Barossa Gourmet Weekend 2014: Just Desserts & Fortified
Sunday 17th August 2014
We were excited to be hosting this intimate indulgent treat as part of Barossa Gourmet Weekend.?A?sell-out crowd were taken behind the scenes of the world of fortified wine covering the grape varieties, barrel ageing, food matching and most importantly the sensory experience.
Guests enjoyed an afternoon master class hosted by Ron Liebich and his daughter Briony.
The Tasting
A series of Grenache-based tawnys of different ages were compared to show how varietal flavours and woody flavours integrate and develop into complex liqueur wines. We tasted Ruby Grenache (1 year old), Classic Old Barossa (10 years), 20th Anniversary Tawny (20 years).
Matching Fortified with Desserts
Briony works as a Sensory Analyst and provided insights into basic taste interactions and why we love sweet flavours. The desserts were prepared by local chef Kate Harbison using as many local ingredients as possible. The desserts inspired by French cuisine as Ron and Janet had the privilege of visiting France this year.
Here are the wines and desserts served as complementary pairings:
Pairing #1
Classic Muscat ?- Apricot Frangipane Tart with Jersey cream
Pairing #2
Classic Frontignac ? Wine-spiced poached pear with cinnamon quince glaze
Pairing #3
Classic Semillon ? Cr?me brulee cheesecake with vanilla-infused orange slice
Pairing #4
Grand Tawny ? Choux puffs and port-soaked prune creme anglaise with dark chocolate sauce
Thanks to everyone who attended and assisted with this true sweet indulgence!