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For Women’s Wine Society’s May 2013 meeting, Lara Caraturo (sommelier, ex-Pilu at Freshwater) and Nick Caraturo (sommelier, Buon Ricordo, agent for Melbourne importer Enoteca Sileno) co-hosted a tutorial and tasting of Sicilian and Sardinian Wine at Buzo Trattoria, Woollahra.

From the beginning of putting this meeting together it became apparent we were in the hands of true professionals. Within days of finding out that she was going to be hosting the next WWS event, Lara had emailed me a run sheet of wines to be tasted: one allocated for every five minutes of the two-hour long meeting. Things were looking very, very good!

On the day, we ended up tasting through twenty-five wines starting with a mind-blowing Sardinian amontillado-like fortified (NV Contini ‘Antico Gregori’ Vernaccia di Oristano DOC Vernaccia di Oristano) that happened to be my personal favourite wine of the day. It had that perfect balance of acid and sugar with a saline finish that lingers and lingers and makes your mouth water and your heart content!

From here we tasted through a comprehensive, handpicked selection of Sicilian and Sardinian whites and reds as well as a couple of sweet wines, fortifieds and a liqueur. Some highlights for me other than the Contini mentioned earlier were the NV Dettori ‘Renosu Bianco’ Romangia IGT Vermentino/Moscato and the 2010 Panevino ‘UVA’ Vino da Tavola Cannonau Blend.

What I particularly enjoyed about this meeting was that our hosts knew these regions like they were their old friends. Lara had very recently finished up after seven years spent as head sommelier at Pilu at Freshwater. During her time there she single-handedly converted their list into one that showcased Sardinian and southern Italian wines. Her husband, and co-host Nick, is the NSW agent for Italian importer Enoteca Sileno for 6 years and has worked as head sommelier at the legendary Buon Ricordo, Paddington as well as Sydney’s Park Hyatt, Banc etc. The couple have also spent a lot of time visiting these regions themselves.

Therefore they not only talked us through the technicals of the wines we were tasting but also offered a personal, first hand perspective of the two regions and their wines. For example, they explained how they’ve noticed within the time of their own careers, the trend towards making single varietal wines out of grape varieties traditionally used purely in blending for Marsala production (which was illustrated by the 2011 Rallo ‘Carta d’Oro’ Sicilia IGT Catarratto, as well asthe 2010 Barone Sergio ‘Alegre’ Sicilia IGT Grillo). Or how deliciously Cannonau di Sardegna DOC (such as the 2009 Giovanni Montisci ‘Barrosu’ Cannonau) matches with the traditional suckling pig of the area. All of these things could potentially be learnt by reading it in a book but hearing it first hand, whilst tasting through a carefully curated line up was really special and I believe should be infinitely more memorable.

Massive thanks to all the importers who donated wine for the event: Enoteca Sileno, Lario, Godot, Addley Clark, Enoteca Sydney, Trembath & Taylor, Vini and Negociants. Also thank you to Traci Trinder for inviting us into Buzo for the afternoon and the whole team at Buzo/ The Wine Library for keeping us fed and hydrated during and after the event. All the ladies who participated as well and Zoltan Blazer for photography. Finally to Lara and Nick Caraturo for sharing their time, wine, expertise and enthusiasm with us, it was such a pleasure ‘working’ with you all :)

Caitlyn.

The theme for the March edition of Women’s Wine Society was one of matching sake and food. Rebecca Lines (co-owner Bar H, The Woods) was our host this month and she held the tasting at her own Bar H in Surry Hills. Matt Young and Linda Wiss (importers, Black Market Sake) were our special guests and Hamish Ingham (co-owner, chef, Bar H, The Woods) generously came along as our chef for the afternoon.

Linda and Matt kicked off proceedings by outlining some essential sake production information. We then tasted through the brackets that were thoughtfully ordered in a way that highlighted differing production approaches. There were four brackets with three sake in each.

