Tasmania unbottled at Ecco Bar

The Tasmanians are in town and and they've brought with them 150 new release and award-winning Tasmanian wines for you to sample.


Last night I joined wine makers from Bay of Fires, Cape Berniers and Kayena Vineyard to sip and sample their wines over a meal at Ecco Bar.

As you would expect, the food was amazing and perfectly matched to the fine Tasmanian wines. With two wines to sample with each course it was interesting to experience the palate changes after eating each course and how that affected the flavour of the wine.

Here's what we ate and the wine matches:

Amuse bouche: Sesame crusted kingfish, miso dressing and chives match with Pirie sparkling NV

Course one: Tiger prawns 'waldorf', apple celery and walnuts. Matched with 2011 Bay of Fires Riesling, Pipers River and 2009 Delamere Riesling, Pipers River.

Course two: grilled quail, baby beets, kefalograviera, padrones peppers and pecan dressing matched with 2010 Cape Bernier Chardonnay, Bream Creek and 2009 Bay of Fires Chardonnay, Pipers River.

Course three: Tonka bean spiced pork belly, maple glazed pear, parsnip and pmegranate jus matched with 2009 Delamere Pinot Noir, Pipers River and 2008 Cape Bernier Pinot Noir, Bream Creek.

Course four: Iced yoghurt and pineapple cannelloni, passionfruit curd, pineapple wafers and saffron jellly matched with 2009 Tamar Ridge Kayena Vineyard Botrytis Riesling, Kayena.

Once again the dessert course was my favourite (I am getting so predictable) but I'd roll up again for everything.  I don't think I've ever had pork belly so well crisped on the skin - it was blissful to taste and eat.

Interested in tasting Tasmanian wines? Get your body along to Tasmania Unbottled 2011 at The Landing at Dockside, 44 Ferry Street, Kangaroo Point from 5pm tonight (September 8)

The program includes -

• Consumer Tasting: 5pm – 8pm $40 
• Consumer Master Class: 6pm - 7pm $25 
• Consumer Special Package (includes the general tasting and masterclass)  - $60
  

Participating producers include Abel's Tempest, Barringwood Park, Bay of Fires, Bream Creek, Cape Bernier, Clover Hill, Coal Valley Vineyard, Dalrymple, Delamere, Derwent Estate, Devil's Corner, Domaine A / Stoney Vineyard, Frogmore Creek, Glaetzer-Dixon, Goaty Hill, Grey Sands, Heemskerk, Holm Oak, Home Hill, Jansz Tasmania, Josef Chromy, Moores Hill, Moorilla, Native Point, Pirie Tasmania, Spring Vale and Tamar Ridge.

The tutored masterclass 'Cool Climate Terroirists - Tasmanian Riesling and Pinot Noir' features current release Riesling and Pinot Noir alongside some special museum wines from the private cellars of winemakers from Bay of Fires, Tamar Ridge, Frogmore Creek, Delamere and Native Point.



Tasmania Unbottled