Playing with Fire | Urban Winery Sydney

Details of our Chef  X Winemaker Long Lunch with Lennox Hastie
Sunday 24 November, 1 to 4pm

With over 19 years as a winemaker, Alex has worked extensively around the world including two years running a winery in Bordeaux before starting his own label A.Retief Wines in 2008, and later opening Sydney’s first permanent urban winery. Alex’s vision was inspired by his upbringing and passion for local produce and he felt that he could create a venue that both supported and celebrated all things NSW; combining his own wine with different foods to provide visitors with a unique and memorable experience.

Alex initially started Urban Winery Sydney to challenge the stigma around wine and open communication lines around the winemaking process through showcasing his knowledge and skills to the general wine consumer.  From this, a bi-monthly long lunch idea was created where Alex organises a local Sydney chef to come to Urban Winery Sydney and create a three course meal that is then paired with a selection of wines. Visitors get a very personal experience and are able to interact directly with head winemaker Alex Retief and the visiting chefs. On occasion, other selected winemakers have included Nick Spencer (Nick Spencer Wines), Chris Tyrrell (Tyrrell’s Wines), Paul Martung (Lowe Wines), Peter Logan (Logan Wines), Ed Swift (Printhie Wines), and Mark Kirkby (Toppers Mountain).

This November Alex has teamed up with Lennox Hastie, of Fink Group Firedoor located in Surry Hills.  Lennox Hastie’s speciality is cooking with fire, and he’s earned a reputation as one of Australia’s best chefs with that skill, recently being crowned the Good Food Guide’s Citi Chef of the Year. He spent his early career working at Michelin Star restaurants in the UK, France and Spain, before finding his calling at Etxebarri, a small asador with a strong tradition of woodfired grilling. It was here he was exposed to a form of cooking that was so completely different, beautifully complex, yet simple, one that highlighted ingredients in their most natural state. He returned to Australia and opened Firedoor in 2015 to rave reviews.

The Chef x Winemaker long lunches are one of Urban Winery Sydney’s signature experiences; each course is inspired by the latest A.Retief releases alongside cellar favourites. The A.Retief wine label is made from grapes sourced from cool climate southern NSW regions, including Tumbarumba, The Hilltops and the family’s biodynamic vineyard in Gundagai. The grapes are all trucked in entirely handcrafted by Alex on-site. Guests experience a four-course menu inspired by Lennox’s fascination with fire, and the vineyards and winemaking process.

Join us to celebrate everything New South Wales including wines of exceptional quality and beautifully prepared food in Australia’s first true urban winery for our last long lunch of 2019.

Lennox Hastie of Surry Hill’s Firedoor uses no gas or electricity; just a fire, some ingredients and a burning desire to showcase their beautiful relationship.