E-vine
This edition of E-vine marks the 10th anniversary of publication.
E-vine started early in 2001 with Pancaked possums
In this issue: Dyin’ for a drink; Cheesemeister in Hanoi; Making Tassie whisky; Munich, Perfume, chicken guts and McCartney; other stuff
Quote
“Life is a variety of spice.” Anon.
Dyin’ for a drink
The Cancer Council of Australia (CCA) recently freaked out wine and other alcohol drinkers when it released a paper saying that alcohol causes cancer. Sort of makes you feel sorry for all those people who have happily consumed wine over the last 10,000 years and who never heard of the CCA.
It seems that hardly a week goes by without the public being told by one authority or other that something enjoyable, useful or familiar is going to be the death of us.
Smoking, obesity, radon in the soil, pesticides in food, sunlight, atmospheric pollution, food additives, animal fats, pickles, fried food, cured and barbecued meats, nuclear power plant radiation, mobile phones, booze – the list is endless.
In the same news reports are stories about miracle solutions to all our ills. Cures for cancer that are always, unfortunately, “Expected to be available in five years.” We’re still waiting.
Not forgetting the wonder substance, resveratrol, found in red wine. Resveratrol, apparently, is an important factor in the famous “French Paradox” lifestyle and a possible cancer preventative.
Confusing, isn’t it? We’re told on one hand that the alcohol in red wine is going to cause cancer but on the other hand that resveratrol in the same wine is going to help prevent cancer (and cardio-vascular illness).
So what’s the answer? There isn’t one.
Apparently just being alive is slowly killing us.
How to proceed?
Try to ignore shock horror headlines. (The stress of reading them can cause high blood pressure.)
Get a sense of perspective. Eternity is infinite. The age of the universe is about 14 billion years. In comparison, average human life expectancy is around 80 years.
As we’re only here for such a short time, we might as well eat, drink and be merry while we can.
A Cheesemeister in Hanoi
Richard Thomas, E-vine’s mojito-suckin’ reporter wrote from Hanoi recently.
I'm sitting here in a friend's home in old Hanoi just loving a perfect raw milk Normandy Camembert and fresh butter on baguette. All washed down with an ever so slightly sweet German sparkling rosé, trying to figure out the meaning of 'third world’. It's not happening.
Lunch started late today. We were out in a simple pavement café last night, washing down swimmer crabs with 'Viet whisky' served in shot glasses from plastic drink bottles.
But it didn't finish there. We moved on to the 'Wanted Bar' for a 'party mojito' which arrives in a two litre bucket festooned with colour coded straws. An extreme form of entertainment on a cold Hanoian winter's night.
Nobody seems to be letting up, so what could I do? I had what resembled a genuine Aussie meat pie at half time, made here by a Melbourne ex-pat who, it seems, just couldn't live without them.
Every now and then, I tear myself away from marvellously ripe 'just off the tree' mandarins, bananas and mangoes, icy glasses of passion fruit juice and noodle soups, to down a couple of pickled eggs from the Britannia fish and chip shop, and a heap of Hanoi beer.
Or like today, something from the Continent. A vestige of French influence provided by one of the truly excellent bakery deli's like Oasis, St Honore or Annam, a $3 taxi ride from the old city.
Making Tasmanian whisky
Greg Stanton writes about a week of whisky at Tasmania’s Lark Distillery.
Speaking of drinking, my liver is now cleansed from a week of whisky. They are very generous at the Lark Distillery; every day we tried a dozen different whiskies from around the world as well as different expressions from Lark.
On the first day, we went to the peat bog which is right in the middle of the state. We dug some peat and then it decided to snow. We retreated to the cabin, ate some peat-smoked ocean trout, warmed ourselves with Ardbeg and Lark as well as some wine, then carried on home to warm ourselves some more at the bar.
The next day, we went to the distillery and participated in each process - the mashing in, adding the yeast, tasting the different cuts and deciding where to cut.
