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: Saltram Wines
August 27th, 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 August we highlight Saltram's flagship No.1 Shiraz along with many other sensations from the range.
From over 145 years of consistent winemaking excellence, Saltram's have an extensive range of wines including Pepperjack, Mamre Brook and Maker's Table which make any gathering worth celebrating.
As always, we'll have the options game near the end of lunch. What large format wine will we surprise you with this time?
When: 12pm, Friday 27th August, 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
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