Amarone./Freeman Secco

[moikel]

This landed finally.

Made from the only plantings of Rondinella & Corvina in Aust planted 1999. Planted in the Hilltops district about 2 hours from where I grew up.District more known for cherries,stone fruit & merino sheep.

The winemaker is Dr Brian Freeman who was the Professor of Wine Science  at Charles Sturt Uni which has a big viticulture & wine making faculty,about an hour from where I grew up.

The drying part is done in a neighbours solar powered prune dehydrator! Gotta love it when a professor is at the wheel.

Tasting notes ,dried cherries,earthy mushroom notes,savoury ,complex.

I will see when I open it this w/e.

My butcher had wagyu scotch fillet on special for Mothers day .I will see if theres more in the cool room.

 

[leah elisheva]

Oh Mick! I am BEYOND excited about this and just reading this post now!

Do share!

Amaraone is VERY special and what a treasure you have there - coupled with what sounds like such a thoughtful wine maker!

So vey fun!!!!

Cheers!! - Leah

 

[moikel]

image.jpg

• moikel
• May 15, 2015

Trying to get to butchers in between loading smoker up with bacon & the list of projects Linda has for me.
These are the first of the season,pine mushrooms.Came here as hitchhikers with imported pine trees for plantation timber.
They will be done with cherry tomatoes,onion,garlic,chilli,squeeze of lemon,white wine,parsley over pasta.

 

[moikel]

image.jpg

• moikel
• May 16, 2015

Nice seasonal lunch.

 

[moikel]

image.jpg

• moikel
• May 16, 2015

Wagyu scotch fillet,fat score 9 . Got an old mates deal but still $62 for those 3.
That would be $ 150+ easy in Japan if you could find a steak cut like that.
Looks every bit as good as what I saw in Tokyo.
Plan is screaming hot cast iron griddle , some caramelised onions on the side ,cauliflower cheese. Potatoes.
Having a warm up glass of GSM while I curse the smoker that has just misbehaved all day. I am going to have to spread this bacons make over 2 days.
The Amarone is in a decanter.

 

[moikel]

image.jpg

• moikel
• May 16, 2015

image.jpg

• moikel
• May 16, 2015

Great steak ,can't remember a better one ,ever.
I just left it at ,salt,pepper,Rosemary ,EVO.
Wine is great but outside the ropes as far as what I normally drink.
It's a 2010 so it's aged,soft & round. I get the dried cherry, not sure about the mushroom.
The thing I applaud is the sense of adventure on the part of Dr Freeman & the fact he is prepared to get out there & try something.
It's obviously a retirement project after years as Dean of the winemaking school .
It is great wine,I would like to taste his other wines.

 

[leah elisheva]

Good God Mick, both of these meals look incredibly amazing! And from wine to flavors everywhere, what fun!!

I still think your own Bistro would knock the socks off of all! Meanwhile, it's just delightful to see the fun you two have with food and vino!!!

Fantastic stuff!

A couple more days using up wheat-free toast here, and thus more open faced sandwiches today - with grilled calamari rings on them this time - and then, having been inspired by your epic feasts here, I will get back to cooking! Meanwhile, seeing your food is a treat!!!

Cheers and happy weekend! - Leah

 

[moikel]

It was a great meal.
I wouldn't normally pay that $ for steak .
I suppose you just have to look at what a restaurant meal costs & justify it that way.
I sometimes buy the cheaper wagyu cuts & pot roast them.
The 2 months of winter we have mean more of that slow cooking style,lamb shanks,ox tail & bottles of shiraz!

 

[foamheart]

Its looks good, but listening to you explain it sounds so much better. A meal like that is special not because of the cost but because of the apprecaition you show for it. Thats a pretty plate Moikel.

 

[moikel]

Its looks good, but listening to you explain it sounds so much better. A meal like that is special not because of the cost but because of the apprecaition you show for it. Thats a pretty plate Moikel.

I cooked it for Linda & son.They had never eaten it. Not in their price bracket.
The pair of them aren't big meat eaters so it was a shock that steak could be that tender.
I don't get into all the hoop la about wagyu. I did enjoy cooking it for my late father after he retired from the farm .I didn't dare serve steak he would have have freaked over the price.
The secondary cuts are actually pretty good value,my butcher friend has topside,chuck,blade sometimes but I think a lot of it gets exported .
I like the winemaking as much as I like the wine if that makes sense. I also like supporting the little guy,they can get squeezed by big players in wine retail.

 

[leah elisheva]

Happy weekend to all!

Yesterday I grilled what was marketed here as "Nile Perch" - wild caught from Portugal - and it was cut in steaks and most similar to some form of bass (versus the little perch we know in NH)(; and the most delicate and incredible fish I have ever tasted!

My biggest arousal with food, is trying things I have never had, and then discovering such gems comes in as second! So fun!

Happy weekend to everyone! May you discover some magic and something new today as well! (And share those here)! Cheers! - Leah

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015

image.jpg

• leah elisheva
• May 22, 2015