Aside from the information about the production of sake, what I took away from this meeting was an enlightened sense of just how versatile this beverage is. Not only can sake stand on its own as a pleasurable drink or function as an aperitif or digestif, it offers its own realm of styles and food matches.

Black Market Sake’s wares illustrate this point well. I have worked with their sake at both The Wine Library and Love, Tilly Devine and have been privy to their inclusion in degustation menus at the likes of Marque, Attica, Bentley, Garagistes, Momofuku Seibo & Rockpool.

Sake is most certainly not limited to Japanese or Asian cuisine matches. Like with wine, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The range of styles of sake are so diverse and so to are the possibilities for food pairing.

I personally look forward to seeing what the future will bring for sake in Australia having had my eyes opened to this worthy drink and given the great work being done by people like Matt and Linda.

Bracket #1

Ota Shuzo ‘Dokan Daiginjo’ 2010- Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Nama Genshu- Hyogo

Fukuchiyo Shuzo ‘Nabeshima’ 2011- Junmai Daiginjo- Saga

Kirei Shuzo ‘Mannen’ 2012- Junmai Daiginjo Nama Genshu- Hiroshima

Tasted alongside: Sydney Rock Oysters with finger lime.

One of the first decisions a Toji (master brewer) must make during sake production, is how much they polish/mill their rice. The percentage that the rice is milled is one of the factors that will determine the style, aroma and flavour of the finished sake.

The first bracket was selected to showcase sake that had been made with rice polished to fifty percent or less of its original grain. This technique is known as daiginjo and the resulting sake is usually delicate, pretty and refined in style. All three sake were great matches with the first dish of Sydney Rock Oysters with finger lime. There seemed to be a general consensus though that the third sake, Mannen, was the favourite. The Mannen exhibited the freshness that is characteristic of the daiginjo style, however, it was simultaneously creamy, very acidic and mineral and hence went beautifully with the oyster.

Bracket #2

Chikuma Nishiki ‘Kizan Sanban’ 2012- Junmai Ginjo Name Genshu- Nagano

Uehara Shuzo ‘Soma no Tengu’ 2012- Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu Usunigori- Shiga

Moriki Shuzo ‘Suppin Rumiko no Sake’ 2012- Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu Arabashiri- Mie

Tasted alongside:

Steamed fish, ginger & shallot

Smoked trout sesame leaf

Tuna, charred cucumber & sea parsley

Each of these sake were very different expressions of the ginjo style (rice is polished to 60% or less of the original grain). In sake number one of the bracket, the ferment was stopped early to retain some residual sugar, giving it more body and roundness. Number two was usunigori or ‘lightly cloudy’ sake andwas my personal favourite of the bracket. It was rich in flavour but had a bracing freshness at the same time that made it an interesting drink to enjoy either on its own or alongside food. The third sake was arabashiri or ‘free run’ sake. Here, instead of using a press, liquids and solids are placed in bags on top of one another so that their own weight will naturally, slowly press out the sake.

Bracket #3

Kidoizumi Shuzo ‘Hakugyokuko’ 2011- Junmai Ginjo Yamahai Muroka Nama Genshu- Chiba

Sugii Shuzo ‘Suginishiki’ 2008- Junmai Kimoto Genshu- Shizuoka

Kirei Shuzo ‘Hachi Ku’ 2012- Junmai Go-Dan Shikomi Muroka Genshu- Hiroshima

Tasted alongside: XO prawns.

This bracket was selected to show examples of sake that have been made with differing yeast starter methods. Linda and Matt explained that after the rice has been polished it is washed, soaked and steamed. Once the rice has been steamed, it is laid out on a cedar table and sprinkled with koji spores (a mould that breaks down the starch in the rice grain into sugar). This rice that becomes inoculated with koji mould, is known as koji rice.

The koji rice then goes into a small ferment tank along with more steamed rice, spring water and yeast. This yeast starter is known as the moto or shubo. It is designed to let the yeast multiply and start fermenting before adding it with more steamed rice, koji and water in a larger tank to make the main ferment or moromi.

