Posts Tagged ‘The Wine Vault’

The Grove and Mink (and no it’s not a fashionable London pub chain).

Monday, May 11th, 2009

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvjNcX1aA1k[/youtube]

I have recently enjoyed the food from two, very different but extremely pleasant, fine dining establishments. The First experience was to be had at Mink in Parnell.

Now I am no parnellite but was smitten by this place. Mink, not the nicest of names, is casual but has some great features, smart in design that caters for all diners. The menu is comprehensive and but manageable and the wine list compliments down to the last drop.

On this lunchtime outing I took the waiters recommendation. He had promised that the Duck Confit, on a bed of parsnip mash and red wine jus, would be perfect. I am glad to say he was not wrong and I not disappointed. The wine that he recommended was the Vynfields 2006 organic Pinot Noir from Martinborough.

I have always found this wine to be of very respectable quality and Burgundy-esque in aroma and texture. The two were a match made in heaven and I wittled away a leasurely Thursday afternoon interspersed with conversation and telephone calls.

My next dining experience was at The Grove. I have heard so many varying reports about this place, and the last one being very positive, that had to find out for myself.

I am happy to report that, bar one wine mismatch, it was the best dining experience to date in New Zealand. Oh yeah, I hear you say ” but have you tried The French Cafe or Merediths?” Well yes I have and it even tops those two top tier restaurants.

The food was sublime and service attentive without fuss. I choose the Rabbit Scallop, and ice cream Fois Gras for starter matched witha cheeky Sauterne from Villefranche. My next course was to be the Quail on Puy Lentils.

Now for those that know quail know it is delicate subtle but yet very flavoursome and place on Puy lentils and arranged to perfection (not a word I use often) it was fit for a king. The only downside to my evening was the wine, chosen by the sommelier, a Californian Zinfandel. Now I know with the spice and character of Zinfandel it would be a hard match.

I never tell people what I do for a job as to not intimidate them and, for one, I do not know the menu as well as them. On this occasion I wish I had. I would have given this place all ten points but they will loose 1/2 for the wine.

It was great to see two places full and people enjoying their food and obvious company that surrounded them.

Written by Jayson Bryant

www.thewinevault.co.nz

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French Cafe Visit

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

I have just had the pleasure of being taken out to dinner at the French Cafe. The last outing involved us taking part in the degustation menu, all 11 courses. What a performance that turned out to be.  Some of the best food in New Zealand turned up at our table with perfect grace.
The evening was conducted like a well rehearsed orchestra performing at the ballet.
This time was to be no different we decided that the A la Carte menu was to our liking.
There were 12 guests at the dinner table and this was the most suitable option until, that is, we tried to decide on the wine.
The wine for the evening turned out to be great. The Lafond Rhone Marsanne/Rousanne was fragrant and the oily texture with high acid made it perfect for my aperitif. I carried on with this wine through the starter of Goats Cheese on Beetroot tart and then moved on to the Pisa Range ‘Black Poplar’ Central Otago Pinot Noir for my main course.
The Black Poplar exhibits ripe cherry/red fruit with a splash of earthiness and touch of oak all held together beautifully with well integrated acid.
We skipped dessert and decided on expresso instead rounding off another beautiful experience. I tip my hat to the staff for maintaining such high standards and perfectly presented and cooked food. This is truly a 5 star house.

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Lunch at Tabou, Kingsland

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

Tabou, Kingsland
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAP5fVxn4Nw[/youtube]

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Savour & Devour with Discovery Point Sauvignon

Monday, March 16th, 2009

I have at last tasted my brunch match made in Heaven. On visiting Savour & Devour, in Grey Lynn, I tasted what can only be described as the best brunch match of food and wine.
The dish tasted was the crab fritters with salad and I had decided to try the Discovery Point Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough.
The fritters were perfectly cooked and had subtle aromatics and a delicacy that made the wine appear to be in complete harmony. The wine also had some floral aromatics which are much more restrained than the usual Sauvignon from NZ. The palae weight was great and the minerality was drying leaving you want more.
The character of Savour & Devour is shabby chic with wait staff that are pleasant but not overbearing.
Jayson Bryant
www.thewinevault.co.nz

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Don’t Scrimp on the wine when dining out!

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

It is quite normal to forgo the quality of the wine when times are tight, but wine and food are just as important in the dining room.
When chosing a wine, from the list or from the rack or wine shop, do not judge by the label. Labels are getting worse in the new world in a bid to get seen on the shelf.
Wineries should put just as much effort into their name and label as they do the wine in the bottle.
When dining out be experimental and choose wine that you are unable to get at your local store or supermarket. Little restaurants sometimes have exceptional wine lists and have wines that are not available anywhere else.
For more run of the mill labels one cannot go past the Craggy Range second label ‘Wild Rock’. They are a lot more attractive in their new outfits and the wine is good too!
The best wines in the stable are the Angels Dust Syrah, Cupids Arrow Central Otago Pinot Noir, and the Pania Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. All can be bought from shops for under $25 and $50 in Restaurants.
Written by Jayson Bryant
www.thewinevault.co.nz

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Chenin Blanc, let’s not be intimidated

Friday, February 6th, 2009

When going to a restaurant don’t be intimidated by the wine list. Either ask the Sommelier or make the judgement yourself.
Chenin Blanc or Vouvray as it is called in Britain and Europe is an amazingly versatile grape. The wines from Chenin Blanc can be sweet and age for decades or can be firm and stiff with lots of acid at its core.
This is why this wine is so good at being match with food. The dry Chenin’s are ideal with white fish, creamy sauces, and Hams.
The sweet wines are great as aperitifs or digestives, and when match with some traditional dessert are sublime.
So don’t be intimidated, be bold and take some risks and you will be rewarded.

Jayson Bryant

www.thewinevault.co.nz

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Dessert or no dessert, that is the question!

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

One of the greatest mistakes that everyone makes is their choice of wine that complements dessert. Some of the best restaurants in town fail in this mission, so it comes as no surprise that we do at home when hosting a dinner party.

Dessert wine with its naturally high residual sugar and low acidity is hard to pair with food unless you apply the golden rule. Always have a dessert that is matched with the same, if not slightly more, sweetness as the wine available.

What this does is enable the acid of the wine to shine through and give the wine better balance and really show off the fruit rather than just the sugar.

This is pretty hard when at home because unless you know the dessert you are making and wine you are drinking it is hard to get right and do justice to both. At a restaurant you will be guided by the Sommelier. This person should know the wine list inside out and what is best matched with what on the menu, thus improving the diners experience.

Most often than not this doesn’t happen because of the lack of importance placed on this concept, but when you pay for expensive main courses you should also expect great service.

Just ask the waiter to advise you or get them to send the Sommelier over and get them to advise you. Take it from me you, will have a much better appreciation of both food and wine if paired correctly.

www.thewinevault.co.nz

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