Latin American flavour for the Wine Classification of Australia dinner
Huon Hooke in Wine Events Become a member to view this article
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- The beautiful historic outside facade of Morena restaurant. The Real Review
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- Places set of the Wine Classification of Australia dinner at Morena. The Real Review
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- A full dining room for the Wine Classification of Australia dinner. The Real Review
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- Huon Hooke guides guests through the wines. The Real Review
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- Morena chefs hard at work. The Real Review
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- The Yarra Yering Pinot Noir being poured with the second course. The Real Review
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- Plenty of conversation around the tables at the Real Review Wine Classification of Australia dinner. The Real Review
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- Plating up in the Morena kitchen. The Real Review
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- Huon Hooke (left) and Aaron Brasher entertain the room. The Real Review
Each year, we celebrate the new revision of The Real Review Wine Classification of Australia with a special dinner—this year’s took place on September 23.
An outstanding meal was served at Morena, a Latin American style restaurant in the heart of Sydney, in the GPO building, No 1 Martin Place. Chef Gianni Moretto, a Chilean native, added a Latin American touch to each of the dishes, all of which paired well with the wines served alongside. The country of origin (or at least influence) was revealed with each dish. All wines served had earned at least One Merit in The Real Review classification.
First course
- Snapper, Fremantle octopus ceviche, citrus tiger’s milk, sweet potato (Peru)
- Red Emperor crudo, cachaça–passion‑fruit dressing, Brazil nut salsa verde (Brazil)
Wines
- Peter Lehmann The Wigan Riesling 2018
- Oakridge 864 Single Block Release Drive Block Funder & Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
- Flametree S.R.S Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2023
The chardonnays (both 3-Merit wines) were both sufficiently refined and subtle to partner happily with these foods, but the riesling was the star. Put simply, it is difficult to better a fine Australian riesling with dressed seafoods, especially when it has a few years of age on it.
Second course
- Grilled lamb ribs, chimichurri (Uruguay)
- Ox tongue anticuchos, Peruvian dried chillies, carretillera sauce (Peru)
Wines
Anticuchos are cuts of meat from the eastern side of the Andes, traditionally beef heart, but ours was tongue. And very tasty, as were the grilled lamb ribs. Two outstanding pinot noirs had diners arguing happily over their preferences, the Tractor a little more fragrant thanks perhaps to a cooler site and more whole-bunch, the Yarra Yering a tad richer and more fleshy.
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- The wine lineup for the evening. The Real Review
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- The wines served with the first course. The Real Review
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- The pinot noirs served with the lamb ribs and ox tongue dishes. The Real Review
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- The third course dishes and accompanying wines. The Real Review
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- The cabernets with the cheese course. The Real Review
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- The Pressing Matters rielsing served with dessert. The Real Review
Third course
- Black Market denver steak MS 5 (Argentina)
- Grilled blue-eye trevally, tomato and piquillo pepper sauce, caperberries (Mexico)
- Cos lettuce salad, sour-milk dressing, golden beetroot, persimmon, pecans (Columbia)
- Shoestring fries, Peruvian chilli salt, aji amarillo cream (Peru)
Wines
- Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz 2022
- First Drop Wines Fat of the Land Single Vineyard Greenock Shiraz 2021
- d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2019
Challenging perhaps to serve fish alongside beef but the trevally had big flavour and coped well with the lightest of the shiraz trio, the Head Brunette, made from Eden Valley grapes. This is an elegant wine that can partner many foods, whereas the other two are very big, powerful wines that demand hearty food, the First Drop superbly rich and plush, the Dead Arm more rustic and robust— a wine to sort out men from boys, to use a tongue-in-cheek last-century phrase.
Fourth course
- Cheeses – Parmigiana Reggiano; Le Marquis Chèvre de Rambouillet Bleu (Italy; France)
Wines
- Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot Malbec Petit Verdot 2023
- Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
- Cape Mentelle Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
- Huntington Estate Block 3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
This was a truly glorious quartet of cabernets (well, the DM is 94% cab sav this vintage), the Margaret River trio showing contrasting styles. The Cape Mentelle, from the south, showed elegance and herbal notes, the Abercrombie powerful yet polished and one of the best of this line in recent times, and like the Cullen showing the enormous depth of fruit of the outstanding ’23 vintage.
The outlier was Huntington from Mudgee. This showed the complexity that even a few years of extra cellar time can bring to a top cabernet. Sourced from the highest and hungriest block of estate vines, it had elegance and stacks of detail. Needless to say, the parmesan cheese worked best with the reds.
Dessert
- Bomba rice pudding, sweet‐lime curd, citrus crunch, yuzu sorbet (Peru)
Wine
A beautiful, fragrant and delicate auslese-style riesling from Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, this was a fitting conclusion to the evening and a fine way to finish up the creamy blue cheese as well as the last crumbs of parmesan.