SIRROMET is luring fine diners and wine connoisseurs with a dinner series offering the finest produce south-east Queensland has on offer.
To add a little spice to the mix, the winery started the series with a guest winemaker and chef who talked to diners about the courses and vintages.
The first dinner last week featured Sirromet executive chef Mathew Fulford and Chris Hagan from the award-winning The Long Apron on the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Guest winemaker was Michael Dhillon from Bindi Wines in Victoria.
Mr Dhillion said his winery in the Macedon Ranges near Melbourne operated in the coldest conditions of all Australian wineries.
This helped it produce quality chardonnay and pinto noir wines.
“We don’t use any pesticides or anything like that,” Mr Dhillon said. “The focus is pretty much on soil and vine health.”
He and Mr Chapman told about 80 degustation diners about the wines being served, how each varied and how each complemented a course.
Long Apron chef Chris Hagan prepared the canapes, featuring zucchini blossoms with charred leek and goat’s curd and creamy potato, foie gras and strawberry served on crunchy dark Cobia tostada.
Sirromet’s executive chef Mathew Fulford’s dishes included Mooloolaba tuna with bell peppers, sherry and black garlic, Muscovy duck and butternut squash served with citrus-flavoured cumquat.
Coal-grilled oyster blade was served blue rare, with spring onion, native thyme and a hint of chilli. It was matched with a 2016 Signature Collection shiraz viognier and a 2013 Bindi Pyrett shiraz.
The dinner finished off with a desert of mulberry, sheep’s whey, pinenut, and fennel served with a Late Harvest pinot gris.
The dinner included a knock-out wine challenge for diners featuring a blind tasting.
Marketing manager Michelle Braiuka said the dinner series would likely resume in February.
“This event was $149 per person, however this may be increased in the new year,” she said. “This was a special including wines.”
Ms Braiuka said the normal five-course degustation with matching wines was $185 per person and eight course with wines was $240 per person.
