Scotch College

OSCA wine & food society

The members of the Wine and Food Society were true gourmet travellers last Spring. Activities have ranged from tasting wonderful reds from Bordeaux, hearing about the amazing expansion plans for the Australian Wine Industry into the 21st century, experiencing a true Japanese banquet, marching around the Mornington Peninsula, with the bushwalkers sampling wines at three local wineries, before recovering with a gourmet picnic, and the traditional pre-Christmas sparkling finale for the year.

Reds from Bordeaux

In conjunction with the Junior School Parents' Assoc, 33 members and 18 friends from the JSPA including the Junior School Head Master and Deputy and their wives attended the Cardinal Pavilion to taste a selection of wines from the Bordeaux region of France. Ian Bird the Fine Wines Manager at Negociants Australia gave an excellent introduction to Bordeaux wines in simple and entertaining terms that was appreciated by all. The wines tasted were of high quality from the key regions of Pomerol, Graves, Margaux, Pauillac and St Julien.

September Japanese banquet

Continuing the 1997 tradition of international cuisine and wines, a splendid dinner took place at Ocha in Kew on 24 September. Eighteen members and friends enjoyed the Ocha's well known and highly respected traditional presentation of the delicate and exquisite tastes of a Japanese banquet. New committee member John McDonald joined Ian Loftus in selecting an excellent range of light whites and reds to complement the banquet. A particular highlight was the 1995 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Rose. The winemaker Phillip Jones also kindly donated a few bottles of the 1996 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Rose, which gave the diners a wonderful opportunity to do a comparative tasting.

'A vine day for a walk'

On a warm and sunny spring morning in late October, the intrepid Wine Club members teamed up with the bushwalkers for a very enjoyable 9 km stroll around three picturesque Mornington Peninsula wineries T'Gallant, Villa Primaver and Red Hill Estate. The opportunity to taste the wines and meet the winemakers spurred on many a walker. At the end of the walk a catered gourmet picnic awaited the hardy walkers at Pam and Bill Marshall's property 'Merimendie' in Shoreham. Special thanks to the Marshalls, and the organising committee comprising David Long and David Stanley for organising such a wonderful event, that is sure to be repeated next year.

A truly international sparkling tasting

Our final function for the year was the ever popular festive sparkling tasting at the Cardinal Pavilion in late November and it had a truly international flavour. Douglas Hamilton the Australian Fine Wines Manager from McWilliams Wines presented their range of Australian sparklings together with an international comparative tasting of the delicious Champagne Taittinger from France, Henkel from Germany and Asti from Italy. The members and their friends enjoyed the opportunity to put in some pre-Christmas orders for festive wines and food.

1998 functions

1998 promises to be another busy year for the Wine and Food lovers, as the committee has organised a full range of events, including a combined tennis day and BBQ with the Tennis Club, more theme dinners, wine tastings, winery visits and picnic to the Macedon region, a wine trivia evening and another sparkling tasting. 1998 kicked off with a sell out summer dinner at Le Petit Bourgeois in Waverley Road, East Malvern, on 24 February. With the hard working efforts of all members of the committee, the club is continuing to grow and develop into a strong and very popular club as we look forward to 1998 and beyond. If you would like to join the Society in 1998, enquire about activities, or become more involved by joining the committee next year, please call Andrew Richards or Lynley Nimmo.