Scotch College

B is for Bollinger ... and BYO

The Boykett Room in the Cardinal Pavilion became a BYO venue for the Wine and Food Society's evening on 3 May. This was a departure from the normal arrangements and proved to be a great success.

On arrival, members and guests were greeted by a welcoming glass of Bollinger.

President Mary Gyles then introduced committee member Chris Ericksen who began the evening with a basic outline of wine appreciation.

Chris put his personal interest in wine and his training and professional experience to good use. In the 1980s his company, Winetech, analysed wines for wine producers, especially those in the export market. He provided his audience with some sensible and practical advice and an explanation of the process of scoring wines for comparative assessment.

Members had been asked to bring their own wine and to present it to the others at their table. Over the next hour and a half the Boykett Room resounded with spirited discussion of the merits of the various wines which had been brought along.

To accompany the wines, Hamish Long had, once again, selected three superb cheeses from Richmond Hill Café and Larder and a range of splendid breads.

Prompting just as much comment as the wines, the cheeses were a pleasant surprise. The Piano Farm Aged was a fabulous fruity, sweet, caramelly cheese with a complex flavour. The other two were French.

(The ban on British dairy products has played havoc with the cheese market.) The Fromage de Meux, from Tournan en Brie, just outside Paris, was rich, eggy and condensed with mushroomy aromas.

Perhaps the cheese of the night was the Fourme d'Ambert from Auvergne in central France. Much older than English Stilton, although similar in appearance, this cheese is pressed, giving it a denser texture; it is a cheese of sumptuous character.

No-one was anxious to leave. The night had been a great success and it reinforced the notion that there is still a place in Melbourne for those three little letters . . . BYO.

David Thomson