dusty and slightly mince meat nose. No longer plump, though still invitingly soft to begin. The tannins are harder and need more chewing and there is a concluding suggestion of ink and dark chocolate.

Very good, but quite hard work. . .
91+
Now - 2019.

Marc Chauvet Brut Tradition NV Champagne

Champagne, France. Cork. Approx $A50.

Yesterday, I had low expectations and knew nothing of the maker. The solitary bottle had been sitting quietly in my study, gathering dust, part of a mixed case, making up the numbers (or so I thought). I can now report that the wine is excellent. Full of vitality and freshness, it is pert and thrilling. A comforting waft of doughy goodness along with fresh cut apple and baking spice. The bead is persistent and suitably fine while in the mouth there is combination of mouth filling crunch, flesh and lemon tart.

Very good - excellent.
92.
Now.

Terroir

In a very round about way I've been thinking about terroir. I've been toying with different analogies and even reading Sherlock Holmes in the search for meaning.

Good terroir is like a private school education. Expensive, exclusive and supposedly able to bring out the best in the vine / student. I wonder though - Can the stamp of one's education be detected later in life?

As to the equations, I thank Jeremy Pringle for the idea and Jamie Goode and Andrew Jefford for their content.

Now some explanation. . .

1. Terroir is a rather nebulous term. Nicolas Joly says for instance - Everywhere, the earth has a different face. I can accept this, each site is unique and therefore marketable. . .

2. Equally, a great site devoid of vines, is just a postcard. The grape is the medium, without it, all the rest is hype and real estate.

3. There is a lot of talk about a vine being able to express geography. Tasting notes (I am as guilty as anyone else) are littered with talk of stones, minerals, slate, river rocks. . . Is there any proof that what is in the earth somehow appears in the wine and that this can be discerned and identified as being site specific?

The grape and its specific genome (which relates to the clone, rootstock and variety planted) is what surely determines what is finally in the juice. The genome determines what can be said, the environment (soil, water supply, drainage, sunlight, temperature, canopy management etc etc) gives the accent.

4. Finally, a rather self explanatory equation, inspired by Jefford's point, that terroir is obliterated by intervention. His target was the acidification of Australian wine, arguing this is sometimes extreme and heavy handed.

Domaine de la Mordorée Côtes du Rhône 2007

Côtes du Rhône, Rhone, France. Grenache, Shiraz, Cinsault et al. 14%. Cork. Approx $A30

Dark and rewarding, there is much to like about this. A bright cherry nose with lavender in the background. In the mouth it is like sucking on sour cherry pips, but in time there is a hint of cream and meatiness. The tannins start out being hard and firm, but by nights end they seem more supple and languid.

Very good.
90.
Now - 2011.

Beef Kofta

I remember a time when I would eat later, but with two young children, my school night dinner starts at Five.

I returned home from work at 2pm and scrubbed and cut my beetroot and finely chopped a brown onion. This was in the oven by half two giving me time to walk to the local school to pick up my daughter. Back by three, I checked on the beets and decided on what would accompany the salad (recipe and instructions here). I decided on beef kofta and potato wedges. I prepared the potatoes (cleaned, cut into wedges and microwaved for 3 minutes before being tossed with garlic cloves, olive oil, rosemary and salt) and placed them in the oven. Next, the meat was moved from freezer to microwave for defrosting and I was out the door again, this time to collect the missing ingredients (fresh coriander, some chard leaves for the salad and two shallots). Back within 15 minutes, the beetroot was taken from the oven and allowed to rest and I set to work on the kofta.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon each of cumin and coriander seeds
• 2 medium shallots - which should yield 4-5 cloves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander
• 450g of minced beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of seeded mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

How?

