Blog — Page 146 of 282

In vino veritas – Vin Diemen’s Taste of Tasmania

Another instalment as part of my constant push for you to have your mind blown by what Tasmania has to offer: The annual Vin Diemen’s Taste of Tasmania extravaganza is one of the events of the year for anyone remotely interested in quality wines.

Over one hundred wines from over twenty producers resulting in one true Tasmanian experience that is one bacchanal opportunity to experience the gourmet island, which is the oldest producing wine region in the country.

No matter if one has a weak spot for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay or artisanal produce and boutique beverages, the event which in 2019 saw its fifth incarnation has got you covered.

With a terroir that was formed from ancient sand- and mudstones and whose character is informed by river sediments and rocks of volcanic origin and its moderate maritime climate, which allow grapes to ripen slowly on the vine, the liquid emissions cover a wide range of varietal flavours infused with its trademark natural acidity.

This year’s highlights included the Ghost Rock Zoe Brut Rosé Our Brut Rose?, a Pinot Noir dominant crisp blend that eased us into the proceedings of the day.

I have had many glasses of Jansz sparkling wines, but trying their Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée 2011, a fantastic companion to seafood with its sea spray informed aromas and nuances of fruity and honey-esque highlights, along with their Jansz Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvee 2007, which being an Islay whisky lover I appreciated for the hints of iodine and smoke I detected.

Needless to say that Moorilla Estate is yet to disappoint and it is always a pleasure to check in with them to sample their refined wines.

Food-wise, Vineyard Seafood Restaurant had me drooling with their crayfish, truffle and brie toasties, which I washed down with Bruny Islands’ Cloudy Bay IPA – comprised of six hop varieties, the tangy melange of which results in a sophisticated bitterness that is pervaded by tropical fruits, citrus and herbal aromas.

Not sure about your neck of the woods but on terra australis, wine tastings are omnipresent, however, one Vin Diemen is one of the consistently quality ones that has found an ideal location as the backdrop of the Cell Block Theatre within the National Art School provides a more than suitable ambience.

Anselm Kiefer in Conversation with Klaus Dermutz

Seagull Books

I travel the world for many reasons and one think I made sure of, is hunting down Anselm Kiefer’s artistic emissions in museums around the globe while doing so. The man and his ever-expanding body of work is a never ceasing source of inspiration for me.

Needless to say that every time the Anselm opens up and shares insights on his approach to the arts, I am all ears – especially when someone like the theologian Klaus Dermutz, who had been at the helm of the documentary Over your cities grass will grow, is the one steering the conversation.

If you are familiar with Kiefer’s oeuvre, you might be surprised how down to earth and accessible he is in conversation. He is able to convey how he convey the inspiration for his thoughts in pictures, which are further refined to poems that serve as foundation and grip when his artistic endeavours pull him magnetically into the infinite.

The book is comprised of ten conversations, which tackle the essence that underpins his art, the creative processes leading to it and his sense and interpretation of aestheticism that infuse it with his idiosyncratic “je ne sais quoi”.

For the uninitiated as well as the hardcore aficionado, the information that emerges out of the conversations helps not only to explain but also enhances the enjoyment of his art, e.g. when he sheds light on how the central materials of his art play an integral part in the creative process and if you are aware of what he uses apart from paint, e.g. lead, sand, water, fire, ashes, plants, clothing,  et cetera, it should not be a mystery what an immense part they play.

Dermutz also manages to elicit less obvious influences as far as schools of thought are concerned: From Jewish mysticism via German Romanticism, literary influences, Richard Wagner’s epic operas, philosophers, theatre directors and other Richter und Henker, as well as his own interaction with all of the individual constituents. The later becomes specifically interesting when it comes to the notions and themes of German (collective) guilt, suffering, communal memory, and the seductions of destruction, all of which have brought him critical appraisal as well as controversy.

This tome is an essential read that offers a rare access into a mind of a great artist – an artist that transcends confines, labels and defies classifications – and one anyone remotely interested in visual arts and the aftermath of the twentieth century would benefit from.

Water of Life - Flor de Caña Rum

Nicaragua is a blank spot on my world map.

“Blank” as in it has yet to be visited, I am intrigued about its location and anything emerging from it, catches my interest.

Unbeknownst to me Flor de Caña, a family owned distillery with a colourful history, has become a world-wide player with a wide-ranging portfolio of close to twelve expression.

My first exposure to its rums spans the spectrum from seven via twelve to the much fabled about eighteen-year-old expressions.

Each expression of Flor de Caña is based on a well-calibrated melange of aged rums and even from having merely sipped them the first time, I can tell that there is a refined method to the way they channel their alchemy in a bid to create differently nuanced and complex rum expressions, all of which clock in at eighty percent proof.

Flor de Cana Gran Reserva 7 was the first one that hit my palate and boy, was I in for a treat. I have had the privilege of sampling many a rum but the combination of buttery caramel with highlights of vanilla, framed by coffee flavours and based on the notes imparted by Madeira casks, we were off to a great start.

