Shiraz Club
This fun little “club” is for wine lovers who look forward to a long Friday lunch, full of steaks, Shiraz and stories.
You can look forward to guest appearances by Winemakers, both well-known and unknown; Celebs, both famous and infamous, and Wine Enthusiasts, both knowledgeable and otherwise.
Held one a month in both Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, our private sommeliers Darren Davis and Darren Naylor are on hand to ensure order is maintained – usually!
Shiraz Club: Thorn Clarke Wines
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September 24th, 2010
Enjoy the best value long lunch in town, with a super line up of Shiraz, stories and a four-course feast centred around a big, succulent steak! In September we highlight Thorn Clarke's flagship wines along with many other sensations from the range. Thorn Clarke has six generations involvement in the the Barossa region's world famous wine industry and they have a strong belief in the age old saying "you can't make good wines from bad grapes".
Plus, don't miss the options game! Previous lunches have amazed us with large format wines including 1987 Henschke Hill of Grace 1.5lt, 1998 Irvine Grand Merlot 3lt, 2005 Dutschke Oscar Semmler Shiraz 6lt and 1993 Yalumba Octavius Shiraz 3lt. What will we surprise you with this time?
When: 12pm, Friday 24th September, 2010
Where: Bar Barossa, cnr of Adelaide and Macrossan Streets, Brisbane City
Tickets: $120pp, extremely limited & fully inclusive
Bookings: Brisbane@barbarossa.com.au or ph: 07 3832 3530
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Shiraz Club with Poet Rupert McCall
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October 8th, 2010
Enjoy the best value long lunch in town, with a super line up of Shiraz and a feast centered around a big succulent steak!
As irreverent MC, guest speaker and modern day poet, few can capture the essence of our country and its heroes like Rupert McCall. He has become the poet of our generation.
Join us as we learn more about Rupert's abilities, A Friday long lunch not to be missed. Book your seat now!
When: 12.00pm - 3.00pm, Friday 8th October, 2010
Where: Duporth Tavern, 56 Duporth Ave, Maroochydore
Tickets: $60pp, extremely limited & fully inclusive
RSVP: e: events@purplepalate.com or p: 0412 609 026
Shiraz Club Donny Goodmac
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October 29th, 2010
Enjoy the best value long lunch in town, with a super line up of Shiraz and a feast centered around a big succulent steak!
In October we celebrate the great wines of Donny Goodmac. Donny is Donald Stuart Gregor, a former wine writer, author, judge, Len Evans scholar and commentator who now makes a living running Liquid Ideas, a marketing and PR business based in Sydney. Good is Kate Goodman, winemaker extraordinaire, currently Senior Winemaker, Punt Road Wines, ex-Seppelt Great Western, leading Show Judge, Len Evans scholar and top chick. Mac is Cameron Mackenzie, former Olympic runner whose career was tragically cut short by the drink, now Sales and Marketing Director at Punt Road Wines.
They try very hard to make the wines they love to drink, they source grapes from the places they've known and admired for a long time, and they drink whenever they can with as much food and laughter as they can muster.
We'll be pouring the Chardonnay 2008, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Shiraz Viognier 2008, and two vintages of the Pyrenees Shiraz 2007 & 2008. A Friday long lunch not to be missed. Book your seat now!
When: 12.00pm - 3.00pm, Friday 29th October, 2010
Where: Bar Barossa, cnr of Adelaide and Macrossan Streets, Brisbane City
Tickets: $120pp, extremely limited & fully inclusive
RSVP: Brisbane@barbarossa.com.au or ph: 07 3832 3530
Shiraz Club Coup: Louisa Rose & Yalumba at Bar Barossa
July 26th, 2010
On Friday the 23rd of August, Brisbane's own Shiraz Club was proud to host a very special lunch with Yalumba's Louisa 
Rose at Bar Barossa. The eloquent and talented Rose won the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Women in Wine award in 2004 and was named Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine in 2008. Despite all the accolades being thrown her way, Louisa remains humble and centered, pointing out that "at Yalumba, we don't make wine to win awards, we make it to be enjoyed." And the wines that were served over a long lunch that day were certainly enjoyed by all in attendance.
The afternoon began with a glass or two of an extremely youthful and fresh 2002 Yalumba D Cuvée, a rare sentimental favourite of the winery. Following the bubbles it was on to some delicious Bar Barossa Plates and the first flight of three superb Shiraz based wines. Rose fielded questions on the wines, explaining that the fruit sourced to form the backbone of the 2006 Shiraz Viognier was chosen for its aromatic & floral intensity even before it was co-fermented with 5% Viognier. "The Viognier is included for added textural complexity as much as anything else."
The next few wines were all part of Yalumba's highly acclaimed Single Site series, crafted with the intention of exploring the different qualities that sub-regions within the Barossa can impart. Each wine spoke of its place with conviction whilst also pairing beautifully with chef JJ. Smith's Whole Roasted Eye Fillet, Gruyere Rosti, Baby Vege's & Shitake Cream. Louisa spoke with a passion that seemed not to have dimmed over 18 years with the family owned winery. A sense of palpable excitement pervaded her discussion of the task ahead; investigating Barossan terroir in more detail.
Finally, it was onto the famous Options game. Most of the audience guessed correctly that the unidentified wine in front of them was from the Barossa, but the wheat was separated from the chaff when it came to guessing whether the Shiraz was from the Valley floor or the elevated Eden region. Eventually it was revealed that we were tasting a rare Magnum of 1987 Henschke Hill of Grace. A very special treat indeed and a fitting end to a spectacular gathering. -Jeremy Pringle
Massena, McLeans Farmgate & Schild Estate
February 19th, 2010
When asked for the best method of marketing his wines, Big Bob McLean replied, "Get them into the customer's mouth". The February meeting of Brisbane's Shiraz Club was all about doing that, with guest's receiving glasses of Massena Viognier and Schild Estate Alma Reserve Chardonnay on arrival. There was also the pleasant surprise of Bob bringing up a delicious leg of Smoked Hogget, or "Lambon" as he referred to it, from one of his two tooths in the Barossa.
Then it was on to the real stuff, as two flights of Shiraz themed wines were served alongside a hefty rib-eye on the bone and creamy porcini mushroom sauce. Winemakers Bob of McLeans Farmgate, Jaysen Collins of Massena, and representative Carol Moore of Schild Estate explained a bit about their various operations and what was in each of the glasses in front of everyone.
Continuing well into the afternoon, the jovial gathering were treated to two more special experiences; a generous taste of the extremely limited production Schild Estate Moorooroo Shiraz 2005 sourced from vines planted in 1847, and a glass of Yalumba Octavius Shiraz 1993 from a 3 litre bottle uncorked especially for the occasion. A terrific turn out fully enjoyed yet another Shiraz Club success. - Jeremy Pringle