Warm and refresh the cumin and coriander in a pan and then pound in a mortar and pestle. Place the finely ground spices into a larger mixing bowl. Now fry the shallots and garlic, which have been finely chopped, till translucent. Tip this into the mixing bowl, along with the roots and stems of the coriander, which have been finely diced, then add the remaining ingredients (meat, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, mustard, salt and pepper). Mix everything together with your hands and then shape into appropriately sized, slightly oblong meatballs. When done, fry in a pan till well browned on each side. I finish the cooking process by adding the pan to an oven that has been pre heated to 200 degrees, leaving them for around 5 minutes. This gives me time to make a simple tomato sauce (fry 2 chopped cloves of garlic in olive oil and then add a tin of diced tomatoes and cook till suitably reduced and concentrated) and plate up the salad and the wedges.

Wine? Something red and suitably bucolic, like a Côtes du Rhône.

From the library. . .

Three quite separate books, united by the one card.

The Patient by Australian surgeon Mohamed Khadra is a fictional account of one man's journey through the dysfunctional health system. For anyone who thinks Australia's public system is not in need of radical overhaul, this is the book to read. So many empires and so much vested interest with not enough attention to humanity, kindness and commonsense.

The chapters where Khadra wrote from his own perspective had the most resonance with me, reminding me of many of my colleagues and my undergraduate teachers:

I performed the biopsies, removed the scope and examined his pelvis internally. I felt a hard craggy mass that was the cancer in his bladder. It was obviously aggressive. What a tragedy I thought.

By the time I had got to my car, I had forgotten all about Jonathon. Surgeons cannot store the suffering of their patients. They need to have the ability to let go. The Hindus call it swaha, a Sanskrit word that implies breathing out the trouble, freeing oneself of the pain. . .

The Vicar's Wife's Cook Book is clever, but ever so slightly misleading. She was once a Vicar's wife but her husband is now a conference director. Still the book and the mostly simple recipes are dotted with references to the Vicar.

Market Vegetarian by Ross Dobson, is the book I would recommend and have added to my wish list. Beautifully illustrated, the recipes are all accessible and achievable and yet the food is stylish and modern in conception and appearance.

Weekend Wino sapien #7

I donned a pair of flared pants and an open neck paisley shirt made of nylon, in an effort to capture a youth which was never mine. I blame the tightness of my pants for my lack of vinous concentration. . .

The Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV was terrific and I was saddened by its rapid disappearance. It seemed to be full of thrust and crispness. Coming after this the normally excellent 2008 Seppelt Drumborg Riesling seemed blurred and slightly sweet. A powder nose and an almost tropical palate.

I decided to try my hand at homemade cheese this weekend. Labneh must be the easiest of cheeses to produce. Pictured above, I made mine by combining 500g of natural yoghurt and a teaspoon of salt flakes. I then placed the mixture into the large square of muslin which I then bundled up and suspended over a bowl, which was then refrigerated for 36 hours. At the end of this much of the whey had drained away, leaving the cheese. Prior to eating, I dressed the cheese with some fresh thyme, black pepper and olive oil.

The next two wines were reds from Penfolds. The 1997 RWT and 1987 Grange were excellent. Tasted blind and in constricting pants, I was all at sea. I thought the RWT was much younger, though thankfully I got the grape right. This was (one of) the first releases of the RWT and in retrospect seems less identifiably Penfolds. . . The Grange was mature but still full of energy. Smelling of blackcurrant and a trace of ginger spice, I thought it was a Cabernet Shiraz. Structured, but with the softness of age and more generosity than I would normally expect from the vintage.

Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1998

Barossa, South Australia. Shiraz. 14.5%. Cork. Source: Father's cellar

Context: Another week of work, dominated by the spread of swine flu. This from the laboratory in charge of testing and therefore monitoring the virus:

Due to the current demand for influenza testing, specimens are being prioritised according to clinical necessity. If possible this sample will be tested within one month of receipt. After this time the specimen will be discarded.

Not surprisingly, fewer tests for the virus are being done in response to the suggestion that samples will be discarded untested, and with this, there has been an apparent drop in the number of cases reported! Another wine for spin. . .

Tasting note: Satisfying and lush, this is just on the 'left' side of portiness. Drenched with raisins and ripeness, in time there is also ginger, a freshly polished leather boot, citrus peel and wax. Sweet, large and totally disarming.

