Each year IWFS Victoria holds a special black tie dinner where the wine list only includes entries from a vintage rated 7 out of 7 on the IWFS Vintage Card. 2011 was extra special as it coincided with the 75th Anniversary of the Victoria branch. IWFS Victoria was founded on 5th August 1936 and was the first branch founded in the Southern Hemisphere. Of course this meant that organisers Peter Joyce, Sean Rogan and Yvonne Wallis had to attempt to identify some rather exceptional wines. Some 50 members gathered at a private venue to celebrate, with interstate members Fran Gerard and Hans and Fransien Haan flying in for the evening. The President of IWFS NSW, Andrew Fegent, also joined us with his wife Shayne.
As per our usual practice, the wines were announced but the order of serving not revealed. Perhaps the greatest surprise was the trio of Shiraz served with the Cape Grim beef fillet and braised beef cheek. This included Australia’s two flagship Shirazes – Penfold’s Grange (1998) and the Henschke Hill of Grace (also 1998). To that we added a third wine - a particular favourite of Andre Simon’s – The Maurice O’Shea Shiraz from McWilliams Mt Pleasant in the Hunter Valley (2000). Thanks to Andrew Fegent for donating this wine. It was clearly Andre Simon’s night. Without revealing the wines, most chose the Maurice O’Shea as their preferred wine - the Grange and Hill of Grace scored similarly but trailed behind. In some cases there were questions of brett on the Hill of Grace while the Grange just seemed to have lost a little of its power. While the O’Shea was fuller bodied, it had a wonderful mouth feel and showed a somewhat unexpected elegance. It’s a very classy wine.
But there were many contenders for wine of the night. Topping the list was the 2001 Rieussec Sauternes from the brilliant 2001 vintage which is in a very happy place right now – a perfect match with a classic pear tarte tatin. J F Mugnier’s 2002 Musigny Grand Cru ranked second – this was Red Burgundy pretty much at its best and a perfect match with quail and foie gras. Third place went to the 1996 Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale Champagne. This Blanc de Blancs from 1996, from the superb Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil Sur Oger, has always been a delight to drink. We are so pleased to have magnums yet to go of this Champagne. At the same time it would be remiss not to point out that all of the wines scored at least one vote as wine of the night. The wine masters have to be pleased when that happens. It seemed to be a very fitting tribute to the 75th Anniversary of IWFS and to Andre Simon.
Please view the menu here.