Winter can be a dreary time of year, but here’s the perfect excuse to get out of those Ugg boots: a glamorous night of wining and dining in the city. To celebrate Christmas in July, Essence Restaurant at Melbourne Marriott Hotel has teamed up with DeBortoli Family Winemakers for a feast of epic sophistication. This five-course wine-matched dinner brings the best of the Yarra Valley to the city, showcasing seasonal produce alongside wines from DeBortoli Yarra Valley, all served in the upscale environs of one of the top Melbourne CBD hotels.
The degustation features elevated takes on winter comfort food, such as braised lamb with kale and polenta, prosciutto-wrapped scallops with Moreton Bay bugs, and date pudding with poached rhubarb and brandy custard. Each of the five courses has been carefully paired with complementary wines, from the unusual Italian-style Vinoque Fiano e Greco, to a shiraz from DeBortoli’s recently acquired Rutherglen Estates vineyard.
Early bird tickets are just $95 per person through Saturday June 15. After that, tickets are $111, which is still not bad for enough food and wine that you’ll want the hotel staff to call you a cab at the end of the night. Because you’re fancy like that.