ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL SYDNEY had a fantastic night at the Fine Wine Partners & Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Wine List of the Year Awards in 2009.

It was an extremely proud moment for us taking out Australia’s Wine List of the Year in 2009 plus Best Restaurant List and Best New List – The Tony Hitchin Award.  To read more about these awards and Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney click here.

And that wasn’t the end of it…

Our very own Sophie Otton took out the National Judy Hirst Award which focuses on sommeliers whose unique talent and knowledge elevates the public’s appreciation of the role within the industry.  To read more on this award click here.

Sophie Otton in the wine room at Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney

Media Release

The Rockpool Group’s four restaurants win
Wine Spectator awards

3 August 2009: Rockpool, Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney and Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne were three of 727 restaurants worldwide and only nine in Australia to receive a “Best of Award of Excellence” in Wine Spectator’s recently announced 2009 Restaurant Awards.

Spice Temple also achieved an “Award of Excellence” for its interesting and exciting selection of exactly 100 Australian and imported wines.

A “Best of Award of Excellence” is granted to restaurants that clearly offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.  Their wine lists also display vintage depth, with vertical offerings of several top producers from major regions, or excellent breadth over several winegrowing regions.  They also typically offer 400 or more selections, along with superior presentation.

An “Award of Excellence” is Wine Spectator’s entry-level award, for lists that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.

Directors Neil Perry, Trish Richards and David Doyle were thrilled with these four prestigious awards and commended Sommeliers Paul Gardner (Rockpool), Sophie Otton (Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney), Christian Denier (Spice Temple) and David Lawler (Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne) for their outstanding expertise and experience in wine list management.

“We have some of the country’s best Sommeliers and these awards are testament to their exceptional knowledge and dedication,” says Neil.

Rockpool and Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne have received numerous awards for their contribution to Australia’s dining scene and are recognised as two of the country’s premier restaurants, and since Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney and Spice Temple opened their doors early in 2009, they have established a solid reputation for their unique design, superb food offering and extraordinary wine lists.

With Neil Perry and Trish Richards’ focus on quality food, service and ambience as well as David Doyle’s passion for wine, the Rockpool Group of restaurants have become true wine destinations and world class dining experiences.

For further information and media inquiries:

Contact Michelle Campbell, Minc Communications

T 0410 614 433, E michelle@minccom.com.au

Wine, Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney

FINE WINING AND DINING STANDS UP TO DOWNTURN

Article by Huon Hooke – Good Living – The Sydney Morning Herald.
Tuesday, 10th June 2009

Excerpt from the Daily Telegraph on Sunday 10th May - article by Sharon Labi.

AT $89,510, a 1945 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is Sydney’s most expensive bottle of wine.

And if you order the French burgundy at the city’s newest noshery, Rockpool Bar & Grill, they’ll even throw in a free feed.

The restaurant boasts Sydney’s top 10 most expensive wines and then some, drawn from the private collection of David Doyle, Neil Perry’s business partner in the new venture and the Melbourne restaurant of the same name.

Mr Doyle, a softly spoken American who has twice tasted the 1945 drop and described it as “beyond spectacular”, recommends it be ordered with the $39 free range chicken off the wood fired rotisserie with Tuscan bread salad.

Head sommelier Sophie Otton suggests the $45 wood fired grilled pigeon with roasted red peppers, grapes and radiccio salad.

Whatever the dish, they agree a wine of that complexity and subtlety needs plain food.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE

Romanee Conti, 1945 at Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney

ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL, SYDNEY
by Franz Scheurer, Australian Gourmet Pages

The food at Rockpool Bar & Grill is excellent and never comes across as too worked or too fancy. It’s substantial comfort food and the portions are generous. Desserts are outstanding and leave you sated and satisfied.

When Rockpool Bar & Grill first opened it had an appropriate wine list with a decent selection of wines by the glass. The team at Rockpool Bar & Grill has been working on a wine list, which should be implemented in the next few days, that is without a doubt, one of the world’s most extensive and interesting lists. I had the privilege of seeing the lists, (two large tomes, one for whites and one for reds) and they’re amazing.

There are wines from around the world with over 3,500 different wines, going back as far as 1795. The lists focuses on Australia, France, Italy and the USA. Some legendary wines, including the amazing 1921 Chateau d’Yquem, 1945 Romanée-Conti, 1945 Mouton-Rothschild, and 1931 Quinta do Noval Port are on the lists. There is a vertical selection of 34 wines from the famous Burgundy vineyard La Tâche, 55 different wines from Montrachet, 32 selections of Penfold’s Grange, and 22 selections of Chateau Petrus with vintages ranging from 1900 to 2000. There are more than 350 wines in a more affordable price bracket (below $100) and I’m impressed with the selection of wines from Wendouree. Sophie Otton has joined the Rockpool Group as head sommelier and what she doesn’t know about wines is probably not worth knowing.

This is a huge restaurant and I expected the service to struggle in these early days, but I was wrong. Service was smooth, professional and attentive without being overbearing.

Adjacent to the dining room there is a funky bar with a good selection of beverages (and soon a good selection of whisky/whiskeys). On the bar menu you also find the famous Wagyu Burger. You are going to have to try it to believe it!

All in all: Rockpool Bar & Grill is a fabulous venue, offering great and affordable food and with its many private rooms the perfect place for your next birthday party or business function.

Score: 8.5/10
(and be clear that this is, in my opinion, Australia’s most beautiful dining room!)

For more information or bookings:
Rockpool Bar & Grill
66 Hunter Street
Sydney
Tel.: 02 8078 1900