It is at this stage of the brewing process that the Toji creates one of three main styles of sake. If they use the traditional method of grinding the moto together with wooden paddles the sake created will be known as kimoto sake (sake number two in the bracket). If they skip this mashing step and continue to make the main ferment the sake will be known as yamahai sake (sake number one in the bracket) and if the Toji adds some lactic acid to the moto before creating the main moromi the sake style will be known as sokujo, which is the most common method in brewing today, as it is easier and faster.

Sake number three in the bracket is called Hachi Ku which means ‘Eighty Nine’ and represents the percentage of koji rice in the moromi. In order for this sake to ferment it has had to undergo a five-stage ferment (as apposed to a three stage ferment for the majority of sake that is made up of 20-25% koji rice). Here five separate additions of steamed rice, koji and water had been added to the moromi. The resulting sake is extremely high in acidity.

Bracket #4

Mukai Shuzo ‘Natsu no Omoide’ 2000- Junmai- Kyoto

Inoue Gomei ‘Biden’ 1999- Junmai Yamahai Koshu- Fukuoka

Omi Shuzo ‘Omiji Kijoshu’ 1978- Junmai Kijoshu Koshu- Shiga

Tasted alongside: Pork buns.

Finally, in the last bracket we had a quick look at koshu or aged sake. I thought that the third sake ‘Omiji Kijoshu’ was a terrific match with the rich, nutty, sweet pork buns.

Thank you to: Matt Young and Linda Wiss of Black Market Sake for donating the sake and sharing your expertise; Rebecca Lines of Bar H for your work in organising the event, donating your venue and food matches and husband! Hamish Ingham for the use of your venue and for supplying the most delicious food for thought including the BEST pork buns I have ever tasted! Zoltan Blazer for photography and editing and last but not least to all the ladies who participated.

Caitlyn.

All information has been sourced from blackmarketsake.com

Please see previous post for photographs of all sake and food brackets.

#wine #sake #bar h #sydney #Food #black market sake #sake tasting #women's wine society #hamish ingham #matt young #linda wiss #rebecca lines #cloudy sake

This month's Women's Wine Society meeting was all about Biodynamics. It was Gabrielle Webster's (Bloodwood Restaurant) turn to host and her choice of theme. We gathered at Bloodwood (which was fitting considering their BD list), tasted a wide selection of BD wine and listened, discussed and debated the topic in an effort to deepen our understanding of Biodynamic wine growing and making.

Proceedings kicked off with a bracket selected by Gabby of BD sparkling and white wines while James and Annie Millton (Millton Wines in Gisborne, NZ) and Anton Von Klopper (Domaine Lucy/Lucy Margaux/Natural Selection Theory, Adelaide Hills) discussed their own experience with Biodynamics. The respective winemakers then talked us through each bracket of their wines as we tasted, starting with Millton Chenins, Viogniers, then onto Domaine Lucy and finally single vineyard and estate Lucy Margaux.

The last bracket was originally a single wine chosen by Gabby, the Elderton 'Neil Ashmead Gran Tourer' Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, a big Barossa to finish off as a point of difference. However being the day after Rootstock: Sydney's Sustainable and Artisan food and wine festival, we were lucky enough to be joined by a few extra women in wine who were in town for the event the day prior including Biodynamic wine maker/grower Shashi Singh of Avani, Mornington Peninsular. Shashi brought her wines along with her, so we added them onto the final bracket. She talked briefly about her 09 and 11 Syrah and about her own wine making philosophy and relationship with Biodynamics.

One thing that had got me thinking regarding Biodynamic wine at this point was the term itself. Was there really such a thing as Biodynamic wine? There is Biodynamic philosophy and agriculture for sure, no arguments there, but considering terroir and winemaker intervention (though it may be minimal), are there actually common, detectable traits amongst the end product- the wine itself? According to James Millton, Biodynamically made wine exhibits a particular luminosity that 'conventional' wine does not. The presence of such common traits was something that I was undecided on, but listening to each of the guests and tasting through their wines made me very aware of the diversity that was present in the room - in the wines and in the personalities behind them. My concern was that generalising about Biodynamic wine emphasises a common philosophy and agricultural method and potentially diminishes the emphasis on the uniqueness and diversity that exists among these wines. So for now, I think I will refer to "Biodynamically made wine" as aposed to "Biodynamic wine", but be keeping my eyes, nose and palette open for possible detectable commonalities...

