Clonakilla and more

A wonderful dinner in Fremantle with dear friends at The Great Mellie (37 High St). It's a small restaurant, maybe it can sit 40 people at a stretch, but it seems more voluminous because of the high and undulating stucco ceiling which gives the room the impression of a cavern, though the critical may validly feel that it lends an unfinished touch. The food, though excellent and indulgent, (South West truffles are in season and feature heavily, as does duck and foie gras) was somewhat secondary to the wine. It's BYO ($5 per bottle, excellent glasses) and we came well prepared. . .

To begin a beautiful fresh apple and sour dough Laurent Perrier Brut which was perfect with the Coffin Bay oysters (@ $3.75 each). Then a golden and nutty 2002 Vasse Felix Heytsbury Chardonnay. Fully mature and quite voluptuous with seams of cream, fig and vanilla. Tasted blind, the 2008 Clonakilla Viognier was a surprise and a great match for my truffle and pumpkin lasagna. Pared back and with none of the expected extravagance and overdone fattiness, this was my favourite white for the night. Flint and honeysuckle, there's a suggestion of grease, but for the most this is pert, crisp and tight. The 2004 Mt Difficulty Pinot noir was excellent and very similar in profile and impact to the 2004 Pyramid Valley Eaton Family Vineyard Pinot noir. Some weeks ago, I spent a few fruitless hours looking for this and then yesterday while looking for a different bottle, success. Deeply scented with spice, raw meat, raspberries and redcurrants, while in the mouth it is silken and flowing before becoming firmer and more expansive. With a head starting to wobble, one final bottle, the delicious lavender scented 2007 Telmo Rodriguez MR (Mountain wine, Moscatel), which is as good as any sticky I have tried this year.

Some concluding morning after comments about the food and restaurant. It's very much a family affair, the husband is the chef and the wife runs the front of house, and on this particular, school holiday night the young pre adolescent son (I assume) was behind the counter. I thought it was a charming place, they offer to very properly take your coat as soon as you step in, let you see and sniff the fresh truffles and deliver plates to the correct place. Also, they are quite happy to leave you alone to open and pour your own bottles. This, along with the classic French cuisine, makes the Great Mellie ideal for long and slow wine dinners. If on the other hand you were less inclined to drink, had a sweet tooth (the desserts are limited and quite simple) or perhaps were in more of a hurry and like butter with your bread, I could see how you might be disappointed.