Very good.
92.
Now - 2014+

Plan Pégau 2006

Vin de table, Southern Rhone, France. Shiraz, grenache and merlot. Screwcap. Approx $A25.

I've not touched my own pillow for over 36 hours, such is life with children. . .

With a sharper mind and nose I am sure I could find an orchard of fruit. Instead I'll focus on the more obvious facets. Quite volatile and balsamic, with bay leaf and woody herbs. Lovely in the mouth with layers of texture and plenty of generosity, there is a hint of sweetness and softness, before perfectly integrated tannins. A pleasingly seamless and muscled wine.

Very very good and excellent value.
91.
Now - 2012+

Post script - from Wikipedia. 'Table wine typically is not permitted to disclose even its region of production (in France the producers must use postal codes to prevent the name of an appellation from appearing even in fine print on the label) or its vintage date (though "lot numbers" which can bear a striking resemblance to dates are permitted).'

Two Tuesday night Pinots

An indulgent and unexpectedly good meal at the Third Avenue Cafe was washed down with two pleasing pinots.

The 2008 Ballewindi (Mornington, Victoria. 13.5%. Approx $A20) is made by Kooyong's Sandro Mosele. Relatively cheap (for a pinot), this is very cheerful and quite convincing. Zippy and cherry scented, this is simple and charming. 89. Now - 2011

The 2007 Lowburn Ferry (Central Otago, NZ. 14%. Approx $A35) has more depth and complexity, but is only slightly more enjoyable. I keep coming back to cream of watercress soup, the smell reminds me so much of this. The more correct tasting note would talk of cherries, earth and stems. . . Extracted and laden with texture and depth, this is full and bold with a hint of char and ash and slightly intrusive tannins. 91. Now - 2012+

Pizza dough

I love making dough.

Perhaps it is the link with wine and alcohol. . .

Take 1 sachetof dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and waken in 100mls of warm water. Within 10 they will be breathing, bubbling and producing carbon dioxide.

While waiting for the yeast to activate, add 1 teaspoon of rock salt to 160g of white flour and mix. I use '00' flour, which has more gluten. It is the gluten which gives the dough its texture and spring. The gluten molecules go from random spirals to a networked structure, all with the addition of water, kneading and yeast. Salt also changes the gluten net work, making it tighter and firmer. The calcium impurities in rock salt give even more strength. Add the liquid yeast mixture to the flour along with a splash of olive oil. Work this into a dough and kneed.

Set this living mixture aside in a warm spot and cover. After 20 minutes it will be quietly bubbling and popping and all the time expanding. After 90 minutes or so (depending on the temperature) it will be ready and doubled. Punch it down (releasing the carbon dioxide), and let it rest, for another 20 minutes or so, allowing it to rise slightly again before rolling out on a bench which has been scattered with semolina grains.

Post script: The pictured dough is 450g of flour, with a total of 250mls of water and 15g of yeast. If your finished product looks like this - it requires more kneeding!
I think the amended proportions, above, give a softer and more enjoyable base.

Post post script (from 31/8/09): More fiddling around and some improvement in the final product. 360g of flour, 40g of semolina, 1 sachet of instant yeast, 220 - 250mls of water (100ml for the yeast and the rest to be added to the flour at the same time as the yeast), 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 of olive oil. Keep kneeding till you feel flushed. . .

An updated image of what the dough should look like (using the 31/8/09 recipe) can be found here.

Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2007

Mornington, Victoria, Australia. Chardonnay. Diam. Approx $A25

As the book mark indicates, I am only a chapter in to this wonderfully evocative novel, full of adjectival brilliance, by Peter Carey. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for a few years, waiting for the right moment. Which is one reason I visit my local library in preference to bookstores. The time pressure and the notion of a black-mark should I return the book late is what I need to finish what I start. . .

Made from 10 different clones, the Clonale is very clever winemaking. It is well priced, well made and seems to have enough complexity to interest the trainspotters and enough generosity to appeal widely. Grilled summer fruit and butterscotch, with essence like texture, and a seam of ripe pineapple and cream throughout.

Very good.
88.
Now - 2011.