Once the meeting had officially finished, we wandered outside onto the deck to catch up and.. well.. polish off the wine! The afternoon had gone so well and we were already a buzz from the great wine, company and conversation when a group of Italians headed toward us. Next thing we knew, we were drinking alongside some of our biggest wine heroes: Dario Princic, Stanko Radikon and Fulvio Bressan to name a few. I couldn't have imagined a better way to wrap up the meeting and the weekend at that!

...

Thank you to: Anton Vonn Klopper, Tim Webber, James, Annie and Monique Millton and Shashi Singh for speaking and bringing wine along/ Bloodwood for having us and feeding us/ Frankaboutwine for donating the Col di Manza Periage Prosecco, Fesq for donating the Elderton and Gabrielle Webster for donating the Egly Ouriet, Nikolaihof and Nicolas Joly and for doing an outstanding job in coordinating this month's meeting... All the ladies who participated (largest attendance to date, HOLLA!)/ Zoltan Blazer as always for documenting the day through photograph/ and finally to James Hird, Giorgio De Maria and Mike Bennie who had the passion, vision and commitment to put on Rootstock. I know Im not alone in feeling totally inspired and re-energised after the event, so cheers!!

Caitlyn x

Wines in brackets in order as we tasted @ WWS meeting#4: Biodynamics

This month Megan Conway (Marque Restaurant) and I collaborated on Women's Wine Society's meeting number 3. Megan curated an excellent line up of sparkling wines in brackets based on carbonation methods. We held the tasting at Marque Restaurant and invited Greg Plowes, head sommelier at Tetsuya's and winner of the 2010 Vin de Champagne award along as guest speaker.

Bracket #1: Method Traditional.

2004 Veuve Clicquot 'La Grande Dame' Reims, France

-Donated by Marque Restaurant.

The Veuve was delicate yet powerful with a red fruit character, no doubt from its 65% Pinot Noir component, and had great structure. A classic champagne to kick us off and a great reference point for the rest of the tasting.

2010 Domaine Karanika Brut Speciale Amyndoen, Greece

-Donated by Douglas Lamb Wines.

The Karanika was a bit of a revelation to me. 100% Xinomavro, declassified because it has been made into a white rather than rose wine. This wine was white all over: white peaches, white marsh-mellow and turnip with a sherbetty mousse. Unanimously wine of the day for us at WWS! Structured yet soft, not sweet but subtly fruit-driven and something we've never seen before. Awesome.

2008 Domaine Belluard Brut AOC Savoie, France

-Donated by Living Wines.

The Belluard (100% Gringet, a local variety from the Savoie) had a real white flower aroma to compliment the autolitic flavours derived from its two years on lees.

NV Francois Chidaine Brut, Loire Valley, France

-Donated by Bibendum.

Francois Chidane's NV Brut was an excellent example of a Method Traditional wine made outside of the Champagne region. It had a really interesting tropical fruit profile, with pineapple dominating but ginger spice persisting long into the finish. Great texture and phenolic grip.

2001 Courabyra '805' Late Disgorged, Tumbarumba, NSW

-Donated by Greg Plowes.

For a wine that has spent 10 years on lees, disgorged in 2011 and served to us yesterday, the Courabyra was unbelievably fresh. We thought the aromas were Chardonnay dominant, and having gone through 100% malolactic fermentation, a strong dairy element came through on the nose, I got yoghurt all the way!

NV Francis Boulard 'Petraea' Couroy-les-Hermonville, Champagne, France

-Donated by Greg Plowes.

Made in a kind of solera system, the Boulard is a perpetual cuvee- with 25% new wine added each year. BD in the vineyard and as natural as it gets in the winery, this was cloudy goodness made from one of Champagne's 'peasant farmers'.

