George is the magazine for St.George Bank’s corporate customers. Aimed at executive-level readers, it features customer case studies, news, articles on emerging business and management trends, product information, lifestyle features and more.
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/48224
Time out | Wine and dine merry Ever wondered how to become an expert on wine (and food)? The good news is it's not as hard as you might think, as Matt Skinner explains. BY KRISTY BARRATT PHOTOS: PHIL CARRICK T here are only two things in life that Matt Skinner can commit to memory, and it's certainly not friends' birthdays or phone numbers. If you ask the Australian sommelier to tell you the name of a top merlot he tasted more than 15 years ago, or the name of a song he heard – and loved – on the radio, you'll be blown away. Drinking good wine and listening to music are two of Matt's favourite pastimes and he can rattle off brands and bands like a broken record (pardon the pun). Perhaps Matt's ability to remember quality top drops from years past is because for the last 16 years he's recorded his tasting notes in mini Moleskine brand notebooks. The shape of the iconic notebook is in fact the format that Matt adapted to create his own annual wine guides – a valuable source of information for any novice wanting to discover what reds, whites, blends and bubbles to drink. From his own experience taking tasting notes over the years, Matt believes keeping a wine diary is the first step in transforming oneself from gourmand to gourmet. Advances in technology have also left their mark on the Melbourne-based surfer-cum-sommelier, who admits the iPad has revolutionised his life. Despite his love/hate relationship with bloggers, he's even become an advocate of food and wine blogging. "The rise of food and wine bloggers over the last two to three years is incredible," he says. "It's a double-edged sword, but if you're going somewhere you haven't been before, they're a great source of where to go and what to eat." Making the judgment on what restaurant you'll dine at or what wine you'll buy for Sunday's lunch is usually half the battle. 44 George www.stgeorge.com.au/george However, he's always one to ask wine staff and waiters for their recommendations. The key is in trying new things. "The more you can expose yourself to different things you haven't tasted before, you will expand your vocabulary on wine," says Matt. "Have the courage to step outside your comfort zone and try something you've never had before. It might be as simple as buying wine from a different aisle in the bottle shop." The stars of the suburbs There's no underestimating the lasting effect a decadent meal in a three-Chef-Hatted restaurant can have on foodies. In these über-classy establishments, which continually strive for perfection to retain their Chef's Hat or Michelin star rating, the dining experience offers a combination of the best culinary skill, produce, ambience, location, décor and service. These days, fine-dining institutions are commonplace throughout our capital cities. But to what extent should one, two or three Chef's Hats act as the guide to the quality of a restaurant? According to Matt, good dining is as much about word-of-mouth as it is about restaurant reviews, waiting lists, out-the-door queues as it is about Chef's Hats. "Some people strive for Chef's Hats; it's how they measure success," he says. "I can appreciate that, but I'm not guided by it. Some of the best dining experiences I've had have been in places off the beaten track." For example, in Matt's hometown of Melbourne, there are various ethnic hubs that swell with fabulous eateries offering BYO wine options and serving fresh, inexpensive, authentic cuisine such as Vietnamese, Lebanese, Thai and Malaysian. That's not to say Matt doesn't fully appreciate the gastronomic experience of Chef-Hatted restaurants; he recalls a special lunch at Eat,drink & be