“Wintertime fun in the Langmeil Barn!”
Well, it's been a long time coming, but something resembling winter has finally descended on the Valley. While we've had a little much-needed rain, the all-too-often clear skies make for cold nights and chilly mornings. It was remarkably crisp this morning. Beautiful but crisp. One of those mornings when my grandmother would have said, ‘Jack Frost paid us a visit last night’, and I would have spent the rest of the day pondering who this Jack character was and that he must have visited after I went to bed because I didn't see him! In the vineyard, you certainly appreciate the sun on such mornings as you try to keep your back to the east, offering the broadest surface area to soak up its gradual warmth and ultimately return some feeling to your fingers. Always an advantage when pruning!
While attention at the winery has turned to the vineyard, for most, the colder months are the best time to enjoy the fruit of the vine. This was certainly the case for guests at our recent Winter Long Lunch. With the promise of wine and dining in keeping with the season, Chef Peter Clarke's menu leaned toward heartier fare, complemented by wines that matched the dishes.
The first course, featuring half-shell scallops, provided the ideal opportunity to showcase Chardonnay's winter potential. Golden-hued, with aromas of honeydew, stone fruit, and a hint of marzipan blending into peach and citrus in the mouth, supported by subtle nutty and creamy barrel fermentation characters, our High Road proved a delightful pairing. I suggest serving it slightly warmer (by taking it out of the fridge for 30 minutes before pouring), which enhances the flavours and aromas. Turning to reds, we served a nearly ten-year-old Fifth Wave Grenache with the second course. The integration of dark cherry and raspberry fruits, melting into sweet spice and hints of vanilla, was the perfect culinary match with roasted quail before both cuisine and wine grew heartier with the third course. The Hallowed Ground Shiraz's rich flavours of boysenberry and blackcurrant, and the perfectly integrated blue fruits, mint, biscuity oak, and velvety tannins of the Jackaman's Cabernet Sauvignon were right at home with the rib of beef. Of course, the 25-Year-Old Liqueur Tawny had to be served with the sticky date pudding dessert, but at this point, it became apparent that I'd lost a few who chose to keep drinking red!
On reflection, much of the enjoyment of our long lunches is their novelty. As traditional as multiple courses with wines to match may be, we don't often eat like this in the modern era. Cuisine and how we dine have changed immensely over time, and it's only natural that drinking habits have, too. As the guests above highlighted, if you like what you're drinking and it works for you, go with it!
The link will take you to a selection of the Long Lunch Line up, which can be enjoyed however you see fit. [Link]
Lovingly yours,
Jonathan Bitter
Cellar Door Manager
