Yalumba Wine Tasting with Jane Ferrari at Cafe Maxx

“Sippin Bordeaux out in Bordeaux

Hazard lights flashing on the four-door

Switch the Benzo for the Enzo

Back to the Benzo when the ends low”

Rick Ross The Devil is a lie

After seeing the debate last night I am glad that we just booked our lodging at Londolozi and the airline tickets today for our South African Wine Country Safari and Silver Seas cruise.  Who knows what will happen with this election so I’m going to pop as many great bottles as I can and take that “Once in a Lifetime” vacation this year instead of waiting till my 50th.  Check out the calendar of events for the itinerary next February and all of the incredible events coming up over the next few months before we leave there are a lot of amazing tastings on the schedule. 

One of the most memorable winery visits on my last trip to Australia was to this Yalumba Winery, the oldest family owned winery in the Barossa Valley and still one of the most important.  In addition to being a top quality producer, Yalumba also owns a nursery that produces most of the root stock providing many of the up and coming wineries with the raw materials that will become the next great vineyards for decades to come. 

Tonight we have winemaker Jane Ferrari on hand to guide us through a selection of this landmark wineries top selection.  Chef Oliver Saucy will be making a special tasting menu to accompany the wine, the fee for this event is $75 + tax + Gratuity for reservations call 782-0606 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Check out the new Dine-Out menu at Café Maxx which is good every night but Saturdays till October 16th.  Chef Oliver Saucy really over delivers with the menu this year featuring a three course meal for $36!  We have included the menu after this offering before the WIDY featuring Mauro wines.  Remember- Always Drink the Good Stuff First!!

Yalumba Dinner with Jane Ferrari at Cafe Maxx
Tuesday, October 4th
7pm

First course

Seared jumbo sea scallop over apple and brie bread pudding
kaffier lime beurre blanc and roasted calabaza squash

2015 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Dry Riesling     
Price: $15.75    Sale $13.86    Case $161.00

Good winter and early spring rains in the Eden Valley filled the soils and set the vines up well for the 2014 vintage. A windy spring led to uneven set and then in November, with the vines at full-growth, the lower parts of the vineyard experienced an unseasonal frost further reducing the potential crop. Late spring and summer were dry and warm. On Valentine’s Day the season changed and up to 150 mm of rain fell in just over 24 hours. This and the following cool weather caused ripening to slow down and the rest of vintage progressed at an almost leisurely pace. No subsequent rain meant that disease pressure was minimal. A low cropping vintage produced wines with intense flavours and some of the best natural acids we have seen at Pewsey Vale Vineyard.

Around 2 grams of residual, everything is organically farmed, they make three different Rieslings here, this version has green apple, white peach and lime citrus all stainless and a bit of stone like minerality and white flowers.  A fresh and zesty wine on the tongue with a bit of that sweet tart fruit, a nice zesty lime citrus and mineral notes through the finish.  Finish 35+         Very Good +

2010 Pewsey Contours Riesling       
Price: $29.00    Sale $25.52    Case $296

Produced from old vines farmed on the coolest slope. Bottle ageing for five years before release transforms fresh lemon and floral aromatics into a complex wine of limes and brioche. Further richness and complexity will accumulate over future decades.

The Contours 2010 is a rich and intensely flavoured bottle-aged Riesling. Pale straw in colour with green hues, there are intense classic lemon fruit aromas, with a hint of white flowers, and bottle aged characters of toast, clove oil and lemon grass have started to emerge. The palate shows great length and depth with concentrated power, pristine fresh lime juice overlaid with toasted brioche, sage oil and lemon grass. The wine finishes with a fresh natural acidity which balances the flavour intensity. Released in 2015 after 5 years of bottle age, this wine will gracefully continue to age for many years for those who appreciate bottle aged Riesling. Try with Foie Gras or duck breast with five spice glaze.

Second Course

Cardamom & green peppercorn seared Wahoo, ginger-scallion basmati rice
avocado and mango-sweet chili sauce

2014 Yalumba Virgilius Viognier            
Price: $38.00    Sale $33.44    Case $388

The Virgilius is Yalumba’s most distinguished Viognier – a wine that demonstrates power complemented by restraint. As Yalumba’s most premium and enchanting white wine, it is adored by wine lovers searching for a unique wine that advances beyond the more conventional offering.

Third Course

Wild mushroom stuffed Portobello, Italian sausage
creamy porcini-leek demi glace sauce and molten truffle pecorino

2011 Yalumba Tri-centenary Grenache        
Price: $48.00    Sale $42.24    Case $490

A true individual showcasing the essence of Grenache. Hand picked from just 820 gnarly old Bush Vines planted in 1889, these wines have been in the ground for over 125 years. Their home is two acres of estate owned sandy soil over yellow-brown clay in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Year after year these veteran vines give up small quantities of exceptional grapes.