Next day, we took some time out and went fishing with the owner Bill Lark. I have never been fly fishing before but managed to bag three rainbow trout. By all accounts it was a rather unusual day in which the fish were literally jumping onto any fly, so even a novice like me could catch them.
We concluded the day with an impressive meal at Monty's in Hobart, accompanied by several whiskys from around the world - the best by all accounts was the Japanese one from the Nikka distillery, Yoichi.
After a late start on our final day, we visited the bond store and tried several whiskys at different stages of maturation. We left a little light-headed. But I must say it was one of the best weeks in my life.
PS. Our friend Rob from Denver and I decided to go halves in the purchase of a 20L cask. We opted for a 50% peat-smoked malt matured in a port cask. I'm counting down the days now before it is officially a single malt, a little under two years to go.
Noshtalgia
München chicken bits
Years ago I worked in London as the sweet-smelling* gofer for the chief alchemist of the French Perfumery Company. The job was going nowhere and I was available for other employment.
Luckily, a friend of mine, bass player Jim Rodford, offered me the job as road manager for soul outfit Lucas and Mike Cotton Sound (MCS). (Jim it was who had introduced me to Paul McCartney in the loo of the Bag o’ Nails. Those were the days my friend.**)
During my time with the MCS, the band had a residency for a few weeks at a club known as the PN HitHouse in Leopoldstrasse, Munich - situated in the bohemian area of Schwabing.
People like Maurice Gibb would drop by and chat; local bands like Amon Duul would come in and jam. An excellent time was had by all.
A residency is easy work for a roadie, because once you’ve set up the gear all you have to do is turn up every night to make sure the sounds and lights are working. Then, in this case, you sit back drinking litres of lager and learning a little German from the local schönes madchens.
E.G. “Tell me, meine liebe, how do you say ‘Where is the railway station?’ or ‘Where can I buy herbal cigarettes?’ in the Bavarian dialect?”
Munich had lots of lovely, fattening, rustic food, and beer to dream about. At little stalls in the main drag we ate bratwurst, bockwurst and weisswurst – liberally pasted with senf – tasty German mustard. A highlight of the street tucker was Hohe Küche currywurst.
Near our apartment was a restaurant called the Wienerwald. None of us could read the menu but based on luck and price we discovered a delicacy called “Hahnchen Magen”, which suited most tastes.
It was a meat dish of some description with a tasty sauce and came with kartoffelchips. As I recall, we drank glasses of a slightly sweet riesling to accompany.
Eventually somebody asked one of the band’s constant circle of translators “Was ist die Hahnchen Magen?” “I sink you vood call ziss ze gertz of ein cheeken.” Was the amused reply.
Next time we ate at the Wienerwald everybody chose something else from the menu.
*Balenciaga Quadrille.
**McCartney later hired the Mike Cotton Sound to back Mary Hopkin when he produced her first LP Post Card. Quite an experience for me, working at Abbey Road studios. [That’s enough name dropping. Ed.]
If you’re in the wine industry this directory of all things related to ANZ wine business is what the Yellow Pages directory is to everyone else – indispensable.
As an alternative to the hard copy edition, purchasers can now also access the entire contents online.
For orders visit the Wine Titles Bookstore.
Flooded wine
The Brisbane restaurateur reported to have dumped 2000 bottles of wine from his flooded cellar in January apparently had second thoughts: see Wine from water. Must have read this in the last issue of E-vine.
pHeedback
Recently a friend passed on a recommendation for bargain French bubbly. I was almost sold, then I read the tasting notes that used the term “meaty”. Now I know I am a vegetarian, but eeew! Is this a flavour anyone wants in their champers?
Picking up my newspaper today one wine in the Penfolds range, was described as having “mature meaty/gamy” flavours and another as having “‘meaty’ complexity”. Is all this butcher shop terminology some sort of new fad amongst wine writers, and seriously, can a wine taste like meat? Astrid of Alphington.
Wine writers will persist in using language in wine reviews that is incomprehensible to most of their readers. Anthony Hanson once wrote “Great Burgundy smells of sh*t.” I think this is similar to what other writers mean when they say a wine has “barnyard” characteristics.
