This is perhaps the wine tasting sans pareil. A few precious specimens of the world's finest and most valuable wines accompanied by an haute couture menu tailored exclusively for them by perhaps Australia's most celebrated and accomplished createur.

As a concept in dining, it surpassed perhaps eve Peter Greenaway's cinematic culinary triumph, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. A table attended by some of this country's most dedicated oenophiles, indulging in a selection of the greatest vintages and names in winemaking from the personal cellar of Gary Steel, Managing Director of Domaine Wine Shippers.

From Bordeaux , 1961, considered not only one of this centuries finest vintages, but the greatest post-war vintage to date. Legendary bottles that are spoken of with a divine reverence; Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau Palmer and Chateau Montrose. From the same vintage and the famed vineyards of Champagne, an exquisite magnum of Billecart-Salmon Brut, especially air freighted to Melbourne for the occasion. Burgundies from another classic vintage, 1966; Richebourg, Romanee-Conti, La Tache; five recent vintages of the superb Le Montrachet, from 1988 through to 1984. Great port dating back to 1931; a Quinta do Noval and Pinhao; from 1848, an incomparable Madeira and a classic 1959 Chateau d'Yquem. And yes, just one more bottle. A gift from a friend to complete the series of first growth 1961 vintages; a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem '61.