Fourth course

Blackberry currant glazed lamb rib eye, root vegetable gratin
roasted heirloom cauliflower and natural sauce

2010 Yalumba Octavius Shiraz            
Price: $107.50    Sale $94.60    Case $1097

This is from vines an average age of 50+ years of age and is aged in French, American and Hungarian oak, dense and rich on the nose with blackberry jam, violets, dark spices and espresso.  Wow really dense and rich on the tongue with thick juicy black cherry liqueur like fruit, sweet tobacco spice, dark mocha, licorice and more as this wine opens, built for the long haul, a firm hand of acidity holding things together.  Finish 50+              Most Excellent

2013 Yalumba Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon Connawarra            
Price: $48.00    Sale $42.24    Case $490.00

A cooler climate Cabernet with notes of cigar box spice green herbs and minty mint chocolate notes.  A good amount of currant and dark plum fruit with fine tannins and a firm hand of acidity that cigar box spice and green herbs coming through on the finish, even better on the second day, long layered finish.  Finish  45+      Excellent +

2013 Yalumba Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz        
Price: $53.00    Sale $46.64    Case $541

Dark currant and cassis berry fruit with notes of dark chocolate, menthol and dark berry fruit.  Matured in French, American and Hungarian oak, they make 800 barrels a year but also buy some.  A lot of rich ripe succulent dark plum and cherry fruit with blackberry kirsch like notes here along with that dark chocolate, menthol and although big a nice freshness and balanced finish.  Finish 45+          Excellent +

Dessert
Fallen chocolate soufflé cake, warm chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream

The fee for the Tasting is $75 + tax + gratuity for reservations call 954-782-0606.

A bit about Yalumba Winery:

Five generations and 160 years later Yalumba, Australia's oldest family owned winery, has grown in size and stature, embodying all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers the world over.

Having just turned 35, Samuel Smith departs his hometown of Wareham, Dorset with his wife Mary and their four children. Boarding a three-masted barque called China, the family set sail from Plymouth to Port Adelaide, arriving 11 days before Christmas. After a short time in Adelaide, the family load their possessions into a dray and trek north to a small settlement called Angaston. Samuel works as a gardener for the town’s eponymous Angas family and in 1849 plants his own vineyard with son Sidney.

The settlement of South Australia was drained of men seeking their fortunes in the goldfields of New South Wales and Victoria. Samuel was not one to be left behind, returning four months later with £300 of gold. With this he purchases 80 acres of land, two horses and a harness – thereby cementing Yalumba’s place in the world. A year later Yalumba’s first wine is released. By 1858 Samuel is dominating the local wine shows – a trend that hasn’t slowed in more than 166 years.

Brothers Walter and Percy Smith stand where their father and grandfather planted the first vines by moonlight, 61 years before. Rising two stories above them is a remarkable 155-foot-long building crafted from Angaston marble – a testament to the Smith family traits of hard work, determination and a keen eye for beauty. The Yalumba Clocktower, as it became known, took two years to construct and Sidney Smith, who no doubt reflected how far his family had come since he left Dorset as a 10-year-old, passed away not long after its completion.

Yalumba breaks new ground by serving its Four Crown “Port” at the most remote Christmas party in the world: in Antarctica. The members of Sir Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic Research Expedition enjoy the warming port alongside Emperor Penguin with a piquant sauce, and English ham. In later years Yalumba would be among one of the first corporate sponsors of the Australian thoroughbred racing, as well as showcasing its fine wines at other sporting and cultural events.

Still only in his 20s, fourth generation family member Wyndham Hill-Smith is scoring runs on the board – for both the business and for Australia. A keen cricketer, playing for both the state and national teams, Windy also manages Yalumba’s thriving business in Perth, until fate deals a shattering blow. In April 1938 Windy’s father Walter succumbs to a long battle with cancer. Six months later his elder brother Sidney is killed in a plane accident. Not yet 30, Windy is called back to Angaston to manage what is now a growing wine business, post the depression years in a world readying for WWII.

The wine that comes to epitomise Yalumba, a Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz blend simply called The Signature, is released. Honouring someone who personifies the very heart of Yalumba, The Signature over the years recognises family members, story tellers, sales people, winemakers and unequivocally loyal supporters. With four years of bottle age, the inaugural 1962 vintage of The Signature aptly honours the pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit of Samuel Smith.

By the 1970's Australian wine tastes are changing rapidly– fortified and sweet wines are being replaced by dry reds and whites, with wine drinkers becoming increasingly interested in how and where their wine is being crafted. In response to this sentiment, Yalumba renovates its old brandy bond store into a Wine Room. It also holds its first Museum ‘Library’ Tasting – an event that will become much lauded and highly sought after as the family’s private collection of Australian and international wines grows.