I imagine that the terms “meaty” and “gamey” are attempts to describe savoury characters found in wine. Those that remind us of roasting meat, bacon etc. The taste “Umami” is used in a similar context. See also the “Maillard Reaction”. Martin.
Star drinking
Dr Purple Shiraz and Purple Carrot Blend - $20
When I was a little kid elderly people used to drink “tonic wines”, “hospital brandy” and “invalid stout”. I guess this wine blend is a latter day version of those. The blurb tells us that purple carrots contain lots of the antioxidants, polyacetylenes and anthocyanins and that there is the juice of 2.5 purple carrots in each bottle. The nose has a somewhat developed aspect. The palate shows sweetish fruit and some aged character. Not sure when I’d serve it - something to go with orange juice and vitamin capsules at breakfast perhaps?
Westons Old Rosie Cloudy Scrumpy – cost me $20 for a 2 litre flagon.
A still, medium dry cider from Herefordshire, England. Alcohol content 7.3%. Pale gold with a cloudy sediment. Winey appley nose and delicious flavours of mature apples, with a tang of acidity at the finish. One of the best ciders I've tried in a long time.
Champagne Duperrey Premier Cru Brut NV – up to $50 -
A chardonnay and pinot noir blend from the house of Martel. Pale gold in colour with the slightest pink tinge; flowers and subtle notes of brioche on the nose. A fuller style, with apricot and dried apple flavours in the mouth along with a hint of citrus. Opens with fruit sweetness and firms up towards the finish.
Hollick Coonawarra Savagnin 2010 - $21 -
Juicy, fresh nose. Zesty, tangy palate with hints of lime and sherbet. Dryish flavoursome finish. Good entrée style.
The Lane Block 2 Pinot Gris 2010 - $30 -
Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Perfumey spicy nose. Rich, mouth filling style with bags of apple and pear fruit over soft acidity.
Amberley Kiss & Tell Moscato Rosa NV - $15 -
Rosy pink. Raisiny Turkish Delight notes on the nose. Sweetish palate in this light (only 7% alcohol) style. Slight spritzig on the tongue.
Elmswood Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2010 - $45 -
Light ruby hues in the glass. Generous strawberry, smoky oak and savoury notes on the nose. Cherries and strawberries lead a dryish, slightly tannic palate in a well constructed take on this difficult varietal.
Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir 2010 - $40 -
Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Shades of dark cherry to the eye. Powerful, ripe strawberry and maraschino conserves on the nose. A beautifully textured, almost chewy approach. It bursts in the mouth with berry ripeness over well-seasoned oak. One of the few pinots I’ve tasted that would convince welded on shiraz and cabernet drinkers to convert to the Burgundian grape.
Parker Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2006 - $40 -
Deep crimson. Aromatic dark berries and a hint of anise on the nose. Smooth, silky tannic structure. Concentrated redcurrants and blueberries blend well with vanillin French oak and lead to a firm, lip-smacking finish.
Ratings
- outstanding
- classy
- first-rate
- good stuff
- commercial
Second pressings
$410 Oz corkscrew – a diminishing market in Oz, the land of the screwcap.
Meat glue
Check it out
Juke Box – with a difference
The Curious Cook
Food Studies at Adelaide University
HuffPo Wine
Boozle
About E-vine
E-vine first appeared in 2001 and is edited and published and written every now and then (mostly then) by wine educator and freelance wine and food writer, Martin Field. You are receiving E-vine because you requested it or because you sent unsolicited email or due to sheer good luck. Infrequent typos in the text are deliberate and are designed to foil net censors.
Permission to quote smallish bits of E-vine is freely given if the source is acknowledged – please let me know if you do so. Unless otherwise stated prices are in Australian dollars. You are encouraged to forward E-vine to colleagues and friends. All links are active at time of publication. E-vine does not necessarily agree with and is not responsible for the content of linked pages – visit them at your peril! A Loade of Really Olde Stuffe here and there. Copyright © Martin Field 2011. Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.