An afternoon at the vineyard leaves one restored and ready for winter
The Curious Kererū, our restaurant critic, is spreading its wings across Christchurch to uncover the best dining experiences the city has to offer. This week the Kererū reviews Greystone Wines.
With fewer daylight hours to enjoy the world outside, it can feel like life is closing in. My autumn antidote is to savour the last of the sunny days to bank some sunshine, which led me to Waipara to take in the golden-leaved, post-harvest vibes of the North Canterbury wine region.
I was curious about Greystone Wines’ long lunch, a four-course menu that changes every fortnight. We are lucky to have North Canterbury’s food basket on our doorsteps and Greystone chef Cam Woodhouse showcases plenty of local suppliers.
The vineyards that surround the restaurant are not only the source for all the wines that are paired with the menu but also some of the ingredients. Our hogget bellies came from sheep that did weed-suppression work underneath the vines. As hoggets, they are a year older than lambs yet not quite mutton, making the meat richer and gamier than lamb.
The bellies were richly marbled with so many layers of delicious fat that we were reminded of the laminations of flaky pastry. Our “lambinations” had been slowly cooked to bring out the rich flavour and then grilled to crisp up both top and bottom.
They were served with chunks of celeriac that had been steamed, breaded and fried, a silky-smooth carrot puree and a complex jus of earthy, vegetably flavours, and topped with a sprinkling of chervil whose delicate anise notes balanced the fatty richness. When my partner said they “wanted to marry” the lamb, I understood.
I had half expected the “long” part of lunch to refer to length rather than duration, thinking of an outdoor Italian-style communal lunch where long tables are set up in the street. Rather, Greystone’s long-lunch concept showcases the value of slowing down, and after spending almost an entire afternoon at the vineyard, we felt restored, in balance and ready for winter.
In this sense, a long lunch is part of the slow food movement, which emphasises local food grown and cooked with traditional and sustainable techniques. The hogget belly showed the value of taking time: its age and its long, slow cooking combined to develop richer flavours than a spring lamb.
Another North Canterbury supplier was behind the day’s best dish. A mixed grain risotto with watercress and pecorino sounded a little underwhelming but it showcased the taste and texture of the grains.
Based in Scargill, just north of Greystone, Milmore Downs is an organic grain grower and miller. The risotto was made with its pearl barley and spelt, and its delicate nuttiness and toothsome texture were beautifully balanced by an intense watercress puree as well as whole leaves.
Small cubes of a sharp pecorino cheese studded the risotto, which felt light and healthy yet luxurious. It felt like a magic trick: how could healthy grains taste so indulgent and creamy?
We had started with an amuse bouche of corn pancakes served with a chive mascarpone while we took in the scene.
Sitting in simple yet stylish green leather chairs on a patio covered by a bower of grape leaves, we were facing blocks of vineyards that creep up into the Teviotdale Hills. Harvest was over, with pruning yet to come, making for a golden scene as the sun