Like his father and great-great-grandfather before him, youth does not stand in the way of Robert Hill-Smith, who takes over the helm as Managing Director at age 34. A pioneer in his own right, Hill-Smith innovates the table wine market, instigates a complete buy out of all other family share-holders, insists on growing varietals matched to terroir and builds a team of talented young individuals across all areas of the family wine business.

After nearly two decades of experimentation with Viognier, Yalumba had gained sufficient confidence by 1998 to release its first vintage of its pre-eminent white wine The Virgilius Viognier. The wine was crafted by a promising young winemaker by the name Louisa Rose, who at that time had been with Yalumba for five years after graduating her winemaking university degree as dux in 1992. Louisa is arguably now the most influential maker of Viognier around the world.

A group of 12 family owned wineries collaborate to create Australia’s First Families of Wine – a multi-generational group of exceptional Australian winemakers. Yalumba is part of this tour de force, travelling around Australia and to the USA, UK, China and Canada to showcase the heritage, diversity, longevity, provenance and quality of Australian fine wine. Whilst their wines may be market competitors, each participating family member recognises that by joining together to share their stories and showcase their iconic wines they can shift the dial of perception wherever they journey. Together, the 12 families are custodians of more than 5000 hectares of estate vineyards and have 1200 years of winemaking experience.

The marketplace for wines has undergone significant change, with consolidation and disintermediation throughout the supply chain in most markets. Boutique wineries compete for space on restaurant wine lists and technology sees a major shift in how people search for and buy their tipple of choice. Amid this climate, Nick Waterman becomes the first non-family member to take on the role of Yalumba Managing Director after 12 years overseeing the company’s distribution in Australia and New Zealand. He assumes the role vacated by Robert Hill-Smith, who takes on the role as Chairman of the Board. A new era begins.

Orin Swift was just sold to Gallo so they are in the processs of changing distributors.  Should have pricing on the stiff arriving later this week soon.

Dine out Lauderdale your entrée into greater Fort Lauderdale's gourmet scene
Café Maxx participating every night except Saturday through October 16th

DineOut_CafeMaxx Join us for Dine Out Lauderdale, a six-week celebration of the area's top restaurants, chefs and cuisine, through October 16. Enjoy the best of Greater "Fork" Lauderdale, when top restaurants offer specially-created, three-course prix fixe dinner menus for $36, Discover the mouthwatering ingredients that make dining here so LauderLicious.

SAMPLE MENU

First Course Amuse

Escargot & Wild Mushroom Pot Pie, sundried tomato, fines herbs and leeks

Beef & Ginger Braised Pot Stickers, napa cabbage & pineapple-teriyaki slaw & sweet chili

Summer Fruit Gazpacho with goat cheese,tarragon & cucumber

Crispy Fried Thai Brussels Sprouts in sweet chili dressing with vegetable slaw & baby greens

Sterling Beef Carpaccio with garlic aioli, crostini, caper & herb confetti, virgin oil and arugula salad

Banana-lime Grilled Shrimp with sweet mashed potatoes, crispy fried plantains and tropical fruit salsa

Asian BBQ Beef Meatballs with scallion mashed potatoes, stir fry vegetables & mosaic of sauces

Classic Café Maxx Caesar Salad, garlic croutons, Reggianno parmesan, extra virgin olive oil

Penne pasta "Mac and Cheese" with bacon, trio of cheeses and parmesan gremolata

Beef Tenderloin Tartare with mushrooms, capers, truffle aioli and crostinis
Shrimp & Vegetable Volute Soup

Main course

Grilled chicken Picatta with pearled couscous & parmesan flan with lemon caper-basil butter

GF Three Peppercorn Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Yukon gold mashed potatoes & roasted vegetables

GF Black & Red Raspberry Glazed Breast of Duck with cream cheese & chive risotto, and natural sauce

GF Sweet Onion Crusted Yellowtail Snapper, Madeira butter, scallion mashed potatoes and gaufrette potatoes

GF Cashew & Macadamia Nut Crusted Fish of the day, sweet mashed potatoes, tropical fruit salsa & plantain chips

Braised Beef Bolognese & rigatoncini pasta, Italian sausage, plum tomatoes, basil, garlic and parmesan

Grill Blackened Yellowfin Tuna Tacos, buttermilk chipotle-ranch slaw, jack cheese, pico de gallo

Shrimp Scampi Linguine shaved fennel, fresh tomato, spinach, garlic pernod butter

Hoisin & Ginger Glazed Meatloaf, stir-fry vegetables & scallion mash

Dessert

*Key Lime Pie with blueberry sauce - *Coconut Flan - *Tropical carrot cake with pineapple cream cheese*Mixed berry cheesecake and mosaic of sauces - *Bittersweet chocolate tart with warm chocolate sauce

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL
954-782-0606

Café Maxx | 2601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL 33062 | https://www.cafemaxx.com