A potentially thorny question for those of us in the wine trade is: What on earth to serve visiting wine makers? Last week I had not one but two wine-makers to stay and so had ample opportunity to ponder this dilemma. The short answer is: Nothing from their own back yard and certainly not their own wine unless it’s part of an elaborate ruse.

Fred Filliatreau

My first guest was Fredrik Filliatreau, from Saumur Champigny, who I’ve known for years and is a close family friend. Fred was purporting to be in the UK on business and any rumours that he was actually over for a spot of chalk-stream fly fishing on the river Wylye should be ignored. Having been President of the appellation of Saumur Champigny while still in his thirties Fred is an authority on Cabernet Franc so that (and all Loire wines for good measure) were strictly off the menu. We served him a Corsican rosé from Domaine Saparale as an aperitif which seemed to meet with approval. The only problem being my thirsty neighbours who can hear a cork pop at 50 metres and are particularly partial to sophisticated saignant wines. To be fair they are a very jolly bunch and they entertained Fred with aplomb while Pippa and I faffed about in the kitchen. We then sampled a nervy Neagles Rock Riesling, in the newly shipped 2009 vintage, with a simple crab salad, followed by an organic red Côtes de Luberon, Château la Canorgue with a slow-cooked leg of lamb ‘boulanger’. With a selection of English cheeses (from our local fromage-pusher Paul at Sagebury Cheese in Frome), including my new favourite ‘Danegeld’ made by Jamie Montgomery (do try it), we had a bottle of Gigondas 1990 from Domaine Saint Gayan. This majestic old Grenache was (like me) showing its age but it made a fine end to fun evening and we all retired to bed at a fairly sensible hour.

Dan Buckle

Two days later ace Aussie wine-maker Dan Buckle, from the celebrated, Mount Langi Ghiran estate in Victoria, descended upon us prior to the wedding of some mutual friends. Dan was somewhat less of a vinous challenge as he is a keen Francophile with limited access to French wines in his native Australia. We served Dan a sparkling Loire rosé ‘Cuvée les Tonnelles’ from Domaine Aubert, enlivened with a soupçon of Sirop de Pamplemousse Rose from Domaine Combier in Saumur, which we all agreed made a refreshing start to the evening. With our starter of steamed English asparagus we had a taut young Reuilly 2009 from Gérard Cordier followed by a roast chicken that I couldn’t resist pairing with the 2007 ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Cuvée of Filliatreau Saumur Champigny – as Fred had stayed with us so recently. Dan had brought us some great cheeses from Neal’s Yard in Borough Market with which I struck lucky with a 1971 Saint Joseph from Rhône legend Ernest Trollat. I was correct in my guess that ’71 was Dan’s birth year and although he didn’t actually weep with gratitude he definitely looked a little misty in the corner of his eyes.

It was great to catch up with both Fred and Dan and I look forward to inflicting similar damage to their cellars when I next visit them in Saumur and Melbourne respectively.

Despite the impact of the GFC* on the CBD** (Australians love abbreviations) Melbourne boasts a vibrant and innovative restaurant scene that can rival anything to be found in Europe or America. Melbourne also hosts a magnificent food and wine festival each March which attracts an international roll call of chefs, critics, wine-makers and sommeliers.

A brief visit on a trip to see some of Victoria’s vineyards, in February, meant that dining opportunities were limited but we were determined to sample some of the city’s gastronomic highlights. Here are details of four restaurants with which we were really impressed.

Blue Chillies

Located on super chic Brunswick Street in Fitzroy this no nonsense Malaysian diner enjoys a diverse urbane, urban clientele and is deservingly popular. This was recommended to us by local resident Dan Buckle, the gifted young wine-maker at the celebrated Mount Langi Ghiran estate.

