Introducing Bruce Tyrrell’s wine dinner and lunch

29th July 2010 at Riccarton House

An invitation from Tyrrell’s Wines (Voted Australian Winery of the year by James Halliday)

On Thursday 29th July, Bruce Tyrrell the Managing Director and 4th Generation owner of Tyrrell’s Wines from the Hunter Valley is hosting a lunch and dinner at Riccarton House the historic Deans’ family home.

Chef’s Jamie Bennett and Sam Marchant have prepared both a degustation lunch and dinner menu to compliment a range of Tyrrell’s award winning wines. Some sample fare below.

Roasted Akaroa salmon with sweet dill cucumber and lime crème fraice matched with Belford Hunter Valley Semillon 2004
Pepper cured beef fillet with roasted eggplant, walnuts, olives, pumpkin, mint and walnut pesto matched with Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2008.
Macaroon selection, Licorice, chocolate and black pepper, plum and shiraz matched with DB24 Shiraz 2005.

Following both the lunch and dinner, guests will be able to taste a range of exclusive award winning Tyrrrell’s wines which are listed below. Tyrrell’s through their New Zealand agent (Kahurangi Estate) have partnered with Christchurch’s fine wine retailer Vino Fino (188 Durham St, 3655134) to offer all the wines that either accompany the dishes or tasted after the respective meals at special prices for all orders placed at the time on the official order form that will accompany the menus on the day.

Spaces for both the lunch and dinner are limited so interested guests are urged to make early bookings direct with the team from Taste at Riccarton House.

Wines served with meals 2004 Belford Semillon (3 x Trophy, 6 x Gold’s, 96 James Halliday, 96 Huon Hook 2007 Old Winery Cabernet Merlot (87 points Big Red Wine Book) 2008 Rufus Stone Heathcoat Shiraz (Gold London International Wine Challenge 2010) 2006 Vat 47 Chardonnay (90 Robert Parker Wine Spectator 2005 DB 24 Wines to taste after the meals 2002 Vat 1 Semillon (13 x Gold medals, 96 James Halliday, 93 Robert Parker) 2004 Vat 8 Shiraz (1 x Trophy, 1 x Gold) 2007 Vat 47 Chardonnay (96 James Halliday) 2007 Vat 9 Shiraz (95 James Halliday, 94 Robert parker) 2007 Old Winery Shiraz (87 points Big Red Wine Book)

Lunch $55 per person
Dinner $85 per person includes matched wines

Bookings Taste at Riccarton House,16 Kahu Rd, Fendalton
Ph 3486190
Email info@tastefood.co.nz

NEW WAIRARAPA WINE CENTRE TO OPEN IN GREYTOWN

A new wine centre based in Greytown is set to become a cellar door for the entire Wairarapa region.

The Wairarapa Wine Centre, which will be located in the Old Library Building in Stella Bull Park, will give visitors the opportunity to taste a variety of local wines and gourmet food products, as well as the chance to meet the personalities behind them.

“The Wairarapa Wine Centre will be the cellar door for the region,” says Johner Estate winemaker Karl Johner. “This is a place where local wine makers will work together to showcase their products and give visitors the opportunity to not only sample their wines but also meet the people who create them.”

“The wine centre is also designed to increase the accessibility of northern Wairarapa growers to the public because at the moment many of these wineries do not have cellar doors.”

Scheduled to open in early September, the Wairarapa Wine Centre will specialise in the very best local wines and delicatessen style products.

Change on a Plate in Wellington

A new head chef and a new menu will soon greet diners to Plate Restaurant at Holiday Inn Wellington.

Gareth Walker took up the position of Head Chef in mid July and is looking forward to enhancing New Zealand produce and flavours with contemporary international twists.

Originally from the Waikato, Gareth trained in cuisine and hospitality in Dunedin before joining the five-star Jumeriah hotel group, based in London for three years. Gareth then returned to New Zealand in 2007, working as a Head Chef and then Food and Beverage Manager.

“Through my travels I’ve had the chance to observe and be inspired by the simplicity of various cooking methods and the quality of flavours that international cooking brings to the food.”

Gareth particularly enjoys cooking Mediterranean dishes and believes this is a style and taste-range that would be popular in New Zealand. “Plate’s Chef de Cuisine Jozsef Szekely has done a brilliant job with the present menu. I’m really looking forward to working with Jozsef and the rest of the Plate team to build on that work, developing new dishes our diners will find exciting and irresistible.”

General Manager Heather Idoine-Riley says Plate Restaurant has enjoyed popularity with the same Head Chef since the 4+ Star, design award-winning Holiday Inn Wellington opened in 2007. “However, a new kitchen leader always brings a certain freshness and creativity to both the menu and the atmosphere. We’re really delighted Gareth is joining our team.”

www.intercontinental.com