Tuesday Nights Wine & Dine

This Tuesday was the first class of our Introduction to Wine course at The Wine Society. This course goes for four weeks either on Tuesdays or Wednesdays each month. The course is quite popular, as we found out last night!

There were 18 people in the class with varying levels of wine knowledge and we had to introduce ourselves at the beginning of the class and express what our goals were from this course. My lovely husband told everyone that he was doing the class in order to keep domestic bliss and harmony, in other words, I made him take the course with me. The whole class got a good laugh from it while I turned beetroot. So I introduced myself after him as "Hi, I'm the Wife".

For me, I'm doing the class because I am fascinated with how people describe and judge wines. Sometimes, I am confused by what the waiters say when they are describing a recommended wine to me. I just nod and say "Sounds good".

The first class was an intense two hours testing 7 wines - 3 whites and 4 reds with labels covered. The instructor encouraged us to keep an open mind about what types of wine we like. For example, I've always thought that I didn't like Shiraz, but I was pleasantly surprised when I actually enjoyed the two Shiraz we tasted. Lucky for me, M and I actually liked the cheaper one.

Here are my "L-Plate" tasting notes:

1. The Wine Society Tasmanian Riesling 2006 - Pale straw colour suggesting youth. Dried paw paw and mango on the nose. On the palate dry, tangy, with notes of graphfruit and unripened kumquat, with a little apple after taste. Good length.

2. Giesen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 - Straw colour, fresh cut grass and capsicum on the nose with strong citrus fruit aromas, intense, tangy lemon on the palate and pretty good length. (I liked this one)

3. Tarra Warra Estate Chardonnay 2004 - Straw colour, dried blackcurrant, fresh citrus fruits, vanilla and hazelnut aromas with smokey, caramelised durian flavours with a hint of bitterness.

4. Smith and Hooper Wrattonbully Merlot 2004 - Ruby red core and rim. Earthy charcoal aromas with spices and oak. On the palate, tastes of nutmeg, dried sultanas and oak. (I liked this one)

5. Rymill Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 - Dark red concentrated core with bright red rim. Strawberry jam, vitamin pills, cedar and pencil shavings aromas with spicy and dried blackcurrant notes.

6. Ingoldby Shiraz 2004 - Purple red core and lighter rims. Fruity plum, berries and woody overtones with a hint of pepper. (I liked this one)

7. Wolf Blass Grey Label McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004 - Rich purple red colour. Aromas of ripe blackcurrant, mocha, dark chocolate, with a hint of oak and pepper. On the palate, peppery and spicy. Good length.

The course has so far taught me that you can describe the wine well without liking it but at the same time the more you can describe the wine that you drink the more able you are to distinguish what is it about a particular wine that you like. I'm also starting to know what to taste for in wines which allows me to appreciate the variety more, and have been brave enough to try even the spicy shiraz with my dining experiences.

After drinking the rest of M's Ingoldby Shiraz, we staggered to the nearby Hanabishi to have a late dinner. I haven't been to Hanabishi for awhile and the meal jolted happy memories. As always each dish was excellent, except for the Teriyaki wagyu which was overcooked and tough. Their entree is always a juicy meat ball in its little bowl of sauce. Then we had the Sashimi Main (which tends to be smaller in quantity than other Japanese restaurants), Natural Oysters Four Flavours, Scrampi Special Tempura, Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crab with Asparagus Tempura, Bamboo Leave Salt-Baked Barrumandi, Teriyaki Wagyu and Wafu Salad with Salmon Skin. Every dish was impeccably decorated with seasonal foliage such as hazelnut branches and bamboo canes. This attention to detail really makes the experience all the more special.

I'm looking forward to the remainder Tuesdays, hmmm where should we eat!

Hanabishi Japanese Restaurant

187 King Street

Melbourne
03 9670 1167

Ratings

Food: Impeccable Traditional Japanese Fine Dining

Top Dish: Best Soft-Shell Crab (so far :) )

Atmosphere: Elegant and Modern

Service: Seemless service

Booking: Recommended