THE CURIOUS QUAFFER
THE ART SCHOOL
In France the French would announce that it is ‘La Vraie
Affaire’; in Spain the Spanish would exclaim it as ‘El Trato
Real’ and in Germany the Germans would state it as ‘Das
Einzig Wahre’. In the UK we would simply be saying that it is
‘the real deal’!
A WINE MAKER’S DINNER
A few weeks ago the Art School Restaurant, on Sugnall Street in
Liverpool, hosted a special Wine Maker’s Dinner featuring the
wines of Yangarra and Byron (from McLaren Vale in Australia
and California respectively). Both wineries form part of the
fabulous Kendall Jackson Family stable of wineries from around
the world (such also including La Crema, Cardinale, Hartford
and WillaKenzie, but to name a few of the many others).
To guide us through some of the amazing wines, that were
specifically selected to accompany Chef Paul Askew’s wonderful
menu for the evening, were Dimitri Mesnard and Nigel
Wilkinson. They are both internationally renowned in the
world of wine and are both members of the esteemed Court of
Master Sommeliers - with Dimitri also being the International
Brand Ambassador for Jackson Family Wines and Nigel the
Brand Ambassador and Senior Wine Educator for Boutinot
(distributors of fine wines from around the world - as well as
vineyard owners and wine producers in England, France, Italy
and South Africa). All in all a night to remember – and I was
lucky enough to be invited to cover the event along with a fellow
experienced wine taster and foodie, whom I took along with me,
just in case I needed help!
It is difficult to do justice, in this article, to the food and wine
tasted during the evening. There simply isn’t the space to do so.
Not to say anything at all would, however, be a travesty. So here
goes, course by course, the food, the wines and a few words about
each:
‘Baked fillet of Peterhead halibut with new season Claremont
Farm asparagus, crust of Filey crab & sauce vierge’ – matched
with ‘Yangarra Roussanne’ (2016)
Wine – a rarely grown grape in Australia, but what a wine;
almost pale gold in colour; aromatic; silky; fragrant; lovely fruit
with a hint of smoke; structured; dynamic; vibrant. Food – a taste
sensation. The ‘holy flat fish’ (the literal translation for halibut)
was truly heavenly! The asparagus was fresh and intensely
flavoured. The other ingredients just bound the whole dish
together in sensational style.
‘Twice baked soufflé of Hooton wild garlic with Mrs Kirkham’s
Lancashire cheese, baby leaf spinach, Ormskirk leek and a
Dijon cream sauce’ – matched with Nielson by Byron ‘Santa
Maria Valley’ Chardonnay (2017)
Wine – rich; fruit forward with lemon/ citrus; minerality; bits
of spice, vanilla, toast, honey and possibly fig come through;
clean; stonking bottle of new world chardonnay at its best (and
I’m always a bit hesitant with this sort of wine). Food – stunning
and bouncing with flavour. All the ingredients were beautifully
balanced and in complete harmony. With so many flavours and
different ingredients in play it is not always easy to achieve such
a balance, leaving you with one component overpowering the
others. Not with this dish. Wild subtle garlic, the buttery, almost
yoghurty, light cheese coupled with the mild onion taste from
the leeks and the sweet and savoury tones provided by the Dijon
cream sauce – tremendous.
‘Callum Edge’s Black-faced Suffolk Lamb, confit shoulder, loin
and belly with pistachio crumb, spring vegetables and black
pudding soil’ – matched with Yangarra ‘Old Vine’ Grenache
(2014) and Yangarra Mourvedre (2015)
Lallier ‘Grande Reserve’ Grand Cru Brut NV with a selection
of canapes Wine – red fruit; rich; slightly earthy; wonderfully balanced
(grenache); dark spice; touch of perfume; elegant (mourvedre).
Food – wonderfully lean and uniquely flavoured meat, cooked to
perfection with all the various cuts; awesome!
Champagne – lovely citrus; elegant; classy. Perfect with all the
canapés, especially with the wonderful cured, and cubed, salmon. ‘Mrs Appleby’s Cheshire, Montgomery Cheddar and Leagrams
Organic with preserved fig, toasted walnut bread and Granny
38 wirrallife.com