Launch: Wolf Blass Luxury Collection Release 2012 at Quay Restaurant, Sydney (4 Sept 2012)

Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000

http://www.quay.com.au

Wine in wolf's luxury clothing

Thanks to Tessa Kerestes from Liquid Ideas for inviting me to the media launch of the Wolf Blass Luxury Collection Release for 2012 held at Quay Restaurant. Nice timing with the announcement of Quay as ‘Restaurant of the Year’ by Good Food Guide. Uninterrupted views towards the Harbour Bridge and Opera House were spectacular from the function room matched with three-hatted canapés and no shortage of wines selected from the White, Gold, Grey, Black and Platinum Labels. Mr Wolf Blass was quite a jovial character and celebrated his birthday in good spirits with a large chocolate mud cake decorated with an eagle. Guests could play spot the TV celebrity with a small entourage of MasterChef contestants joined by My Kitchen Rules winners, Tracey Spicer and Kerri-Anne Kennerley minus the dancing.  

Savoury and dessert canapés were served starting with the Sea scallop pearl, lime, cucumber, fennel — scallop sashimi in a ball I guess. I only tried one but I should have tried more to better appreciate the flavours. The Crostini of smoked ocean trout, crème frâiche, lemon marmalade was a win for me with its simplicity that hit the mark as a bite-sized joy and I could have happily munched my way through a tray of Peking quail, peanuts, sesame, cinnamon, hoisin, pickled cucumber. Dessert canapés were the highlights of the night though. The Salted caramel, prune, walnut tart and Lime curd, meringue tarts had exceptional shortcrust pastry — I suspect a pastry god must have been in the kitchen. Quay has been on my wish list to dine since October 2008 when I tried their Let’s Do Lunch. Since then the famed snow egg and eight-texture chocolate cake has been calling my name — matched with some Wolf Blass dessert wine perhaps? 

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Stylish canapés and friendly event staff, Quality ingredients, Enjoyable wines supplied by Wolf Blass

CONS: There was a large break between some of the canapes leaving me quite hungry at one stage, Would have loved the wines and food to be paired up for better appreciation

MUST TRY: Returning to Quay to try their a la carte menu
VERDICT: Great function space with spectacular harbour views but I'm sure it doesn't come cheap

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Time for wine tasting

Wolf Blass whites

Wolf Blass reds

Sea scallop pearl, lime, cucumber, fennel

Beetroot, sheep’s milk curd, pomegranate molasses tart

Peking quail, peanuts, sesame, cinnamon, hoisin, pickled cucumber
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Tuna tartare, eggplant cream, dashi jelly, shiso

Braised pig belly, cauliflower cream, px sherry, prune

Risotto of young garden vegetables, aged reggiano

Blue swimmer crab cakes

Confit of tomato, goat’s curd and olive crumb crostini

Crostini of smoked ocean trout, crème frâiche, lemon marmalade
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Salted caramel, prune, walnut tart
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Lime curd, meringue tarts
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Coconut macaroon with coconut cream, raspberries

Speech time with Wolf Blass

Happy Birthday Mr Blass

All hands on deck lighting the birthday candles

Birthday cake for all

No shortage of glasses that's for sure

No shortage of Wolf Blass wine — I'm calculating there's at least one bottle available per guest so no one will go home thirsty

A relaxing night off presenting for Natarsha Belling

MasterChef meets My Kitchen Rules: Julia, Audra, Amina, Bella and Sammy — time for a cook off guys

Lyndey Milan and Kerri-Anne Kennerley looking good

Tracey Spicer with her entourage

Adam Liaw (left) busy times with food and funny tweets

Hayden Quinn enjoying the MasterChef afterglow

MasterChef contestant Lucas Parsons still enjoying his golf these days

George Gregan and Linda Duncombe (Citibank Australia)

Denéa from Gourmet Rabbit (right)

Wolf Blass team enjoying the outdoor view

Fine wine lovers

Country Home Ideas team from Express Publications

Where's Citibank amongst the Liquid Ideas team?

