Afternoon delights matched with NSW wines at The Bayside Lounge

Monday, April 11, 2011

Afternoon delights matched with NSW wines at The Bayside Lounge

As well as those stunning duck confit pies I wrote about last year, The Bayside Lounge at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre is also serving up a fantastic selection of New South Wales wines – many by the glass – until the end of July. As a fierce proponent of NSW wines being offered in NSW venues, this makes me really happy.

The list was compiled by Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre’s Certified Sommelier, William Wilson. William is one of only a handful of Australasian sommeliers to attain the Court of Master Sommeliers’ title of Certified Sommelier; a title that recognises high standards of wine service, commitment to quality customer care and extensive knowledge of international wine, beer and spirits.

Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre's William Wilson at work tasting wines

William Wilson with me

Scottish-born William (who incidentally looks fabulous in a kilt!) has remarkable wine knowledge that is as vast as it is impressive. He has handpicked some outstanding wines from New South Wales regions including Cowra, the Southern Highlands as well as the Hunter Valley, Mudgee and Orange. The newer alpine region of Tumbarumba is also well represented on Williams’s list (and I love the way he says Tumbarumba too, with his Scottish accent!). If you are not familiar with wines from Tumbarumba or the Snowy Mountains, the relatively high altitude and cool climate make for ideal pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc styles.

William’s two stand-out wines are both from New England: 2009 Toppers Gewurztraminer and 2009 Zappa Reserve Release Barbera. With its rose and citrus nose and mild spicy plate, think cinnamon and nutmeg, the Gewurztraminer would complement many of Uwe’s sweet and savoury afternoon delights, especially the Crystal Bay prawn and cucumber bruschetta and the Orange and vanilla crème brûlée. Barbera is an Italian red grape variety with low tannins and high acid. Why not enjoy the Zappa Reserve Release Barbera with those duck confit pies?

Pop in for an afternoon delight at The Bayside Lounge. It is served from 1pm to 4pm on Wednesday through to Sunday. The menu is presided over by Executive Chef Uwe Habermehl and highlights include duck confit pies, Crystal Bay prawn and cucumber bruschetta and white chocolate pistachio eclair. Click here for more details.