The Sun-Herald

The single life

This week, I've been obsessed with singles and their secrets. But for once, I'm not talking about humans. Instead, think grape and grain.

I found myself at two singles events which didn't feature speed dating, reprehensible chat-up lines or dodgy games played with padlocks and keys.

The first was a showcase of single vineyard wines from Wynns Coonawara Estate, conducted over a four course meal at Beppi's in East Sydney. I like to learn while I drink and I was able to soak up the combined knowledge of Wynns senior winemaker Sue Hodder and regional vineyard manager Allen Jenkins as they talked us through a tasting of their single vineyard reds made in Coonawarra, the highly sought-after slice of land 400 km south of Adelaide.

I learned about its "freakish natural phenomenon" of the terra rossa ('red earth'), a low, cigar-shaped ridge of soil around 15km long and 1 km wide, ideal for producing low-yielding, intensely flavoured grapes perfect for premium wine making. Terra rossa vineyards are the most expensive in Australia, selling for around $100,000 a hectare. They produce spectacular Cabernet Sauvignons.

Each wine was accompanied by a vivid description of the little patch of land that bore it, and an explanation of how the unique soil structure of the vineyards forms the eventual character of the wine. It's exciting to see the concept of terroir, so long an integral part of French winemaking, take on more importance in Australia. We have an extraordinary diversity of quality winemaking soil, and the expertise - viticulturists, winemakers - to extract the best drops from it. As Sue Hodder says, "we just need to tell the world."

I particularly enjoyed the Harold Vintage 2001, a big, opulent Cabernet made from 38-year-old vines planted on nine hectares of the superstar terra rossa soil.

As in every successful singles event, there was expert matchmaking. This menu of Beppi's signature traditional, rustic Italian fare complemented the reds perfectly.

After lunch I went for a snoop in Beppi's backrooms and found myself in a series of treasure chambers; dim-lit, bottle-stacked cellars packed from floor to ceiling with vintages up to 60 years old - all hand-labeled, and many covered in the patina of dust necessary for complete wine cellar authenticity.

Read 'em and weep:

Two days later I was deep beneath the footpath in my favourite food bunker, Spice Temple, for the Glenmorangie Secret Society lunch. Who's in the Secret Society? I can't tell, but we are united in our enthusiasm for great single malt whisky, and had gathered to try as many as was decently possible, paired with flaming food.

The highland single malts were: The Lasanta (aged in sherry casks), The Quinta Ruban (aged in port casks); The Nectar d'Or (aged in French Sauterne casks); Astar, a fearsome but smooth 57.1 percent dram, and Signet, an aristocratic malt made from 'high roast' malted barley resulting in a rich, almost chocolate character the makers call a 'velvet explosion.'

The chilli in the leatherjacket drowned in heaven facing chillies and Sichuan peppercorns was explosive, too - but that's the sort of food that stands up to good whisky and, like any passionate partner, coaxes out its inner strengths. I thought the bites and drams went off together like a feisty couple. But then after five malts you begin to think a lot of things, many of which are thankfully forgotten.

Here's the perfect marriage of a menu:

And here's my line-up of whisky dates. Sexy.

Conclusion: bottled singles aren't so very different from the human sort. You meet them in a bar, admire their appearance, sample their smell and taste and if all goes well, you take one home. Or perhaps two or more, if you're adventurous.

Do you have an insatiable appetite - like me- for drink, food and all things fun? Follow CocktailAmy on Twitter for a first glimpse behind the scenes at parties.