Bracket #2: Charmat.

2010 Akakies Sparkling Kir-Yanni, Greece

-Donated by Douglas Lamb Wines.

The Akakies is 100% Xinomavro but unlike the Karanika was made into the PDO-approved rose-style. This wine was more fruit driven with a classic strawberries and cream character. Good cold on a hot day with friends.

NV Drusian 'Colfondo' Prosecco Treviso NV Drusian 'Colfondo' Prosecco Treviso Veneto, Italy

-Donated by Vini Imports.

We served this wine (admittedly without doing enough research!) in bracket #2 with the Charmat method wines, assuming that being a Prosecco, this is how it would be made. However as I was looking into each of the wines a little closer this morning I decided to check the meaning of 'Colfondo' which happens to be a traditional technique now experiencing a renaissance in Italy. It is double fermented in the bottle on its lees. The resulting wine was gently sparkling, cloudy, and still had the 'fondo' (sediment) in the bottom of the bottle… Oh well, better late than never!

2010 Leclisse 'Paltrinieri' Lambrusco di Sobara Emilia Romagna, Italy

-Donated by Marque Restaurant.

One of our favourites of the day and certainly the favourite of the bracket. Forget the sweet 1970s stereotype, this wine is dry, grown-up and very cool.

NV Deseado Torrontes Riojana Patagonia, Argentina

-Donated by Lounge Wines.

If the Karanika is white and the Veuve red, the Deseado is definately yellow. Confected yellow fruits; lemon, pineapple an mango dominate both the aroma and palette.

Bracket #3: Method Ancestral/Petillant Naturel

2010 Robert & Bernard Plageoles 'Quand Meme' Mauzac Gaillac, France

-Donated by Bibendum.

Pleasantly vegetal on the nose with hints of green peppers and tomato leaf but much riper on the palette and a subtle gamey aftertaste. A really interesting wine.

2010 Jean Paul Brun Gamay FRV 'Terres Dorees' Beaujolais, France

-Donated by Living Wines.

Only 7.5% alcohol, an easy quaffer !

Like always after a Women's Wine Society event, there are many to thank. First and foremost, our guest speaker for the day, Greg Plowes. Greg was an absolute gem. Given his credentials we had asked him to come along to speak specifically about Champagne but we ended up picking his brains on any and every topic that came up and he systematically answered all of our queries. All of those who donated wine: Marque Restaurant, Douglas Lamb Wines, Bibendum, Living Wines, Greg Plowes, Vini Imports and Lounge Wines. Mark Best for allowing us to take over his restaurant and kitchen for the day. Glenn Choy our official oyster-shucker. Zoltan Blazer for the snaps. All those who attended and shared their ideas and last but not least Megan Conway for supplying the delicious and well-considered food and her stunning work this month.

-Caitlyn

Women's Wine Society meeting number two was Jura themed yesterday. Special guests independent wine writer, Mike Bennie, and wine importer Randall Pollard shared their knowledge at The Wine Library. We tasted a great selection from the 5 Jura varietals, as well as a Cremant and a bracket of Vin Jaune. For me, the 1990 Tissot Vin Jaune was the wine of the day showing so much complexity and remarkably improving in the glass as the afternoon went on.

A big thank you to Mike Bennie and Randall Pollard for taking the time to talk us through the region, its wines and the people behind them; James Hird and team at The Wine Library for providing the venue and food (delicious Morteau sausage and Comte, what a match with Vin Jaune!); all the ladies who attended and the following people who generously donated the wine: Randall Pollard (Heart & Soil), Neville Yates (Eurocentric), Andrew Guard (Andrew Guard Wine Imports) and our own Samantha Payne.

Photos by Zoltan Blazer

- Caitlyn

From all reports the first meeting of Women's Wine Society was a huge success. We'd like to thank Gabrielle Webster and the team at Bloodwood Newtown for looking after us so well.

Photos by Zoltan Blazer

- Caitlyn

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