Marsanne is a white wine variety from the Rhone region the in the South of France where it is used in several appellations. For many years Chateau Tahbilk, now Tahbilk was the acknowledged champion of the variety in Australia, but there are now many more wineries using this fine variety.

Marsanne wines are quite enjoyable as young wines but they do age well. After about five years in the bottle the wines develop wonderful bouquets reminiscent of honeysuckle and baked apple.

Younger Marsannes with their crisp acidity can be enjoyed with seafood and antipasta. If you are lucky or patient enough to have a mellow, aged Marsanne then perhaps you could try it with roast chicken or perhaps baked fish.

You can find out more about this exciting variety at Vinodiversity’s page Marsanne in Australia

White Wine in Venice Paul Kenton Buy From Art.com

The Australian Alternative Variety Wine Show is held annually in Mildura. The Awards are presented at a Long Lunch, which is a degustation menu for the gold medal winning wines of the previous year. This event gives an opportunity to showcase the best alternative varietal wines with some of the best cuisine available.

Here is the menu for the 2006 Awards, served with the gold medal wines from 2005.
See also the 2006 gold medal winners.

The menu for the 2006 AAVWS Awards presentation

Starters
Eggplant fritters with spicy tomato salsa

• 2005 Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris
• 2005 Yalumba Y series Viognier
• 2004 Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier

First Course
Basil and lime cured ocean trout with rocket, fennel and citrus salad

• 2005 T’Gallant Pinot Grigio
• 2004 T’Gallant Inmogen Pinot Gris
• 2005 Murray Darling Collection Murray Cod Vermentino

Second Course
Roasted tart of potato, roasted capsicum, leek and capers served with proscuitto and basil pesto

• 2004 Cassella Yellowtail reserve Pinot Grigio
• 2005 Brown Brothers Pinot Grigio
• 2004 Yarra Burn Pinot Gris

Third Course
Gnocchetti with veal and porcini ragout

• 2006 Murray Darling Collection Negro Amaro
• 2004 Dunn’s Creek Estate Barbera

Fourth Course
Braised local beef cheeks with soft polenta and gremolata

• 2004 Yalumba Tempranillo Grenache and Viognier
• 2004 Stuart Wines Tempranillo- Buddhas wine

Fifth Course
Extra mature Limestone Cheddar with Peccorino Romano and local muscatels

• 2003 Westend Durif
• 2003 Ferngrove King Malbec

Dessert Course
Summer Berry Pudding with creme anglaise

• 2005 Trentham Estate La Famiglia Moscato

Pinot Grigio Louise Max Buy This Print From Art.com

This is a splendid feast for a dozen or so people. It needs a courtyard and a long sunny afternoon with plenty of good friends. If you serve it in winter, don’t worry, the earthy flavours will enable you and your guests to dream of a sunny courtyard.

A note on the ingredients - you can scale the quantities up and down and substitute for out of season vegetables.

Seafood ingredients (about 200g per person more you use shellfish):
Salt cod, firm fleshed fish fillets, scallops, prawns, oysters, mussels, crabs, baby octopus or even lobster

Vegetables: any or all of the following
New potatoes steamed
Fresh beetroot, wrap in foil, bake in moderate oven for 1 hour, then rub off skin
Baby carrots, blanched
Small green beans, blanched
Fresh artichokes trimmed and boiled for 20 minutes
Asparagus, steamed
Cauliflower broken into florets and steamed

12 eggs, hardboiled shelled and halved
About 2 cups of aioli see recipe
Parsley or fresh herbs to garnish.
Some crusty French bread sticks.

This whole thing is a bit of a logistical nightmare, so aim to have the vegetables prepared early and kept warm rather than hot. As each is ready place it onto warm serving platter or too, gradually assembling the feast. A slotted spoon is very handy for all of this.

The seafood ingredients should be poached in water or you could use stock. Cook the salt cod separately. I retain the cooking liquor from the other seafoods to make a soup later.

When the seafood is ready arrange it on your platter(s) with the vegetables and top with the boiled eggs. Scatter over some parsley.

Serve with breadsticks and bowls of aioli so that guests can help themselves.

You need plenty of cold white wine with this dish. I would recommend a Marsanne or perhaps a Viognier. Another choice would be a Provencal style rose, perhaps made from Grenache or perhaps Mourvedre.

Garlic Showing the Purple… Buy From Art.com