3 minute read
Nineauto
Story & Photos: Greg Burns
Wednesday 3rd August
It was truly the depths of winter for our Wine and Food Appreciation Dinner at Chancery Lane in early August. The evening was both dark and cold while we were ensconced in a cosy private dining room with like-minded PCV members and guests, and some wonderful food and wine.
Our dinner was held at one of Scott Pickett’s outstanding Melbourne restaurants Chancery Lane. Opened less than two years ago it is a modern interpretation of a French bistro with a brooding, noir ambience. The perfect space to settle in over a 4-course meal and some great Australian and French wines.
Our theme for the evening was “New versus Old”. This applied to both Porsches and wine. We were comparing new world wines with old world wines and looking forward to seeing which came out on top. One of our members was passing round a photo of his recent Porsche acquisition being a red 1958 Porsche tractor which definitely qualified as old.
As members arrived our aperitif was served: A French white sparkling wine from Burgundy accompanied by two canapés; Wagyu Tartare on Puffed Tendons and Chicken Liver Parfait with Pineapple Compote. Both were delicious and the wine was a good match with both. The chatter in the room steadily increased as the wine disappeared.
Our sommelier Zoe introduced herself and enthused about the wines we would be enjoying throughout the evening. Zoe was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and had great presence. We all enjoyed her wine descriptions, and it came as no surprise to find out later that she is also an actor. Her skills were put to good use on the night.
Gnocchi Parisienne with mushrooms and a beurre noisette made for a great entrée with our first wine comparison. A Yarra Valley Chardonnay was up against a Chardonnay from the Languedoc region in the south of France. Both wines admirably matched the course and it was a tough call as to which was preferred. There was consensus that the Languedoc wine was better on the night however with a couple of years aging the Australian Chardonnay would probably win the day.
Our Plat Principal was Dry-Aged Loddon Estate Duck accompanied by shared side dishes. Chef was treating us to the age-old combination of Duck and Pinot, and it was a roaring success. Pairing the duck with Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir and a Domaine Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru Red Burgundy brought out the best in every constituent part of the course. The combination was excellent and enjoyed by all. But which wine was better – French or Australian? Lots of discussion ensued and there did not appear to be a clear winner, although that may have had something to do with the quantity of wine being enjoyed at the time… Finishing our event with another fabulous match of cheese and Sauternes left everyone with a warm satisfied feeling and it was clear that our evening had been a huge success. Members slowly made their way out into the cold Melbourne winter night effusive in their praise for the evening.
A huge thank you to Venue Manager Liam Burns who looked after us in impeccable style, and to Zoe for her wine comments. We are looking forward to our final dinner for the year on 23rd November where we will finish our first year of Wine & Food Appreciation Dinners on a very high note in a private dining room upstairs at Grossi Florentino – a Melbourne icon. Watch out for the booking announcement in your PCV emails.
