Function Report - Chambers Rosewood Wines @ Frenchy's

18th April 2008

 Every now and again the Guild presents a function that really stands out because of a great marriage of wine and food: the dinner at Frenchy’s bistro on 16^th April 2008 was such an occasion.  The combination of Chef Klauss Lemm’s fine cuisine with the wines from Chambers Rosewood Winery from Rutherglen was a treat to be remembered. 

 Chambers Rosewood Winery is a very relaxed family owned winery established in 1858 and operated by the legendary Bill Chambers and his son Stephen, the 6th generation of this family to make wine at Rosewood.  Bill and Wendy Chambers were our guests for the evening, and both provided some wonderful commentary on the history of Rutherglen, and also the wines to accompany our meal.

 Internationally acclaimed for Muscats, Tokays and other fortified wines, Chambers’ have a comprehensive range of wines to suit every palate and budget.  Muscat from one of the country’s smallest wineries is featured as the only Australian offering on an innovative wine list aboard a major American airline.  Delta Air Line’s globe-trotting customers can now enjoy the labours of the Chambers family who have been producing wine at their rustic Chambers Rosewood cellars in Rutherglen for the past 150 years.

On arrival we were presented with a dry flor sherry and an oloroso sherry.  A sparkling white wine from the Guild’s cellar was also available.

 The three course a la carte menu was very well received and complemented the wines.  A choice of “Herb crumbed deep-fried mushrooms”, “Classic French onion soup” or “Salt and pepper calamari” was served for entrée.  Guests were offered the oloroso sherry, a 2003 Gouais or a 2005 Rosewood Riesling to accompany the entrees. 

“Gouais blanc is a white grape variety that is seldom grown but is important as the ancestor of many French and German wine varieties. It is believed to originate in Croatia; in Central Europe it is known as Heunisch Weiss. The name Gouais derives from the old French adjective ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape of the peasants.  Gouais blanc may have been the grape given to the Gauls by Probus (Roman Emperor 276–282), who was from Pannonia and overturned Domitian's decree banning grape growing north of the Alps.^[2] By the Middle Ages it was the most widely grown white grape in northeast France and in Central Europe. Gouais blanc was the grape of the peasantry, growing on the flat land next to the better slopes where the nobility grew Pinot.”  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

     Main courses were a choice of :

 Twice cooked crispy skin duck; or

Frenchy’s pepper steak; or

Pink roasted lamb rump; or

Crispy skin salmon steak

all accompanied by the appropriate vegetables or salads.

Accompanying the main course was a selection of red wines including 2004 Anton Ruche (Mondeuse Shiraz), 2004 Cabernet Merlot or 2002 Blue Imperial.

Blue Imperial is made from the Cinsault grape.  Again I had to Google and plagiarise from Wikipedia to learn about this variety.

Cinsault or Cinsaut (pronounced “san – so”) is a red wine grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria and Morocco.  It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and Carignane to add softness and bouquet.

It has many synonym, of which perhaps the most confusing is its sale as a table grape called “Oeillade”, although it is different from the “true” Oeillade which is no longer cultivated.  In South Africa, it was known as “Hermitage”, hence the name of its most famous cross Pinotage”.  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

All in all it was a great night of fine wine, food and fellowship.  It certainly whetted the appetite for our next functions, the Education Night on 13 May and the tour of the Balnarring Area on 24 May 2008.

    Report by Adrian Corkeron