Jane Ferrari, Yalumba, The Barossa

Jane Ferrari’s visit to Ballymaloe House and Ballymaloe Cookery School

Guest author of this blog: John Quinlan, Ballymaloe

Yalumba winery
Yalumba winery

On Thursday 29th of September I was delighted to meet with Jane Ferrari, the wine ambassador of Yalumba which is located in The Barossa in South Australia., and have lunch with Jane in the Ballymaloe Cookery School earlier in the afternoon. Over lunch, Jane met with ‘’ Famous Auntie Florence’’ (see Jane’s blog here about Aunty Florence here ) and fellow Ballymaloe Sommelier and wine tutor Colm McCan. We had a really interesting conversation about Yalumba and The Barossa as I heading to The Barossa in 2012 to get work experience in the wine industry.

Jane Ferrari at Ballymaloe Cookery School
Jane and Darina talking to the students

After lunch we went to the Afternoon Demo in which  Darina Allen was teaching, and Darina very kindly took some time out of the busy afternoon cooking schedule, and welcomed and introduced Jane to all the students. Pictured below is Jane and Darina with all the students getting a talk from Jane about the region and history of Yalumba and The Barossa. She spoke about the food, heritage and wines of her region which was really interesting. Our thanks to Kieran Coady and Aonghus Walsh from Cassidy Wine Merchants for arranging the visit of Jane Ferrari to Ballymaloe)

The Grain Store

All set for Jane’s talk in The Grain Store, Ballymaloe

Later that afternoon we attended a wine tasting of a very interesting selection of some of the different wines from Yalumba. (also see Billy Lyons ‘Restaurants and Food in Cork’  great blog and line-up of wines here about this Yalumba event at Ballymaloe with Jane Ferrari).  I picked up some very interesting information on  the wines.

Janes talk in the Grain Store
Jane's talk in The Grain Store

Jane gave a fantastic presentation and tasting – she got a standing ovation at the end (first time ever this has happened at a wine talk in Ballymaloe – well done Jane), and also mentioned her enjoyment and love of all things Sporting, especially Rugby and Horse Racing (two things Ireland excel at – come on Ireland in the Rugby World Cup), and Jane is a fan of local rugby hero, Corkman Ronan O’Gara (Munster and Ireland)

Jane and the Cassidy Team
Jane with Rebecca (The Grain Store), Kieran and Aonghus (Cassidy Wine Merchants)

Jane also spoke about her background – growing up in Alice Springs with her Italian background – she remembers having wine on Sunday as a young person – with a drop or lemonade or water added to it! All part of life in the good old days. She had the room in knots of laughter when she compared Viognier to Paris Hillton – ‘constantly needs lots of attention’ and compared Grenache to George Clooney – ‘turns up well dressed and well mannered all the time!’

John Quinlan

John Quinlan, Ballymaloe

John Quinlan, author of this blog on Jane Ferrari’s visit to Ballymaloe,  pictured here at another recent very interesting event at Ballymaloe Cookery School (in the middle of the glasshouse at the Ballymaloe Cookery School – ‘Outstanding in the Field’ – a concept where 100 people have dinner at one long table ‘outstanding in the field’ – as close as possible to the source of the ingredients for the dinner-  see Ballymaloe’s Colm McCan wine blog on this event here  the blog of The Irish Country Houses and Restaurants Association ‘The Blue Book’.

Colm, JR, Samuel and Jo
Colm, JR, Samuel and Jo

Jane also hosted a great wine dinner that evening in Ballymaloe – pictured are JR Ryall, Pastry Chef, Ballymaloe House, with Jo, Chef, and Colm, Samuel, and John (taking the photo!) at Ballymaloe working (hard at work – someone had to do it!) on matching the Yalumba Botrytis Viognier to a desset by JR – we matched it with Raspberry Almond Tartlet, Creme Brulee and Autumn Raspberry Ice-cream – delicious!

The ‘White Grange’

Penfolds ‘Bin 144’ Yattarna Chardonnay 2004

Yattarna 2004

Thanks to Edward Dillon & Co Wine Merchants, we had a very nice treat for the students of the 12 week course, during the Chardonnay module of the wine class – we were able to show the Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2004.

Picturted below is the brilliant Peter Gago, chief winemaker at Penfolds (and the iconic Penfolds Grange – the Yattarna is sometimes referred to as the ‘White Grange’). During his visit to Ireland last year, Colm did a short video clip with Peter for the iPad Wine List at Ballymaloe – focussing on the high-profile ‘Penfolds Re-Corking Clinics undertaken around the world. (See the nice article ‘Apples for Dinner’ by Jancis Robinson MW on the Ipad Wine List at Ballymaloe here)
Peter Gago

Sealed under Screwcap – no cork taint, no random oxidation and promoting freshness & longevity. Penfolds has had well over a third of a century’s successful experience with white wine screwcap closures (e.g. the ideally preserved 1972 Penfolds Dalwood Riesling, 1980 Penfolds Autumn Riesling).

