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Gravner Wine Maker’s Dinner at George, Mayfair

ByQin Xie

Menu from a dinner at Mayfair members’ club George with Mateja Gravner with natural wines made in qvevries from Josko Gravner and regional food created by the in-house chef to match:

Grilled Porcini mushrooms, garlic, shallot and parsley

Gravner Ribolla 2007 Venezua Giulia IGT

Prune and Gravner gnocchi, cinnamon crumb

Gravner Bianco Breg 2007 Venezia Giulia IGT

Scallop and mushroom gratin

Gravner Bianco Breg ‘Anfora’ 2006 Venezia Giulia IGT

Wild game rambasicci, roasted celeriac, celeriac rémoulade

Gravner Bianco Breg 1998 Collio DOC

Potato soufflé, pine nuts, raisins and spice

Gravner Rosso Breg 2004

It’s the first time I had dinner at George and I was really impressed.

Although a quintessentially English member’s club, the chef has managed to take influences from the Middle East, on its usual menu, and Italy, as in this case here. What was amazing was that the chef has taken the tasting notes from the cuisine of the region where Gravner Wines are based – close to the border of Slovenia – and woven them into menu.

The gnocchi for example, is a stuffed croquette that’s regional to the area where the wine is made. And of course, all Italians have a great love for Porcini mushrooms and these were generous and very fresh.

Qin Xie is a London based food, wine and travel journalist and trained chef.

When not infiltrating Michelin restaurants as a kitchen tourist, she writes about food, drink and travel. Her work has appeared on Yahoo, FT, The Times and CNN.

Her first cookbook, co-authored with YS Peng at Hunan Restaurant, is out March 2014.

According to friends, her watch is always set to UTC -- ready for the next big adventure. In reality, she is happiest at the dinner table or by the sea.

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