Know your bubbles.

In 2010, Champagne imports to Australia totalled 3,687,140 making Australia the 9th largest export market for Champagne.  Recent figures also show that per capita of Champagne consumption is one bottle for every seven people, placing Australia in the top five countries for Champagne consumption in the world.

I know I drank more than average so that must mean that many of you just aren’t drinking your fair share. One way to rectify that, and maybe learn something along the way, would be indulge yourself in a Champagne Masterclass.

The Champagne Bureau will mark the beginning of Spring with a series of Champagne master classes across Australia. The classes will provide a forum to taste and discuss a selection of non-vintage, vintage and other unique styles of Champagne wines. All for only $60.

Classes will be taken by winners of the Vin de Champagne Award. Organised every second year by the Champagne Bureau, the Vin de Champagne Award seeks to find Champagne ambassadors who will share their knowledge and encourage the enjoyment and appreciation of Champagne in Australia.

In Australia, The Champagne Bureau represents the Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC). The Bureau’s main role is to educate trade and consumers on Champagne wines, along with promoting and protecting the world-famous Champagne appellation.

Sydney

Monday 22^nd August 2011
The Hilton Hotel 488 George St Sydney, Level Two The State Room
TIME: 6.00 – 7.30PM
PRESENTERS: Huon Hooke and Greg Plowes

Melbourne

Monday 29^th August
Sofitel Melbourne, 25 Collins St Melbourne, La Trobe Ballroom
TIME: 6.00 – 7.30PM
PRESENTERS: Kate McIntyre MW and Martin Williams MW

Brisbane

Tuesday 30^th August
Sofitel Brisbane Central, 249 Turbot Street Brisbane
TIME: 6.00 – 7.30PM
PRESENTERS: Prof. Tim Sullivan and Martin McAdam

Adelaide

Wednesday 31^st August
The Apothecary, 118 Hindley St Adelaide
TIME: 5.30 – 7.00PM
Presenters: James Smith, Jane Bromley and Dr. Patrick Iland

Perth

Friday 2^nd September
Frasers, Frasers Ave Kings Park West Perth
TIME: 6.00 – 7.30PM
Presenters: Lexie Thompson and Steven Leslie

Bookings:

T: (02) 9555 8891  F: (02) 9555 8959
assistant@drysdalecommunications.com.au

The first drink of Christmas: Champagne

“Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content and sufficient champagne”

Dorothy Parker

Like no other product, Champagne epitomises a collective celebration. Weddings, success and life’s little highlights, the bubbly amalgamation of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier is seen by many as the perfect accompaniment to good old times. What happens however, if you’re lucky enough to have a glut? There are certainly many out there who would believe that there is no such thing.

Regardless, here are a few options to get you underway. These will work just as well, and in some cases greatly improve the product if you’ve got Methode Traditionelle or something else that bubbles.

Morning.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of the now quasi-religious holiday is that drinking becomes socially acceptable or even expected before the traditional 11 o’clock start point. Hitting the heavier stuff might not be such a grand idea, especially if you’re entertaining an older crew. Cut back the booze with some fruity goodness and get the day started right.

Mimosas & Bellinis

Mimosas mix bubbles and juice together. At the most traditional, use orange juice. I’m always astonished by the number of people who will mix a fifty dollar bottle of bubbles with a two dollar tetrapak of OJ. Show your guests a little bit of love and squeeze the juice fresh. The results will be better than you’ve ever imagined.

1/2 glass Fresh OJ, top with Champagne. For something a little brighter combine 10mls Grand Marnier with 20mls Fresh OJ.

Bellinis call for a puree of fruit. The Italian who came up with the drink used fresh white peaches, if you’d like to do the same, be aware that if you try and make the puree ahead of time it will oxidise and turn a funky brown colour. You could try adding an anti-oxidising agent, like lemon juice, but you’re best just to do it the laborious old fashioned way, to order as they are needed.

1/3 glass White Peach puree, top with Champagne

With both of these, there is huge room for experimentation, use whatever local, ripe, amazing fruit you can get your hands on. The Tokyo Strawberry Bellini is worth a crack too.

Noon.

Personally, i think lunch is the absolute perfect time for a sparkling glass. But if you must have something that’s been adulterated, let me suggest the Imperial Mojito, The French 75 or perhaps a delicious punch.

The Sparkling Ginger Daisy & The East Hollywood Sparkling Sangria over at Sloshed! also are going to be making it on my Christmas drinks list.

Night.

While the classic Champagne cocktail is a great way to start any night, I’d also recommend changing the Gin for Cognac in your French 75. Alternatively, try this:

Ritz Cocktail

22.5mls ounce Cognac (Hennessy), 15mls Cointreau, 15mls Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, 15mls  Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice,  Champagne (approximately 90mls) stir all but the Champagne over ice, strain up and top with champagne.   Garnish with a flamed orange peel

 

 

Disaster Bay Chilli Wine

A new find at the Saturday morning markets in Kings Cross, a chilli grower from Disaster Bay, basically as far south in New South Wales as it is possible to get.

