Deus Cafe and Jed Wines Degustation Dinner

They say that if you find a job that you love doing, you will never have to work again.

It sounds magical doesn't it, a perfect existence that allows you to play and be paid for it. What, then, stops so many of us living our dreams? Most of us cite money or mortgages, underlined by a fear of taking the plunge and switching careers.

Occasionally you do meet or read about people who are living our their passions. The common theme? Self-belief and hard work. The perfect job is rarely handed out on a silver platter. Those who are determined to work in their desired field, pursue it relentlessly, obsessively and without hesitation. They remain resolutely unclouded by worries about money, health or peer pressure to "be practical".


Baked parmesan custard
paired with Jed NV Blanc de Blanc Sparkling

I'm not really thinking about these things when I first enter Deus Cafe for a degustation dinner. I'm here as a guest of Jed Wines, who have organised the evening to demonstrate how their wines can be used to complement a meal.

Jed Wines is an interesting venture - three young Australian winemakers who decided to start their own winemaking business in Argentina. They met at the same postgraduate vinology course - all three had coincidentally completed commerce degrees beforehand - and between them undertook winemaking experience in Australia, France and both north and south America.

Why did they decide to start up a vineyard in Argentina? After visiting vineyards all over the world, they felt that the Uco Valley, in the foothills of the Andes in Mendoza, was ideal because of its high altitude (1250m above sea level), optimal soil and 450-year history in winemaking.

Arriving guest mingle over glasses of Jed NV Blanc de Blanc sparkling, a light wine with the scent of apples, that's paired with roving spoonfuls of soft and eggy squares of parmesan custard. The venue, Deus Cafe, is an airy warehouse that continues the boys club theme of the Deus ex Machina motorcycle showroom next door. A couple of restored motorbikes, large and powerful, gleam and sparkle silently in the corner.



We're seated for dinner at huge communal tables, long expanses of teak with textured rippled edges that I can't resist caressing in awe. The two glossy tables in the middle of the room, I'm told, have been recycled from bowling lanes, and are resolutely solid and heavy.


Pear, fennel and roquette salad with roasted hazelnuts
paired with 2008 Jed Sauvignon Blanc

The second wine is a 2008 Jed Sauvignon Blanc. We're hosted by two of the winemakers tonight: Rob Bates-Smith and Tom Egan, who take to the floor to guide us through our meal. They both look extraordinarily young and could still pass themselves off as uni students. As they speak to the assembled crowd, it's clear that wine is a deep-felt passion.

When pairing food and wine, we're told, the wine should either contrast, complement or cut through the flavours of the food. The sauvignon blanc, most commonly associated with New Zealand wines, varies by being halfway between grassy and tropical. It highlights the pepperiness of the rocket in our pear, fennel and roquette salad, a light and refreshing dish that's drizzled with olive oil and garnished with a sprinkle of crushed roasted hazelnuts.


Seared scallop sweet corn tarte
paired with 2009 Jed Pinot Grigio

Seared scallop sweet corn tarte is a mouthwatering vision, the fat discs of scallop seared to caramelised perfection. The scallops melt in the mouth although I find the lavosh cracker a little too crispy and dry by comparison. The corn kernels are super sweet although I wish there was more of the corn puree that's drizzled on each plate.

The scallops are paired with the 2009 Jed Pinot Grigio. The difference between a pinot gris and a pinot grigio? A pinot gris, we're told, has a heavier, oilier finish, whereas a pinot grigio has a lighter acidic finish that works better with food.


Grassfed sirloin beef dry-aged in house
roasted and served with porcini butter, veal glace and fondant potato
paired with 2007 Jed Malbec

There's a ripple of excitement when our mains arrive, three fat slices of seared beef that are deep pink in colour. We sink our knives into the flesh, this grassfed sirloin that is dry-aged in house at Deus Cafe.

"I never eat beef this rare but oh-my-god this is good," says one diner at our tables whose eyes have already started to glaze over. A pat of porcini butter adds richness and we mop up the veal glace with fondant potato and beans. Communal bowls of roasted kipler potatoes are carbohydrate heaven: nutty, sweet, buttery and fluffy with edges that are slightly crisp.

The accompanying 2007 Malbec is a deep purple hue with a strong perfume that's ripe with tannins. Although Malbec is not particularly common in Australia, combining Malbec with beef is a religion in Argentina.


Soft centred and slightly spiced
baked chocolate and sour cherry fondant
paired with 2006 Jed Limited Release Cabernet Franc

Dessert is a baked chocolate and sour cherry fondant, under-cooked so the centre is still soft. It works surprisingly well with the accompanying 2006 Jed Limited Release Cabernet Franc, playing off against the tartness of the cherries and the chocolate fondant that is more bitter and spiced than sickly sweet.

Seeing the winemakers talk about their young burgeoning vineyard, it's hard not to feel buoyed by their enthusiasm and exhuberance. By coincidence I'm seated next to Tom Egan's mother, and at one point during the evening I lean over and say "All this finally happening... you must be proud."

She nods hesitantly, and says "Oh yes, but I wouldn't mind if he had an office job."

I glance over at Tom who's about to take to the floor stage again, eyes shining, wine glass in hand.

Somehow I doubt he'd want to change a thing.

~~~
Jed Wines will be hosting a free Meet the Winemaker session that will include tastings of:
Jed Blanc de Blancs Sparkling 2008
Jed Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Jed Malbec 2008

When: Tuesday 4 May, 2010
Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm (optional fixed price dinner available afterwards)
Where: North Sydney Cellars, 189 Miller Street North Sydney
Cost: FREE but RSVP is essential.
Register and more details here

Grab Your Fork attended the Deus Cafe and Jed Wines degustation dinner as a guest of Jed Wines.



Deus Cafe
98-104 Parramatta Rd Camperdown, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9519 3669

Kitchen open Monday to Saturday 7.30am-3pm, Sunday 9am-3pm
Coffee available Monday to Saturday 7am-5pm, Sunday 9am-3pm

Dinner available Wednesday to Saturday 6pm until late