The Duke and the Baroness
I enjoy these evenings of food and wine pairing. Hearing a wine maker lead me into their work of art. Sure, you can teach a human to make wine, in a similar way you can teach them to cook, but it’s an art to curate raw fruits of the earth into something of beauty, both to the palate and the eye. Science also meets the intuitive hand of the horticulturist, both in the vineyard and the farm.
The wine dinner is the stage, the winemaker the conductor and what you put into your mouth – the performance. The Duke of Brunswick is a local pub in Gilbert Street, Adelaide. Run by Simone Douglas, The Duke is gluten free, inclusive, and proclaims to be #seriously social[1]
Joanne Irvine[2] is The Baroness: owner and winemaker at her Barossa based winery ‘Lévriér by Jo Irvine’.
This article is about the performance.
We began our evening with a NV Sparkling Meslier Brut Rosé. Crisp, clean, green apple palate, with a delicate, gentle bead. Very complimentary to the crunch as I bit through the fine crumb-coating on the pillow-soft scallop. A hint of salt from the topping of salmon roe and a smoothness on the palate from the little dot of aioli atop each one.
A miniature vertical tasting followed. Two Pinot Gris. Here, I would love to venture off into the ethos behind Jo’s premium ‘Mosaic Collection’, but you will have to allow me your audience at another time for that one.
The two ‘Gris are from the same vineyard, from similar vintages and made by the same wine maker. This tasting is intended to demonstrate bottle age. The ’16 has an elegance and finesse yet to emerge in the ’18. After 12 months on lees, and yet to be released, the ‘18 still has that yeasty, punchy palate and soft mouthfeel. This makes me visualize a cloudiness I can’t see. If I close my eyes, I imagine a fresh unfiltered white wine with a slight cloudiness but when I look at this baby it is a clear pale honey colour. The ’18 has been off lees for two years and has begun the journey, but it’s destination can be seen in the ’16. A beautiful golden colour, the ’16 has lost that yeasty flavour and has become complex and delicate. Now five years down, this wine is drinking very nicely. Jo gives it a cellaring life of around ten years. Served with pasta, this is slightly incongruous in theory, the Italian version ‘Grigio’, would avoid mixing ethnicities. On the palate though, the clean subtlety of the ’16, sits well with the cream, coated pasta, which is bejewelled with bright green peas and crisp prosciutto.
The palate cleanser. Out comes 2016 Merlot. Merlot is an Irvine family tradition. Again – another story. And we’re stepping down a price point to the ‘Art Collection’.
You will want to hear Jo’s story about this. Lévriér‘s Merlot is smooth. Think morello cherry, a little plummy finish with a gracious gentle tannin.
Zinfandel enters. Originating in Croatia as Crljenak Kastelanski[3] and known to the Italians as Primitivo. It’s partnered by a generous wagyu rump steak. The wagyu is char-grilled to medium rare, and is accompanied by a large, dark field mushroom. I’m drawn to the mushroom first, its own earthy character carrying the richness of the wagyu juices. My mouth waters remembering the flavours. Wagyu is so cooperative on the grill. It’s infusion of juicy fat, rendering when heated and handing to you a soft flavoursome steak. There are chunky chips to remind me I’m in a pub and charred greens for freshness and contrast. The Zinny[4] gives me richness, but without that ‘punch in the face’ middle, some Barossa reds carry. The finish is spicy, like a nod to cinnamon, without quite going there.
On to dessert. A fortified Semillon is served. Mistelle is the technique of adding spirit to a partly fermented grape juice. It’s not what I expected. With a sugar content of some 40 grams, I expected a viscous lolly water. So mistaken. Jo’s Mistelle was paired with a chocolate brownie, laced with pink peppercorn. The Mistelle set it off perfectly. I had in my mouth warm and mid weight, fruit bearing liquid, followed by a chocolatey, fudgy gooiness. Punctuated by the surprise and lift of pepper. In my mind I could see the little pink berries, shedding their wafer-thin coats to reveal their dark hearts. I’m sure the tart raspberry smeared on the plate and the spoonful of vanilla ice cream were in the chorus, but I was too distracted by the symphony in my mouth.
I’m keeping an eye out for the next wine dinner.
[1] The Duke of Brunswick’s reference to being social, refers to their support for local community groups, their gluten free menu and dietary requirement conscious, non-discriminating philosophy.
[2] Joanne Irvine is a member of the Barons of The Barossa. Barons of the Barossa are appointed by invitation to recognise and celebrate an individual’s exceptional contribution to the Barossa.
[3] Pronounced: Tserl-yee-ehnak Kashh-tell-ann-skee
[4] Zinfandel is sometimes also referred to just as Zin.
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