Had dinner with LrNw and his family at the VBG last night.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
I served the St Jerome Cab Merlot 1996 and the 2001 Mt Difficulty Mansons Chardonnay. We were going to have bubbles and desert wine but LrNw and his famliy had just been through a very long day and were looking forward to an earlier evening.

I had Terekihi and Prawn Fish Cakes with a Lemon Grass mayonaise and a marinated seasame seed seaweed salad (say that five times fast), which I enjoyed. Terekihi is a fish unique to NZ waters and is similar to John Dory only more delicate.

Mrs LrNw had a laksa, which she exclaimed was more like creamy soup (they are Singaporean so I guess they know a proper laksa when they see one) but still very tasty.

LrNw didn't have any entree.

I had venison medallions served with truffled mash and beetroot and cassis jus. This was exquisite with the St Jerome.

LrNw had the twice cooked duck served with Asian greens and mandarin demi. He said it was outstanding.

Mrs LrNw had a feta , fig and baby tomato salad with a lighter olive oil and balsamic dressing. She said she throughly enjoyed this also.

LrNw said that the Manson chardonnay was the best chardonnay he had tried and he was thrilled with the St Jerome.

We exchanged some gifts. He gave me some beautiful Indonesian Coffee and I gave him a NZ Wine Atlas.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I was thrilled to finally meet some people from the WS forum. We made it an early night but I look forward to meeting so many more people through these forums.

Jeremy,

I wouldn't count on an early evening NEXT time you get together with fellow forumites.

Were you with LRnW long enough to get him to change his 'handle'?

LrNw said that the Manson's Chardonnay was the first chardonnay he actually enjoyed. So I may have made an impression on him, and started the course for his change of opinion of his favoured styles.

He said he's going ot be coming back in three or so years and I've promised him a trip up to Matakana for the day. The whites and the reds from Matakana are extremely good so that might be another confirmation of this change.