Attentive but relaxed black-clad waiters brought us the short, confident menu and wine list. Two of the day’s special starters featured whitebait – fried in fritters with a spicy dipping sauce and marinated with vegetables in a dark unctuous amalgamation. Both were delicious with a steely Clare Valley Riesling 2008 from Neagles Rock (which we import to the UK so were pleased to see on the list) but the light and crispy, piscine fritters won the day. Main courses were equally successful. Slow cooked pork belly with bak choi and a ragout of spicy shredded beef were deeply satisfying and perfect comfort food for weary travellers. Service is efficient if a little detached and pricing restrained for this part of town. 3+/5

Jacques Reymond

Secluded in the smart suburb of Windsor (which looks and feels like Hampstead) this is the address for refined Gallic gastronomy in Melbourne. The sprightly, silver-haired, eponymous patron is something of a celebrity chef Down Under but that doesn’t detract from the day job of serving up cutting edge contemporary cuisine based on a firm classical French foundation.

Thick white linen and (arguably over) attentive uniformed waiters set a deliberately opulent tone in a tastefully designed dining room. At eight courses the Menu Dégustation is not for the time poor (or cash poor for that matter) but this is high end cooking from a talented chef at the top of his game. Small portions of exquisitely presented food dazzle the taste buds. Highlights included Hiramasa Kingfish and Ponzu with Hervey Bay Scallop and a fantastic Crispy Quail Breast with Tajine Flavours and Black Rice but everything here is meticulously crafted and very well thought out.

Jacques daughter Nathalie, who is head sommelier, has compiled a list featuring lots of iconic Aussie wines as well as a fair smattering of fine French bottles. Brian Crozer’s clean, dry, Petaluma fizz saved us from the enthusiastically suggested Dom Perignon comme aperitif but a Grosset Springvale 2006 Riesling and a stonking Curly Flat 2005 Pinot Noir both showed Australian wine in a very pure light. 4/5

Cutler & Co.

Cutler and Co., on Gertrude Street, which opened to a fanfare of favourable criticism last year, is widely acknowledged to be the hottest dining address in town. This former metal works artfully blends old (unpainted plaster walls) with new (a space-age black bar and Blade Runner-esque neon sign). The customers are a similarly mixed bag of middle-aged gastronomes and bright young things.

The food is knowingly accomplished but stays the right side of poncy. The service is equally astute – Adam at front of house and head sommelier Sally both manage to be on the ball but quite discrete which is typical of Cutler and Co.’s understated élan. Everything we sampled here was delicious: flaky anchovy pastries and feisty peppers de Padron to start with, followed by Heirloom tomato salad with marinated vegetables then a delicate pressed quail terrine with a foie gras ‘cigar’. A tuna sashimi with cucumber and cuttlefish was also faultless. Indeed, the only slight oddity was the cheese offering of our local Montgomery Cheddar which is excellent but seemed unnecessary food mileage.

The wine list here is noteworthy and Sally’s selection of a Springvale 2007 Pinot Noir, from Tasmania, was a treat as was a Mount Langi Ghiran 2006 Shiraz that was generously gifted to us by thoughtful Mr Buckle.

The patrons also own Cumulus Inc. An ‘informal all day eating house in the CBD, which we very much look forward to visiting. 4+/5

St. Jude’s Cellars

To prove the point that Cutler and Co. isn’t a one-off gem Fitzroy also boasts St Jude’s Cellars (on Brunswick Street) that exudes a similar minimalist perfectionism and quiet self confidence. The Victorian dining room is light, airy and welcoming with a central bay of floor to ceiling shelving that doubles as a wine shop. Bottles can be bought here to ‘drink in’ for a modest $15 corkage fee. If anything the service here is even more astute that at Cutler and Co. The savvy staff sensed that we weren’t au fait with the menu and offered to bring us a selection of dishes until we’d ‘had enough’. This took quite a while because the cooking here is exemplary. A nervy Shobrook Riesling was delicious with a dozen Fine Claire oysters followed by whitebait and terrific little balls of smoked haddock ‘Kromesky’ wih garlic mayonnaise. Main courses of poached veal loin with corned hash browns and Western Plains pork bell with confit fennel, apricot and burnt honey were also impeccable. A bottle of 2007 Emily’s Paddock Shiraz from our friends the Laughton family at Jasper Hill was necessarily costly but helped round off an exquisite dinner and a wonderful trip. 5/5

Clearly one could linger far longer in Melbourne and sample other great restaurants but our brief snapshot was more than enough to start us planning a return visit.

Jason & Tom

With thanks to the Laughton family at Jasper Hill for their terrific hospitality.

*Global Financial Crisis

**Central Business District