Flowers and Wine are a Girl's Best Friend

It's spring time, the weather is gorgeous and there is nothing better than a blissful glass of vino whilst relaxing outside and soaking up the sunshine. Hmm, I’m day dreaming a little as it’s only Thursday and I can’t wait for the weekend! 

Last night I attended the Laneway Ladies special event to taste Spring Seed Wine Co’s incredible range of organic wines. Traditional winemaking, natural, minimal processing combined with organic viticulture are key elements to ensure purity, integrity and flavour in Spring Seed Wines. The grapes are grown in the Bosworth family’s organic vineyards, located in the McLaren Vale, South Australia.

Louise Hemsley-Smith from Spring Seed and Urbane head sommelier Sarah Ramwell were our hosts for the evening which started with a glass of ‘Forget-Me-Not’ Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. The first thing you notice about the Spring Seed wines is the stunning labels of painted flowers. Yes, I know, don’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case I think the labels are definitely and indication of how beautiful these wines are.

The evening was casual and a friend and I seated ourselves amongst the group of ladies excitedly chatting away. We were interrupted only for some delicious canapé offerings thanks to Head Chef at Urbane, Alejandro Cancino. Louise and Sarah worked the room topping up glasses and taking a few brief moments throughout the evening to talk about the wines.

The ‘Poppy’ Pinot Grigio, a brand new 2012 variety from Spring Seed, launched on this very evening was a stand out for me. It was light and fresh, with citrus and pear flavours, perfect for warm spring days!

I must quickly mention the food as it was absolutely delish and I love taste testing as many ingredients as possible. We tried smoked paprika octopus with potato, pâté on brioche, smoked duck breast and poached pickled quince, aniseed pastry and caramelised onion and cheese tartlets. All were packed full of flavour and complimented the wines nicely.

Back to the wines, The ‘Four O’Clock’ Chardonnay and ‘Scarlet Runner’ Shiraz followed the Poppy. Both of which I’ve tried before and loved. For those of you who don’t like Chardonnay, try the ‘Four O’Clock’ I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. We finished with the ‘Sweet Pea’ Moscato which the bar tenders at Laneway mixed into a superb cocktail with Aperol, an Italian aperitif. This was very fresh and citrusy, easy to drink. A quick tip - if you like Moscato, try it with Gin for a tasty and easy to make cocktail.

I highly recommend trying these wines if you love a good drop, you’ll be saving yourself a headache from preservatives and also promoting the benefits of organic farming for the environment. 

Festival Flavours

Brisbane Festival started recently with a huge exciting program of events for the next few weeks. During the festival some of Brisbane's top restaurants are participating in Festival Flavours, offering delicious dining deals from 8th-29th September.

Here is a quick taste of the culinary delights on offer:

5ifth Element

Two course meal plus any James Squire beer or any Vinaceous wine - $50

Stokehouse Brisbane

Lemon and dill battered local flathead, hand cut chips, tartare sauce, cress matched with a James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale - $30

Libertine Restaurant

Libertine Street Food Platter for two with 375ml Carafe of Vinaceous Rose -$30

QAGOMA

Roast rack of lamb, crusted in mustard served with rosemary roasted honey glazed root vegetables and redcurrant jus matched 2010 Vinaceous 'Raconteur' Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley. - $50

Watt Restaurant + Bar

Two share plates (BBQ prawns/Seared sirloin/Duck spring rolls/Zucchini flowers) + two beverages (Vinaceous Sparkling/White/Red wine or James Squire Cider/Pale ale) - $40

Check out the latest Style Magazine for more participating restaurants.  Make sure you mention Brisbane Festival or Festival Flavours to claim these offers.

Laneway Love

I'm still having withdrawals from my indulgent week in Melbourne. There was plentiful food, wine and shopping. Read on to escape to the Melbourne laneway culture, culinary delights and restaurant hot spots.

After checking in to our hotel on Little Burke Street my travelling companion and I decided our first priority was food and we ventured to nearby Chinatown. It was late on a Tuesday evening and there were plenty of restaurants still abuzz with diners. Seven days a week you can get a decent restaurant meal until early morning, one of my favourite things about Melbourne.

