Melbourne

Last week we spent some time in Melbourne... what a drag..... Eating, drinking, a touch of shopping and to finish off with a wonderful trade tasting with World Wine Estates - our new Ozzie distributors. 


While the lucky people of Melbourne have such a huge everyday choice of where they will wine & dine The Millton Vineyard has a few favorites that we love to return too:

The brief Millton Vineyards weekend guide to eating & drinking in Melbourne.

Cumulus Inc.

 Shakshouka- Backed eggs with roasted peppers & marinated Persian feta. With of course the daily baked fresh bread and a good coffee.

http://cumulusinc.com.au/

Golden Fields - St Kilda

The new partner to Cululus and Cutler & Co.

 No better way to spend a Grey Sunday afternoon at Golden Fields listening to Records and experiencing some very well thought flavors.  A modern Asian influenced menu that leaves you completely satisfied and wanting to return for more.

It seems that we have a thing for oysters.... & I think we do. While in Melbourne I seemed to take food photos of only Oysters but we did eat a lot more....

Golden Fields afternoon consisted of,

Oysters,New England Loster roll , Crispy soft shell crab, Rustic pork dumplings, Twice cooked duck in steamed bread and the perfect ending was Shredded cabbage salad with Morton Bay bugs. A menu to view

http://goldenfields.com.au/home/

We all know Movida & all love it.

Oysters with Cider & Garlic foam......  wow.

We are a slight fan of  Chenin Blanc. While at Movida we drank a seriously beautiful Demi-Sec Chenin Blanc that went with every dish we devoured 2007 Pichot Vouvray Demi- Sec Chenin Blanc. If you can find it try it and maybe you would like to send a bottle to the Winery also please.

Melbourne, were do you stop.

Chin Chin, Cutler&Co, GingerBoy, City Wine Shop, Coda, and many many more.

Cheers to World Wine Estates for taking us under your wing and also to you fullaz across the ditch for having such a massive interest and support of what we do.

As I type, funny enough, the truck has arrived to pick up Crazy by Nature Dry Flint Chenin Blanc, Te Arai Chenin Blanc & Riverpoint Viognier. Leaving us and ready for y'all to drink in Australia.

World Wine Estates 

James Johnston

james@worldwineestates.com.au

Good luck for the Rugby ..........  

; )

Chenin Blogging

We love Chenin Blanc and it takes a long time to get spotted when you produce something that is idiosyncratic and less than 1% of the overall wine production, that does tick all the boxes of normality, that doesn't rely on the use of any of that makeup stuff some use in the vineyard and cellar to make them look pretty, that comes from the oldest biodynamic wine estate in the New World.

Robert Giorgione has something to say about our Crazy by Nature Dry Flint Chenin Blanc & Te Arai Chenin Blanc.

 http://www.robertgiorgione.com/wine-reviews/who-says-new-zealand-cant-produce-decent-chenin-blanc/

 

millerandage

With successful flowering a distant memory and berry growth accelerating, the Mendoza clone Chardonnay already exhibits the shot berries for which it is known. From our Riverpoint vineyard in Matawhero, it's likely harvest here should commence some time in the fourth week of March. These old chardonnay vines (originally established in 1978) will form the backbone of our Crazy by Nature Shotberry Chardonnay.

Elsewhere on the estate we're labelling a special order of Opou vineyard Chardonnay for our friends in Ontario and gift wrapping Christmas orders from our latest Tastevin newsletter.


In the cellar, our special 2009 Clos de Ste. Anne cuvees of Viognier & (for the 1st time) Chenin Blanc have been eased out of barrel in preparation for bottling next week as the moon begins it's descent. This involves rigorous (but pleasurable) fining trial tastings...