Wine, cheese and food news across coast

ALTHOUGH having been around for now well over three years, Le Comptoir has been a beacon of those along the Surf Coast.

Found in Aireys Inlet, its cute home acts as both a small gourmet store and smart eat-in space. I’ve been here a few times over the years, but it was during a recent trip (or rather, cheese-mission) there, where I was reminded how great a spot it really is. The daily servings of meat, charcuterie and cheese alternate frequently, and can be enjoyed either instore or taken away, many of which support some of the very best food producers dotted along the surrounding coastal/inland areas, namely Barongrook Pork, Schulz Organic Dairy, and Great Ocean Duck (amongst many others). They even have their own beer made for them nowadays, from another Aireys favourite, SALT Brewing. I can highly recommend a stop on your next to/from trip to Lorne. And like any small coastal hospitality business after the summer trade starts to slow down, they appreciate your support.

Fancy owning your own bar? No, this isn’t a sale pitch, more so an opportunity to plug and play in your very own backyard/back shed. The catch? You will need a tow truck and a forklift prior to any enjoyment being had. The pub at Mount Moriac (decent counter meals, by the way) are selling their outdoor back bar, which has been a staple of the venue for years now. First opened during COVID days, the commercial-sized space had a full renovation at the time, indicating the materials/internal fit-out really isn’t all that old. It would make for serious home bar, or, if you a have a like-minded neighbour, it’d probably be worth knocking down your adjoining fence to both enjoy – it’s certainly big enough to! And before you ask, stock not included.

I spoke with a gleeful Ray Nadeson recently, as he explained to me that Lethbridge Wines was about to reach its 30-year milestone of production. Quite an achievement for any winery, even more so one in our own region, where it feels as though few others can boast the same accomplishment (I can think of maybe only four or five others that are older and still operating today). The winemaker has multiple events planned to celebrate the occasion – both locally and nationally – with the first of which will take place at Anh Chi Em (Highton) in a couple of weeks’ time. There’ll be a twist to this dinner though, as sister restaurant, Jeffies (found a few doors down) will be presenting French dishes, alongside those from their Vietnamese host venue. It’s a great theme actually, as many French influences can be found in modern-day Vietnamese cuisine (France occupied Vietnam for almost a hundred years between the 1850s and 1950s). Given the wines from Lethbridge take inspiration from many of the fine wine regions of Europe too, the food/wine matching should be of great interest.

From one local winery to another, there was a second huge achievement announced last week in our local vinification industry, this time coming from the Bellarine. Along with only a handful of other Australian wineries, Oakdene will be sending wine to France shortly to be inducted into the Cité du Vin. Found in Bordeaux, this is world’s largest wine museum, where some of the oldest, rarest and most expensive also call home, so safe to say the Oakdene wines will be in good company. It’s recognition for the solid work this producer has been doing over the past couple of decades, as well as testament to the quality of our diverse Geelong wine region. And the wines who will call Bordeaux their new home? The 2023 Liz’s Chardonnay and 2021 Bernard’s Cabernets (a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc) which are two of the winery’s flagship cuvées. The latter of the duo is still available at the winery’s cellar door if you want to taste what all the fuss is about.

Happening on the Bellarine this weekend is the Harbour to Horizon Maritime Festival, with mini events planned throughout both Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. The Tastes of the Sea component of the overall program invites locals and visitors to eat their way through either (or both) of these coastal towns, with restaurants and cafes serving up bespoke seafood dishes for the weekend. A trail-map can be found online for those venues participating, but my suggestion is not to worry here and just wander at your own pace. If you find yourself in Queenscliff in particular, be sure to check out what TARRA, Gingerbaby and Vue Grand are offering.