Marron at MagillPictured, is the matching dish I had with the Yattarna Chardonnay in the Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, Adelaide, South Australia – this dish is Kangaroo Island Marron with Samphire, Young Shoots, Peas and Organic Honey – this really matched well – great dining experience – with Chef Jock Zonfrillo, waitress Megan, and Sommelier Joshua Picken – delighted to see the Riedel Eve Decanter in use here as we also have one in use at Ballymaloe.

 

This wine was matured for 11 months in one year old (50%) and two year old (50%) French oak barriques.

Winemaker comments:

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Complex nose of fruits, custard apple, white nectarine, peach and freshly cut lime aromas are embraced by spicy, roasted hazelnut, vanilla and wheatmeal characters.

Palate: This wine is tightly structured with a fine backbone; Apple, grapefruit, melon
and subtle citrus flavours are surrounded by barrel ferment characters of fresh nougat
and roasted nuts. The subtle oak provides structure and complexity.

Peter Gago
Colm with Peter Gago at Magill Estate, Adelaide

Dave & Diana Palmer, Skillogalee, Clare Valley

Skillogalee is a boutique winery, owned and run by the Palmer Family, set amongst wooded hills in one of the most picturesque parts of the Clare Valley, in South Australia. We welcomed Dave and Diana Palmer, Skillogalee to Ballymaloe for a winemaker dinner on Friday 16th September.

Skillogalee has won great acclaim – “Our favourite South Australian winery” Lonely Planet; ‘Australian Top 100’ – Matthew Jukes; and ‘5 star wines; delicious, complex, and multi-dimensional’ – Decanter, September 2011 (The Skillogalee Clare Valley Riesling 2010 came top in a Decanter tasting of Australian and New Zealand Riesling’s – and also was the highest scored wine in the entire September 2011 issue of Decanter magazine)

Dave Palmer
Dave at Ballymaloe House

Over a matching dinner, we served the following wines, starting with the Skillogalee Sparkling Riesling (also see Billy Lyons ‘Restaurants and Food in Cork’ wonderful blog here on Dave and Di’s visit to Ballymaloe)

Skillogalee Sparkling Riesling

Skillogalee Riesling 2010
Skillogalee Gewürztraminer 2011
Skillogalee Trevarrick Riesling 2008
Skillogalee Cabernet Malbec Rosé 2010
Skillogalee The Cabernets 2006
Skillogalee Shiraz 2007
Skillogalee Liquer Muscat

Dave and Di also finished the evening with a little quiz – with some great bottles of Skillogalee for the winners – rounding off a superb evening. We very much look forward to their return to Cork.

at Skillogalee
Colm with Dave Palmer out in the vineyards at Skillogalee in The Clare Valley, South Australia
Diana and Dave Palmer
Diana & Dave Palmer, with Colm, at Skillogalee

Dave Palmer also co-hosted a Wine Australia Sommelier Masterclass in Dublin before his journey down south to Ballymaloe, with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland (and regular guest wine lecturer at Ballymaloe Cookery School), and John Wilson, well known wine writer, all pictured below during the Riesling Masterclass

Riesling Australia

 Wine Australia Ireland Sommelier Course

Pip Austin, Sileni Wines, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

Pip Austin, SileniSileni Estates vineyard and winery is located in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s oldest established vineyard area. Sileni Estates is named after the Sileni who featured in Roman mythology alongside Bacchus, the god of wine. They celebrated good wine, good food and good company.

Sileni boasts a state of the art winery, and the winemaking team have honed their winemaking skills in wineries around the world and strive to maintain high standards in environmentally sustainable viticultural and winemaking practices. Sileni Estates produce hand crafted wines that reflect the unique characteristics of the vineyards.

Pip is pictured among the tomatoes in the glasshouses at Ballymaloe Cookery School, during her recent visit. Our thanks to Mark O’Connor, www.dalcassianwines.com for arranging this visit.

 

 

 

Outstanding In The Field

A great event – one long table for 100 people  ‘outstanding in the field’ in the Ballymaloe Cookery School gardens glasshouse- as close as possible to the source of the food, along with great company – and of course great wine to match.

Albarino amoung the tomato plants in the glasshouse

 

Pictured, is the Albarino amoung the tomato plants in the glasshouse – read on, to see why, at Colm’s blog about the event, menu and matching wines, on the Irish Country Houses and Restaurants Association ‘The Blue Book’ website

Also a great article on the event on Ms Marmite Lovers blog