While they also produce a fantastic sauces, it was the chilli wine bottle that caught my eye and taste. Produced by the fermentation of bush ripened chillies, the wine has a sweet (they call it dessert wine), winey taste, with a great finish of mild heat. Kind of like a chili vermouth, minus some of the herbal middle.

I’ve been playing around with it and tequila. Kind of using it as vermouth for tequila. Early days yet, but it does produce some tasty results in my first experiments.

Two rabbits in a bag.

45mls Cazadores Reposado Tequila, 15mls Disaster Bay Chilli Wine, 2 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters.

Combine ingredients over ice and stir well. Strain up and garnish with a peel of lime.

Special prize for anyone who can link the name to the drink.

De Bortoli Black Noble

This weekend just past, I traded the small bars of Sydney for the open spaces and vineyards of the Hunter Valley, a couple of hours drive to the north.

It’s always great to visit vineyards and speak to the people who have the greatest connection with the making of wine. The experience is always interesting and I never fail to pick up at least one small tidbit of knowledge along the way. It’s also great to realise that despite the wealth of distillation happening outside of Australia, there are still local products that are both interesting and of exceptional quality.

De Bortoli are known around the world for their Noble One dessert wines. The current 2007 vintage scores exceptionally well and most people seem happy to put it up there with Inniskillin as one of the world’s great sticky wines. A product I certainly was not aware of was the Black Noble, a fortified wine that has similarities to some of the Jerez wines from Spain.

The latest De Bortoli to be making wine in Pokolbin, Darren, based the product on something his forebear Vittorio pulled together in the 1930s. Starting with Noble One as a base, Black Noble is fortified and aged for an average of eight years in old American oak. The result is a rich and delicious nectar, that I’m looking exceptionally forward to matching up with rye or bourbon, with a thick peel of Hunter Valley orange as a garnish.

Watch this space.

The good folks at De Bortoli don’t even require a visit to the Hunter to pick one of these bad boys up, you can get one mail order from their website.

Cafe Sydney

Can’t really be too positive about this place. The food was exceptional – small but oh so sweet Sydney rock oysters, perfectly cooked spicy smoky venison, and a lovely little fig and pear tart for dessert. Washed down with Torbreck ‘Struie’ Shiraz. Simply Divine.

On the cocktail front, I had a delightfully smooth Matusalem Gran Reserva Old Fashioned. 

The view caps off this epic venue, which does the simple things flawlessly.

Customs House, 5th Floor, 31 Alfred St, Circular Quay, Sydney.

(02) 9251 8683

Google Map.

Velluto

(cnr Baroda lane & Fitzroy Gardens)
50 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW 2011, Australia

(02) 9357 1100‎

Google Map. 

Leave the Kings Cross train station, turning left on Darlinghurst. Walk past the hookers and the drunks, don’t accept the offer of a private show. When you get to the fountain at the end of the road, walk through the park, step over the junkies, ignore the garish frontage of Maggies and slip gracefully between the curtained entrance to Velluto.

This subtle, cozy bolthole serves an impressive array of Champange, from NV to cuvée de prestige, should you have money to spend on such wonderful things.

Warm, friendly and unobtrusive service, coupled with a good knowledge of their products ensures a quite special experience. 

I had a glass of the Brini Sebastian Shiraz 2005 which lived up admirably to its decadent billing. 

I’ll definitely be going back soon.

Ultimo Wine Centre

Tucked in the middle of very nondescript street in Ultimo. This store has one of the most impressive ranges of fine wines from around the world I have ever seen. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and love to talk about their trade.

On the liqour front, they stock a wonderful range of hard to find Tequila; including Familia Partida, Liquers like G. E. Massenez Liqueur de Violette and also are stockists of Lillet Blanc. They also have Blanton’s Bourbon. Well worth making a trip.

They sell plenty of this stuff online here. 

You can also find them at the address below.

Shop c21/99 Jones St
Ultimo NSW 2007

+61 2 9211 2380

Google Map.

Elizabeth Bay Cellars

Tucked in a small row of shops on Elizabeth Bay Road lies the unimaginatively named Elizabeth Bay Cellars. Inside some quaint doors lies a veritable cornucopia of drinking pleasure, $10 cleanskins, a great selection of imported and local reds, and possibly the largest selection of chilled whites I’ve seen in this country.

The staff are a real pleasure, knowledgeable to a fault, happy to recommend, assist or simply talk about any facet of the alcoholic excess that clads their walls.

Proud stockists of 42BELOW vodka, Flor de Cana Rum & Van Winkle Reserve Bourbon. You’ll even find Lillet Blanc resting peacefully in the icebox, where every bartender knows it should be.

All that and they even sell (some of the range) online. right here.

Or if you prefer a less digital experience, you can find them using any of these methods:

76 Elizabeth Bay Rd
Elizabeth Bay, NSW 2011 

Phone: +612 9358 1688
Fax: +612 9358 2347 

Google Map.

Email: ebaycellars@bigpond.com.au