Mitolo Magic!

Thursday night was a Mitolo dinner at Russells of Broadway and what a great line-up of wines all matched to some terrific dishes created by head chef Matt Laughton. Brett Crittenden from Mitolo and was on hand to talk through the wines and add a bit of Aussie spirit to the event. The menu and wines were as below, I have added tasting notes and comments on all the combinations;

canapés
2008 Jester Sangiovese rosé, Mitolo

Superb dry rosé that was less weightier than previous vintages and all the better for it.
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Grilled salmon with beetroot, apple and watermelon salad
2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Shaw and Smith

Wow! The pure zesty zip in this wine was a delight and it worked a real treat.
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Braised heel of Scotch beef with mashed potato, glazed button onions,
wild mushrooms, salsify and a red wine and anise Jus.
2006 Jester Shiraz, Mitolo

Superb value, perfect weight and flavour with this very meaty and flavoursome dish.
2006 G.A.M. Shiraz, Mitolo

A big step up in complexity from the Jester, intense, satisfying and very, very long. A great match for the beef and especially the red wine and anise jus.
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Warm Shropshire Blue, fig and walnut tart with honey dressing and watercress
2007 Jester Cabernet Sauvignon, Mitolo

Elegant yet weighty with a hint of sweet fruit.
2004 Serpico Cabernet Sauvignon, Mitolo

With a touch of maturity and delicious concentrated, intense, rounded sweet berry fruit.
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Poached dried fruit compote with salted caramel ice cream
Rutherglen Muscat, Rosewood Vineyards, Chambers

I can think of no better dessert wine for this dessert. Stood up to the chilled ice cream and complemented the dried fruits to perfection.

A great night, enjoyed by all.............

Coonawarra maestro - Kym Tolley of Penley Estate

It was great to have Kym Tolley from Penley Estate call by yesterday afternoon. He is a very well respected Aussie winemaker who originates from two pioneering Australian wine families the Penfolds and the Tolleys. I wasn't aware that John Duval was a great friend of his - in fact he was best man at Kym's wedding and they worked together at Penfolds.
He loved seeing Chipping Campden even though it was a rather damp and miserable afternoon and we managed to taste through a few wines which I have listed below. Since a number of his wines were featured in the last edition of the Wine Advocate (and received very complimentary scores) he has had even greater interest from the American market.
We tasted through the following wines;
2004 Chardonnay Penley Estate, Coonawarra
Beautifully ripe without that overpowering opulence you often find in Aussie Chardonnay's. The oak enhances and lifts the fruit, showing no sign of fading, perfectly mature.
2005 Penley Hyland Shiraz, Coonawarra
Lovely fruit on the palate with a hint of chocolate and spice, fantastic silky texture. Kym reckoned that 2005 was a great year for Shiraz. We certainly don't disagree.
2006 Penley Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
2006 was a great year for Cabernet and this is a beautifully made wine with the emphasis on elegance rather than power. The terra rossa soils in Coonawarra are perfect for Cabernet and this is drinking well now but will be even better in a year or two. This wine was recently voted Australia's best value red by the Australian Penguin Wine Guide. A great accolade indeed.
We hope Kym is able to return to present a tasting, perhaps in the Autumn of next year. His wines offer incredible value for money and are well worth trying, we certainly will be showing some of them at our Christmas tasting.