Max Dingle 21 September 2014 http://www.maxdingleart.com/max-blog.html
The Milton Ulladulla Escape ArtFest 2014 is up and running and a very pleasant time can be had going to the various events and exhibitions at this time of the year. One of the best is RIPE sculpture exhibition and prize held at Cupitt's Winery just outside of Milton. The winery itself is in a beautiful location with views over a valley and the top end of Burrill Lake across to the Budawang Ranges. As well it has a great restaurant which has recently been awarded a Chef's Hat award by the Good Food Guide. The sculpture is displayed in the grounds around the winery and restaurant with smaller works displayed in the Tasting Room. I had the role of judging the sculpture prize and decided that the best way would be to view the works, have lunch and contemplate, then view the works again a sort out my analysis and notes written during the break.
Restaurant
Lunch started with a glass of sparkling white which unfortunately had been open for some time and was rather flat, I would have normally pointed this out but the restaurant is in the middle of a renovation and the staff were doing their best to maintain a calm dining room in the centre of a rather chaotic jumble of carpenters, builders, labourers and their dogs frantically trying to finish the new section of the restaurant in readiness for a weddings to be held in a few days time. The meal I ordered came with (complimentary) bread and oil / balsamic, a plus ,from my point of view bread should always be offered with meals and never charged for, as for the water which was also served.Pork, Veal and Duck Liver Terrine, Pear and Apple Chutney, Toast
Rump of Lamb, Gem Lettuce, Spring Vegetables
Brown Butter Crème Brûlée with Spiced Biscuit, Rum and Raisin Ice Cream
The meal was very well done, good flavours, perfectly cooked, with the lamb the highlight. The Brûlée was on the side of rustic rather than refined but enjoyable.
A glass of Carolyn's Cabernet 2013 went extremely well with the lamb, a wine apparently grown in red granite soils, so presumably not in this particular area. Lovely fruit on the nose, smooth and loose on the palette with a tannic finish.
The service was efficient, polite, unobtrusive and calm considering the circumstances.
Total cost $86
Sculpture
The winner of the sculpture prize was “The Phoenix’s Flame” which I noted required multiple viewings to capture the beautiful & complex flow of multiple small elements. Finish on metal very well handled. There were two highly commended works :
- “ Directions” well conceived, it flickers between the abstract and the real.
- “Duality and reflections” Intricate and well thought out, setting rhythms in positive and negative and great workmanship.
Plus two Tasting Room commendations:
- “ Gene pool depository” Really great riff on traditional icon and religious imagery with complex meaning involved. Wonderful techniques and workmanship.
- “ last trees standing (prosthetic form)" delicate handling of diverse materials, reaches a satisfying balance in a calm and collected manner
