Mad Fish Wines at TwentyOne Tables

TwentyOne Tables and Terrace
MadFish Wines

An Evening with Australian Wine

Words by Kirsten Durward
Photos by The Yum List

MadFish wine tasting is hosted at Twenty One Tables and Terrace in Bangsar.
Despite the rain we arrive in plenty of time. We’re personally poured a glass of wine by owner Richard.  “It’s white,” he remarks.  As we chuckle, he continues. “The MadFish is coming. He knows all about it, I only drink it.”  Perhaps.  But when it comes to bars, Richard and his partner appear to know what they are doing, as this place is considered one of the ‘places to be seen in Bangsar.’ And no I did not get that from the owner! I’ve commented before on the range of their drinks menu and we are looking forward to some decent tastings tonight.
For starters it’s the 2009 MadFish Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Immediate notes of lime and guava on the nose, it’s an aromatic and slightly effervescent wine. I’d pair it with a seafood starter or fish platter, so I’m happy when a tiny pop of tuna with mango salsa appears as an ‘amuse bouche.’ We are enjoying our first glass as the wine builds in intensity to a clean citrusy finish.
2009 MadFish Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Madfish wines, twentyOne tables and terrace, BSC
Tuna with Mango Salsa
The 2007 MadFish Gold Turtle Chardonnay is typical of the newer, fresher Australian Chardonnays. It has a light crisp feel in the mouth, with notes of honeydew and hazelnut. It’s a well balanced wine for an enjoyable evening’s drinking, leaving tinges of lemon and grapefruit lingering on the taste buds. We’re offered a morsel of coriander and lime mousse on a flaky cheesy pastry. Which tastes delicious with this tipple.
2007 MadFish Gold Turtle Chardonnay
Mini Pastry
Perfectly chilled Rose, for me is an afternoon wine, for a summer garden or a relaxed barbecue. The 2010 MadFish Sangiovese and Shiraz Rose is a lively and fruity wine. With its scents of cherries and notes of raspberries, and clean dry finish, I can easily imagine sharing a bottle or two with friends on a sunny day. 
2010 MadFish Sangiovese and Shiraz Rose
But it is evening, and the bar is darkening. TwentyOne Tables and Terrace provides us with its usual lively atmosphere and I know we need to be careful and not forget it is not the weekend. People are relaxed, dropping by tables for a drink and a chat, social style.
There are plenty of reds on offer and the first to be poured is the 2009 MadFish Pinot Noir. With aromas of cherry and strawberry, and taste notes of plum and cinnamon spice, the wine is surprisingly sweet on the front of the mouth then mellows out leaving a long lingering mouth filling taste.
2009 MadFish Pinot Noir
We’re joined by Paul from MadFish, who has finally struggled through KL traffic to get a glass in his hand. He tells us a little about the family run business, which started in 1922 in Mad Fish bay in South Australia, and has expanded to wineries in Margaret River. It’s the biggest family owned winery in Western Australia, producing 400 000 cases a year. ‘We make wine,’ he says proudly.
The wines are getting heavier as the atmosphere gets smokier. The 2008 MadFish Shiraz is a dark cherry red wine. Initial aromas are of pepper spice but then plum notes come through. On tasting, full bodied, with toasty oak, cherry and chocolate hints on the palate. It is a subtle, savoury wine, ideal for drinking with meaty Mediterranean dishes. 
The dark crimson wine now pouring is the 2008 MadFish Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. Aromas of black cherry with undernotes of chocolate entice us into the glass. The taste notes are brambly, with musky, woody tannins. It’s a more-ish wine and I imagine it drinks well with chili or curry.
2008 MadFish Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
It’s a weeknight so we have to end. And end we do with the 2007 MadFish Gold Turtle Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is a regal purplish red, appearing quite dense in character.  Aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate and sage flow from the glass. On tasting it proves a rich wine, full of juicy fruit and woody tannins. 
2007 MadFish Gold Turtle Cabernet Sauvignon
A fine finish. 

TwentyOne Tables + Terrace
t1, level 3, Bangsar Shopping Centre
285 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya
59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6 03 2287 0021

4 Comments

  1. I like Rose… the Shiraz Rose looks really beautiful… 🙂

    • I'm quite a fan of Rose too, for lazy drinking with friends in the afternoon. This Shiraz Rose was easy drinking, similar to a California Zinfandel

  2. what an interesting range of wines. i'm also tempted by the rose, especially since the weather is sweltering! 😀

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