Never one to shy away from the glamorous or the decadent, SkyCity’s McLaren by the Sea Winemakers’ Dinner is an indulgent convergence of exquisite food and wine.
In the sleek surrounds of SkyCity’s lush lawns, McLaren by the Sea teams SkyCity’s Executive Chef, Karl Eland with McLaren Vale, one of Australia’s most prestigious wine regions on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. Boasting six courses, carefully designed around three wines per course from d’Arenberg, Wirra Wirra and Tatachilla wineries, the event also hosts the winemakers themselves on-hand to discuss their craft.
With delicious offerings like roasted white rabbit loin with braised pork belly confit and parsley root crust, and fresh South Australian oysters with white anchovies and Iberico ham, it’s going to be hard for any self respecting foodie to resist.
For Eland, food and wine matching is a delicate matter, taking into consideration all the elements of the meal; textures, flavours, the tannins for the reds and acidity for whites. “Wine-matching is an art form for both sommeliers and chefs, creating intricate tastes and contrasts between food and accompanying wine,” he says. “The right wine can enhance a dish to perfection.” The food and wine matching process is a passion of his, creating a completely different food experience. “This is because wine is like a spice”, says Eland. “Elements in the wine interact with the food to provide a different taste sensation. For every food action, there is a wine reaction.”
For those who’d like to carry this wine-matching into their day-to-day dining, Eland says it’s a simple matter of taste. “There are no hard and fast rules,” he explains, “but there are some simple guidelines. Try to match a wines body to the power of the strongest ingredient in the food and choose lighter wines for more delicate food items. For dessert, make sure the wine is sweeter than your dessert.”
When: Fri 20 Jul | 7.30pm
Where: SkyCity Darwin, Gilruth Ave, Mindil Beach
Cost: $175 per person
Info: skycitydarwin.com.au
Booking: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 8943 8922
