Light Years, Wine Time
Friday the 13th, lucky for some, as Tony Cox discovers.
Friday the 13th of November saw the lucky socially-distanced few rock up to Light Years for the return of the infamous IN Noosa wine lunch. Feasting on delicious pan-Asian inspired dishes, the matching wines were designed to take us away from the everyday, with a couple of lesser-known producers in play featuring skin contact whites and a chilled Gamay. Light Years’ famous array of cocktails were also well represented at our table and also met with plenty of approval!
Ocean trout sashimi, cucumber, wasabicado, seaweed oil, ponzu and shiso set the scene. Ocean trout has that extra level of fattiness and richness compared to salmon and the flavours here were restrained and delicate. The 2018 Rockbare Riesling had a touch more breadth than normally seen from Clare Valley Riesling of this age which stood up well to the richness of the ocean trout. A good match as a more linear Riesling may have been lost in the trout richness. These boys know their stuff.
Master Stock pork, sweet chilli caramel, apple, nori jam, steamed choy sum followed the ocean trout. Rich, tender pork with a slight textured outer crunch and absolutely delicious! The MV La Violetta ‘Loosie Ranga’ orange blend from Great Southern in West Australia featured a cacophony of aromatic varietals assaulting the senses with abundant lifted perfume. When varietals such as Riesling, zibibbo, gewurztraminer and Moscato among others are present, get ready for a bit of fun. Throw in some skin contact and those with beards and checked shirts can’t contain themselves. Like most of the orange wines so much is about the broadly textured mid palate and pared-back upfront fruit leading to gentle phenolics on the back palate which cleanses before the next mouthful.
Hanger steak, rendang butter, tempura onion rings was next up paired with 2020 Vicious Vino Nouveau Gamay from Yarra Valley. The steak was served medium-rare, the rendang butter providing a tasty sauce and the onion rings a crunchy, textured garnish. The gamay was served chilled and is a homage to Beaujolais nouveau with red fruits to the fore, light-bodied and refreshing.
To complete the afternoon vanilla and coconut pannacotta, strawberries, thai basil, meringue and raspberry sherbet. A little remaining nouveau gamay remained from the main to wrap what was a fantastic afternoon – oh and more cocktails had us Light Years away…
Light years, wine lunch menu
Ocean trout sashimi, cucumber, wasabicado, seaweed oil, ponzu, shiso. Paired with Rockbare Riesling Clare Valley, SA – 2018
Master stock pork, sweet chilli caramel, apple, nori jam, steamed choy sum. Paired with La Violetta ‘Loosie Ranga’ Orange Blend Great Southern, WA – NV
Hanger steak, rendang butter, tempura onion rings. Paired with Vicious Vino Noveau Gamay Yarra Valley, Vic – 2020
Vanilla and coconut panna cotta, strawberries, Thai basil, meringue, raspberry sherbert