Sharon Muscat sings for the guests

Great view of Sydney Opera House

I wish I was in this spot for New Year's Eve

Nice balcony with city skyline and opera house view

I'm not sure why this hard reflective sphere is on the couch but it makes for a fantastic self portrait and I guess looks pretty cool

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Wolf Blass Journey, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney (24 Aug 2011)

176 Cumberland Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.shangri-la.com

http://www.wolfblass.com.au

A journey of appreciation

Thanks to Louise Tran from Liquid Ideas for inviting me to the Wolf Blass Journey event at the Shangri-La Hotel. As guests arrived they were treated to pre-drinks of refreshing Red Label Moscato and Pink Moscato — I hope it’s acceptable to have your first sip just before midday. Very drinkable and a suitable welcome drink for any occasion I think. The first stage was entering the themed Red Room where three Wolf Blass Red Label wines were talked about. The Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010 was matched with salt & pepper squid which I probably would have preferred grilled with a simple seasoning for more natural flavour. The young and approachable Shiraz Cabernet 2010 was matched with quite a nice mini beef burgundy pie and the fairly smooth Cabernet Merlot 2010 was matched with grilled lamb loin on chive and rosemary mash although a more succulent and tender piece of meat straight from the grill would have done wine justice. I’m glad some food was provided because I’m not a fan of the spittoon — what a waste I think. The plating of the canapés wasn’t quite aligned with the order of the wines consumed so I’m not sure what was happening there.

Next stage was exiting the room with a stamp in your wine tasting notes passport and being directed upstairs through the lift to the themed Yellow Room for the next tier of Yellow Label. A step up in complexity, intensity and naturally price range although still approachable and drinkable as a house wine perhaps — the view got better too. The Riesling 2010 was matched with South Australian blue swimmer crab with coconut, chilli and lime. I think a freshly shucked oyster or freshly grilled prawn would have worked equally well. The Chardonnay 2010 was matched with Kangaroo Island queen scallops on potato rosti — I would have maybe preferred just a grilled scallop with a simple buttery cauliflower puree. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 was matched with seared wagyu beef with basil mash — a perfectly fresh cooked medium rare steak would have been great at the time.

The final stage was up on level 36 where Blu Bar resides with breathtaking views over the harbour for the themed Gold Room — which looked more white and silvery grey. Chief winemaker Chris Hatcher guided guests through the premium range of their Gold Label Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2007, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2010 and Barossa Shiraz 2009 — definitely more sophisticated in flavour. Canapes of Salmon gravalax with dill mayo and Lime cured beef were on offer as well as more substantial Veal shank with truffle polenta and Black pepper gnocchi with roast tomato compote which needed to be precariously positioned on the small tables with a final collection of 6 wine glass tastings. Stepping up to the highest appreciation level guests were then introduced to the Grey Label Shiraz Cabernet 2009 and Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Malbec 2007 being their ‘business card’ wine worthy for restaurants. Finally ending on the Platinum Label Barossa Shiraz 2008 being all about region and the best Australian shiraz they can muster. Goodie bags of two wine glasses were handed out with a Wolf Blass tasting guide although sadly no sample bottles of wine were to be had to fill the glasses later at home.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Approachable and drinkable wines that range in price from the affordable to the more sophisticated, Using different rooms for different labels helped educate about the tier system of complexity and intensity of the wines

CONS: A lot of wine to appreciated in one session if you don’t use the spittoon, I wish some of the canapés were a bit simpler to match better with the wines, No wine in the goodie bag

WORTH TRYING: Red Label Pink Moscato, Gold Label Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2010

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Pink Moscato

WORTH TRYING :-)

Welcome drinks & mingle

Red label room

Moscato and Pink Moscato

Red Label Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Shiraz Cabernet 2010, Cabernet Merlot 2010

Canapes matching Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – salt & pepper squid, Shiraz Cabernet - mini beef burgundy pies, Cabernet Merlot – grilled lamb loin on chive and rosemary mash

Taste testing the red label wines

Official photographers in action in the red room

Getting your wine passport stamped

On to the next wine room

Yellow label room

Yellow Label Riesling 2010, Chardonnay 2010, Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Yellow label canapes Riesling – South Australian blue swimmer crab with coconut, chilli and lime, Chardonnay – Kangaroo Island queen scallops on potato rosti, Cabernet – seared wagyu beef with basil mash

Winemaker and MC

Gold label room

Gold Label Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2007, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2010 WORTH TRYING :-), Barossa Shiraz 2009, Grey Label Shiraz Cabernet 2009

Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Malbec 2007, Platinum Label Barossa Shiraz 2008

Canapes salmon gravalax with dill mayo and lime cured beef, black pepper gnocchi with roast tomato compote, veal shank with truffle polenta

Chris Hatcher - Wolf Blass Chief Winemaker

Gold room tasting setup

Great view from level 36

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