One of the very first events of ‘Wellington on a Plate’
2010 was the Evening of Organic Fine Dining and Wine at The Ambeli, on Saturday
14 August. Here, Shaebodine Moleta and
his team at The Ambeli hosted a dinner with organic produce, sourced primarily
from Commonsense Organics, matched to the organic wines of Vynfields in
Martinborough. It was billed as a ‘celebration’,
and it truly was a special occasion.
Starting the proceedings was the Palliser Estate Methode Traditionnelle 2005,
the only commercially available, sustainably produced Wairarapa bubbly,
(Palliser with vineyards neighbouring Vynfields, of course!), served with an
amazingly flavoursome fennel, saffron
and snapper broth with squid ink grissini.
The wine and broth both beautifully clean and the wine’s autolysis and
bread-stick echoing each other.
The prosciutto-wrapped
Kipdale organic chicken, carrot puree and parsley pesto was a particularly
rich and creamy textured dish with the pesto making a strong statement. I felt the subtlety of the Vynfields ‘Dry’ Riesling 2009 was
overshadowed by the flavour of the pesto, though the wine’s acidity was sufficiently
keen to maintain a presence. It may have
been interesting to see a food match that incorporated some spice or heat, so
that the wine’s 20 g/L residual sugar could play a more significant role.
However the next pairing was indeed
sophisticated and superb. The Vynfields ‘Classsic’ Riesling 2009 was
much richer at 45 g/L rs, and the sweetness made for a wonderful counterpoint
to the saltiness of the Gorgonzola
ravioli with honeyed walnuts and sage.
Both the cheese and wine exuded great richness and concentration of
unctuous textures, the two paralleling each other. The blue cheese elevated the delicate
botrytis component in the wine, and the honeyed characters from the walnuts
integrating with the honey in the wine.
Another brilliant match was Mariano’s fresh chorizo, butterbeans and preserved peppers served
with the Vynfields ‘Pêche de Noire’ 2009,
a bone-dry rosé style. The dryness of
the wine provided the cut through the meat and fat of the chorizo as well as
the relatively firm density of the beans, and the sweetness of the sausage and
peppers enriching the austerity of the wine.
The wine’s floral notes picked up on the sweetness of the dish too.
The best combination of all must have been the Vynfields Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 with
the slow cooked Leeland lamb-shoulder
rack, fondant potato, cavolo nero and tamarillo relish. A wine with dark fruit flavours has always
lifted the subtle meatiness of lamb, and this was no exception. This was the best showing of the Vynfields
Reserve Pinot 2007 I have experienced to date, the flavours perfectly in tune
with the concentrated, but refined palate, and this possessed the texture to
work in with the substance of the lamb.
The binding component was the tamarillo relish, its flavours infused
with the meat and matching the dark fruit expression of the wine. Everything was in balance and the flavours,
textures and tensions were in total accord.
John Bell and Kaye McAulay of
Vynfields served as an extra, their newly bottled Vynfields Reserve Pinot Noir
2009. Wonderful vibrancy and depth
on bouquet, but still closed on palate.
But it was easy to sense the potential in this wine. It should surpass the quality and style of
the outstanding Reserve Pinot Noir 2007!
Few people have tasted the ‘Unknown Martinborough
Red Varietal’ on its own, except those who have drunk the Vynfields ‘Mad Rooster’. The
2008 was served, and its savoury,
sweet and lifted character is quite unique, and nothing like Syrah, which was
what it was originally thought to be, before DNA testing proved otherwise. Made in the same fashion as Pinot Noir, it
was served with a raw milk cheese
selection where it gave moisture and sweetness to the austere Manchego,
combined superbly with the Chabichou, the cheese moderating the exuberance of
the wine and the wine adding great nuance and lift to the cheese, but it was
beaten by the power, strength and saltiness of the Blue d’Auvergne.
A welcome refresher came in the form of a trio of sorbets – braeburn, mandarin, and
gin with lime, each increasingly intense in flavour, but also power and
cut. These were sensational!
The final matching was a wild thyme honey tart, praline ice cream and poached pears with Haewai Houghton
Bay Mead 2010. Here is was the juxtaposition of flavours
that was startling. The mead with a
pronounced herb and floral expression that stood tall alongside the more
restrained flavours of the dish.
Texturally, the dish was demanding and the mead needed more cut and
depth to be a great accompaniement.
Interesting the aromas and flavours of both became more interwoven with
each sip and mouthful, the bridge and base being the honey in both.
The Ambeli’s chef Sam Pope prefers to use
organic, seasonally appropriate ingredients in his cooking. “Provenance is essential”, says Sam, who
insists on having suppliers who have respectful treatment of animals and use
sustainable practices. Thus, Commonsense
Organics is a major supplier for Sam.
Awareness of environmental issues and their
importance in what we eat and drink is continually growing. The popularity of this dinner was proof of
that. It was an outstanding dinner –
organic bliss!