Things are taken up a notch or two with the 12-Year-Old Centenario expression in terms of punchiness: Heavy on the fruity flavours, it is not overpowering but leaves enough breathing room for highlights of coffee to shine through, which culminates in a finish that lets your palate celebrate. I find it interesting that despite all its depth, it is quite a crisp more-ish sipping rum.

Flor de Cana Centenario 18 plays in a league of its own and reminds me a lot of whiskies in terms of its complexity and character it has derived from the barrels it was matured in and an avalanche of exquisite flavours informed by layers of fermented fruit flavours. The interaction between the fruity, raisiney, nutmeggy and barrel char notes is what elevates the vibrancy of this expression beyond of what the mere age statement suggests, and it is a thing of beauty to watch the leglets cascade down the Glencairn or whatever transparent goblet you might be using.

Given the aforementioned, it goes without saying that I would consider masking the beautiful spiced oak flavours of Flor de Caña by hiding it within a cocktail or diluting it by adding other components.

Apart from the aromatic and delectable thickly textured rums, the irregular shaped bottles they come in and the labels they are adorned with are a feast for the eyes, which make a stylish addition to any liquor shelf.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Stockade Brewing Co

Stockade Brewing Co surprised me a bit as it seemed to have emerged out of nowhere.

Further research revealed that it evolved from the purchase of Australian Independent Brewers (AIB), which subsequently morphed into the contract craft beer brewing entity BrewPack, which then branched out into Macarthur Grange Brewery and eventually morphed into what is now known as Stockade Brew Co.

On my never-ending quest for quality brews, the striking artwork and the much fabled about limited special batches caught my attention straight away and upon having a chance to sample it, exceeded the expectations I had.

The merits of Stockade Brewing Co lie in their ability to channel the artisanal approach of a small brewery while pumping out quantities like a major player in the realm of beer retail.

With no shortage of public appreciation, Stockade’s accolade decorated portfolio includes four core beers: The excellent 8 Bit IPA, a Chop Shop pale ale, the Duel hoppy lager and the Hop Splicer XPA. The core range is complemented by experimental releases, the lion’s share of which I have yet to try myself and I cannot wait to get a hold of the Kentucky bourbon barrel-aged double IPA.

Not usually being the most vocal advocate of XPA, the Hop Splicer hits the spot with its subtle nuances of grapefruit that pervade the dangerously drinkable brew.

Things are taken up a notch via Mr Fruju, i.e. a New England IPA that puts a melange of hazy pineapple, pear and passionfruit flavours center stage and frames them with accentuated highlights of subdued bitterness.

My favourite of the range, however, is Stockade’s 8 Bit IPA, which has become go-to as a boilermaker constituent with its hop heavy melange of well calibrated bitterness, citrussy notes and elongated finish that leaves one lusting for more of the malty caramel flavours.

The fact that some of Stockade Brewing’s emissions are exclusive to their tap room or can only by obtained directly from them should be incentive enough to make a deliberate effort to track them down.

The roof of your mouth will thank you for it.

Yeezy and Kanye West

Yeezy Season 3 – 4 Zine

Thames & Hudson

The Yeezy phenomenon is one that ties in with the zeitgeist of artificially created hype and scarcity. Camping outside of store days ahead of a new limited drop has become a common occurrence with the reward being to be allowed to pay handsomely for a pair of sneakers, the value of which instantly doubles, triples or quadruples if resold to those less fortunate.

Kanye West’s Yeezy collections and on-going endeavours in the world of fashion have become his second most successful business endeavour apart from music.

At the end of the day, it is all about context, association, perception, brand building and combining all the into an idiosyncratic whole that make a simple shoe worth much more than what they are.

I have to admit that the shoe designs of the Yeezy collections have never really excited me, however, the aesthetic that has been built around the brand and its incarnations along with the curation and art direction, has intrigued me – especially since it has left its indelible mark on the wider fashion industry.

I also like that fact that behind the hubris that at times informs his persona, Kanye West appears to be acutely aware of the fact that it took his status as a popstar to enable him to get this far in fashion, which by some is perceived to be the highest form of art.

The fact that there is more going on around his sneakers, is the opulently illustrated and curated zine for his fashion creations.

YEEZY Season 3–4 Zine zeros in on the third and fourth collections of Kanye West’s YEEZY footwear, apparel and accessories line.

In essence, the at times gloomy and atmospheric photographs by Jackie Nickerson, a renowned conceptual photographer, are a feast for the eyes that make far more than a mere look book.

The way not only the garments and shoes are depicted, but also how the models and Kanye’s muses are set into scene suggests that there is more to the collections than what materializes on shelves at retailers.

The zine comes in an extravagantly oversized format, printed on rough, uncoated Kamiko paper with intensely black ink and is of course usually quickly sold out.

While this might not be considered an essential addition to the canon of books on luminaries of the fashion world, it is certainly testament to the unique lane the man has carved for himself and makes for a stylish adornment in my design section of my library, however, one that because of its monstrous size would demand a book shelf constructed by Maurits Cornelis Escher.