WISS II - The Reckoning

Whoa. 'The Reckoning' is a pretty dramatic headline for the Return To WISS opening blog for 2012 but it's been a long time between posts on here so why not, ey? Meat takes time to cure and so do we, hence the timing between any missives from WISS. Or something like that.

Meanwhile, the ball is actually rolling for WISS 2012. The judging dates have been set for Friday 2nd of November to Sunday 4th of November. Yes, a weekend long meatathon which will include a judging day, a wine and meat challenge, a salami making course then some good old-fashioned drinking of cans of beer and awkward hugging.

De Bortoli triumphed last year so for 2012 they are hosting the WISS entourage on their Yarra Valley estate. Word has it Stephen Webber has ordered a portaloo so none of the judges destroy the pristine plumbing at De Bortoli over the weekend. I think he just meant the judge Nick Ryan.

Anyway, WISS did a preliminary inspection of the De Bortoli facilities and were blown away by the facilities and proximity to the great outdoors in case of any urgent need to purge. The old shearing shed that will house the bulk of the WISS festival de meat even has a spooky room that has insulated and padded walls. We like it.

WISS has already been sent pictures of smallgoods action from around Australia and we are hoping that the later-in-year date will allow for many meats to taste even better than last year. Producers already committed include De Bortoli (of course), Ravensworth (last year's runner up and winner of the air dried class), Zema Estate from Coonawarra (super enthusiastic and we love them), while the First Drop boys from the Barossa have been early meat handlers in 2012, and a new, all girl wine posse from Victoria has set our faces to flush and our pants to 'watch out' with their commitment to sausages for WISS 2012.

There will be more details to come... rest assured WISS is once more flying the flag for all things wine industry smallgood in 2012.

We welcome you back to the WISS fold...

And The Trophy For Best Smallgood Of WISS... THE BIG ONE..!

Ok. So this is the one you have all been waiting for. The best. The tastiest. The sexiest. The one you want to stash in your pants and show off to friends. The greatest flavour, the best excuse for killing an animal, the ultimate moment in death of small, kind, loveable farmyard friends...

RAVENSWORTH 'COUNTRY HAM' vs DEBORTOLI 'HARRY'S HOT STICK'

A very tough call here for the judges... The Country Ham was subtle, fine, filigreed and elegant to the Hot Stick's brashness, complexity, amazing flavour and seductive spice.

In the end. The best meat won... (3 judges to 1 judge)

THE BEST SMALLGOOD IN THE AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY FOR WISS 2011 IS...

DEBORTOLI HARRY'S HOT STICK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winner of WISS 2011 - De Bortoli Harry's Hot Stick

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED - WATCH OUT FOR WISS 2012 DETAILS, COMING SO SOON THAT IT WILL MAKE YOUR GUTS SPIN... 

WISS judging begins! Air Dried

First up the meat has all been numbered for anonymity. Next up, the limoncello has been slugged down for protection. Then, spitoons/vomit buckets set aside for the tasting...

The first class to be judged is 'Air Dried'. Judge Cornish says 'so many pigs have died for this'. 

Class comments:

For a spread of amateurs, there is a real dedication to tradition. Really respectful to the art itself. No one is taking the piss. - RC

Some could have done with more hang time. Overall very good - DB

Nothing I really recoiled from, some very impressive and interesting products there. Best of them had a supple meat sweetness, weren't over salty and singular. NR

Lots of variety of flavour, well made and well executed smallgoods. Some of the more subtly flavoured products were novel. No gut-churn. - MB

Results:

Third place - TAIT WINES 'FILETTO d'PROSCIUTTO' - A ring burner of the highest order, but takes length and sear to a new level. Great balance of spice in general. 

Second place - FIRST DROP CAPOCOLLO - Great flavour here. The meat here never made the barf bucket. Long, umami twang in the finish. Complex flavours. 

WINNER - RAVENSWORTH COUNTRY HAM - An extraordinary product that defied Maestro Cornish 'I've not seem similar' - a subtle, lightly coloured but definitively porky product with filigree of flavour. Remarkable for delicacy but complexity. 

Ravensworth gets serious...

Bryan Martin has issued perhaps the most serious challenge yet. We thought some of the other entrants took things seriously, but Bryan is taking his Ravensworth entries to the next level. Emails that detail production processes, a photo journal of meat activities and a lengthy explanation of his ingredients have all been enlightening. The brows are furrowed, the head is down, this fella is fiending to take out this hokum competition in its inaugural year... 

Here is some pig curing. Not a curing pig. That would be pretty amazing though. 

Note the bag of mysterious white powder. The judges don't endorse the using of said powder but appreciate Bryan making the offer nonetheless. Please send in unmarked paper bag...  That's a whole 8kg of oinker leg.

Check out this good looker after 4 weeks of curing. *wolf whistle*.

Someone said they didn't like Bryan's Sangiovese at cellar door. This is where they ended up... air drying for our pleasure. 

Pig neck. Big pig neck. 

Here is some salami; just hanging out. Nice shed too Bryan. 

When I was a kid I tried this on myself to make things, erhem, grow. Sadly it didn't work out... But Bryan is having a crack at it with his Coppa...