Ling Nan Chinese Restaurant, open till 3.30am, was the perfect choice for hungry travellers. Cheap and cheerful is probably the best way to describe Ling Nans, the food was good and the staff very attentive. Bed time..

First day in beautiful Melbourne city, we walked briskly in the chilly wind to Brunswick Street. Forgetting how far down the street you actually have to walk before happening upon cafes in hindsight we should have caught a tram. By the time we reached Don Vincenzo, we were starving! Breakfast is what gets me up in the morning so having to walk a couple kilometres to get it is an effort for me. I chose Relish me - poached eggs sour dough, homemade beetroot and tomato relish, avocado and marinated feta. A very satisfying breakfast dish, it gave me the energy I needed to get some shopping done!

Seeking out laneway graffiti art we chose a late lunch at Movida Hosier Lane. One of my favourite spots in Melbourne, Movida offers a unique Spanish tapas experience. We managed to squeeze in a few plates one being a deliciously silky Duck Liver Parfait with Pedro Ximenez Foam and Toasted Brioche - it was absolutely stunning and inspired me to make another attempt at making my own parfait.

It was time for a nap. What? Don't judge, holidays are tiring.

Before dinner we stopped in at the City Wine Shop for a sticky beak at the vast array of wines they stock and tried a glass of Michael Hall Piccadilly Chardonnay with a Tasmanian cheddar and more duck parfait.  Not quite as good as Movida's but amazing all the same. We sat at a long wooden table out the back of the shop where all the wine was stored, the walls adorned with wine region maps from all over the world.

Dinner that evening was at the exclusive Izakaya Den. Hard to spot from the street (even when looking for it) Izakaya Den is located in a basement below street level and is seriously cool. With an expansive, sleek bar, we had to wait for a spot, but once seated food comes quickly. It's exciting to watch the Chefs in the kitchen behind the bar and the waiters busily attending to everyone. The menu was short but everything we tasted spectacular. Here is a teaser of what we tried: Kingfish sashimi, Zucchini and pickled ginger tempura and the grilled lotus root. 

The next day we made our way to the Queen Victoria Markets, not for trash and treasure but more food.  First we walked through the stalls abundant with fresh gourmet produce. Next, the cheese and deli section. With so many choices I was overwhelmed and wanting to suddenly be the host of a dinner party.

We purchased a few treats including Murray River Pink Salt and enjoyed some cheese tasting, then off to St Kilda, the gorgeous seaside town just outside of the Melbourne CBD. A trendy cafe and shopping precinct, St Kilda has a very relaxed atmosphere.  We perused a number of cake shops before settling in to a bar with comfy couches. Visit on a sunny day to take in the views of Port Phillip.

Still in a relaxed mood when we arrived back in the city, we caught up with a friend at Section 8 for pre-dinner drinks. Located down one of Melbourne's sexy alley ways, Section 8 is an outdoor container bar and a great place to start the evening.

We moved on to Cookie for dinner. Serving Thai cuisine, Cookie is decked out with mix and match furnishings, very trendy but service is a bit hit and miss. The food and wine were great but we had to wait 20 minutes for a booked table. Thankfully the company was delightful and we still had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Nearing the end of the trip, we decided to hire a car and drive to the Mornington Peninsula to stock up the cellar.  By cellar I mean precious cardboard box in our cupboard ;). The drive was lovely with beautiful scenery and I would have loved to spend more time in the Peninsula.  Instead we managed to visit three wineries - Port Phillip Estate, Montalto and Moorooduc Estate. All three excellent in their own right, but Port Phillip Estate definitely stood out with its views out to the bay and prestigious architecturally designed building.

Our final day in Melbourne and it finally rained, perfect to sit indoors with a glass of red and glaze outside at the passers-by. The Cellar Bar is the best spot in town to do just that. The shopfront to Grossi Florentino, it's a iconic spot for Melbourne locals. If you're feeling hungry you can pick up some delicious Italian cuisine, mmm comfort food.

Thanks to all who suggested their favourite places in Melbourne, all wonderful recommendations and much appreciated.