PERFECTPairing

With winemaking experience going back six generations

Gilbert Family Wines, based near Mudgee in New South Wales, draws fruit from three distinct regions, all

When you add family roots dating back to 1839 in South Australia’s Eden Valley there is so much collective history and knowledge to draw from.

Now Will, the sixth generation and recently crowned Young Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine, is working his magic alongside father Simon crafting wines from Orange, Mudgee as well as Eden Valley.

Best of all on Friday 21 January 2022, local wine guy and distributor of Gilbert Family Wines, Travis Watson, will be hosting a lunch at Bask Eumundi with wines from Mudgee and Orange.

At the heart of any great gathering is connection and this will be on show at the Gilbert Family Wine Lunch at Bask Eumundi for a lovingly-curated long lunch that will showcase the family businesses behind great wines and the freshest, seasonal food. Tony Cox previews what will be a perfect food and wine pairing.

Bask Eumundi is dedicated to the long lunch so the chance to pair with Gilbert Family Wines is a match made in heaven. The newest dining location in the region is dedicated to La Dolce Vita – meaning you go to enjoy the good life – fine food, wine and time spent conversing.

Like the Gilbert generations, Bask Eumundi owners Jess and Jack want nothing more than the restaurant to feel like home. Drawing from the Interior design skills of Jess and the extensive food knowledge and talent of Jack, Bask Eumundi is both stylish and a food journey to behold.

The four-course menu on the day will take you on an adventure that will be beautifully matched with Gilbert Family wines.

They include the 2021 Petillant-Naturel Rosé, 2021 Blanc and 2019 Rouge – pretty simple names that communicate effectively what is in the bottle.

Let’s dig a little deeper.

The 2021 Petillant-Naturel (Pet-Nat for those under 30) Rosé is 100% sangiovese grown in Mudgee at 520m altitude. Just to explain Pet-Nat starts life with the same process as Methode Traditionelle the only difference being there is no disgorgement, therefore no cleaning up of the wine after the second fermentation and hence it is usually cloudy.

Usually a little funkier too, so put yourself in hipster heaven for this effervescent number that has watermelon nuances, a textured mid-palate and delicate bead.

The 2021 Blanc is an homage to all things Alsace being a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. Grown in the Central Ranges and Orange each varietal undergoes different treatment in the winery to produce a wine where the primary fruit characters of each are discernible with the respective flavours of citrus, nashi pear and rose water identifying Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.

The use of neutral French oak, warm skin fermentation and amphora for certain parcels adds texture with cool ferments for other parcels maintaining freshness and fruit purity.

The 2019 Rouge consist of fruit from both Orange and Mudgee with shiraz (84%) being the dominant grape with 15% pinot noir and 1% Riesling.

Designed to emphasise fruit flavours stalks were removed and a cold soaking of the must utilised with fermentation occurring in neutral vessels, namely old oak and stainless steel. Similar neutral vessels were used for maturation prior to bottling to create the resultant textural wine with berry, chocolate and plum flavours.

Gilbert Family Wines have the benefit of six generations of knowledge and experience with the added dynamism of youth and connection to current trends – in other words the best of both worlds.

Looking forward to this memorable long lunch at Bask Eumundi to kick the new year off in the best possible way.