Image credit: Peter Lehmann Wines
Last week, I was a lucky skunk and got to attend “an evening of sensory delights” at The Bridge Room in Sydney.
Wine and food. Everyone knows it’s a better pairing than Batman and Robin, Barack and Michelle, Lennon and McCartney. Yet, at its Vino & Violins event, the Barossa-based Peter Lehmann Wines took wine pairing well beyond the plate, matching its fine wines, with fine food and the fine sounds of the violin. A Thursday night doesn’t get much swankier than that!
The Bridge Room
The location for this sensory exploration was The Bridge Room. Good choice, with the five-year-old modern Australian restaurant, of course, being in the upper echelon of Sydney’s restaurant society.
The creation of acclaimed chef Ross Lusted, The Bridge Room is tucked just back from Circular Quay and has a very weighted mantelpiece, having won all kinds of awards. Good Food Guide’s Restaurant of the Year in 2016 and Chef of the Year in 2014, plus it’s #15 on Gourmet Traveller’s Top Best Restaurants in Australia List for 2019 – just to name a few gongs.
Naturally, I’ve been itching to try The Bridge Room, ever since I arrived off the boat back in 2016, and it didn’t disappoint.
Update June 2019: Despite the acclaim, The Bridge Room has sadly closed up kitchen.
Image credit: Peter Lehmann Wines
See, smell, taste, hear
Throughout the evening, us lucky skunks were treated to a four-course menu created by Lusted himself, which was paired with Peter Lehmann’s top-shelf wines, as well as a live performance from Australian Chamber Orchestra violinists Aiko Goto and Thibaud Pavlovic-Hobba, who matched the music to the characteristics in the wine.
Things kicked off with canapés of cured ocean trout, ash-grilled Wagyu beef and sweet corn cakes, which were coupled with Peter Lehmann Wines’ Sparkling Cuvée Pinot Noir Chardonnay and Grenache Rosé. All party-starters.
Entrée consisted of red claw yabbies from Queensland, matched with a zesty Riesling (a highlight) and Semillon, and two equally zesty violin pieces (one Mozart).
Main course entailed grilled Robata lamb from New South Wales (supporting the farmers), which was paired with an unreal Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The music this time was richer, with more depth and ‘meat’ to it.
Then we were officially spoilt with a dessert consisting of meringue, lemon curd, pineapple, white chocolate and caramel, and a well-paired Botrytis Semillon. Yep, Friday morning Body Step was officially off the cards.
Ash-grilled Wagyu beef, mushroom cream, ponzu and citrus ash
Sweet corn cakes, miso, shiso and chilli threads
Red claw yabbies, spiced peppers, aged apple vinegar, orange butter and carrot salad
Robata grilled lamb, pressed tomato, whipped polenta, caper leaves and native thyme
2013 Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon | Image credit: Peter Lehmann Wines
Meringue, lemon curd, pineapple in muscovado, white chocolate and caramel
Image credit: Peter Lehmann Wines
A wine education
The husband asked me the other day what I miss most about living in Adelaide. Family, friends, of course. But after that I’d have to say easy access to wine regions and the wine culture of South Australia. I grew up believing it was my God-given right to be able to access award-winning wine at all times. Nipping down to McLaren Vale and restocking the wine rack was a regular Saturday arvo activity. I REALLY miss being able to do that.
So it was just luscious to spend an evening with the Peter Lehmann wine gurus and talk about wine – good South Australian wine.
