Craggy Range has been involved with F.A.W.C! from the beginning.
This year's Winter F.A.W.C! events have both sold out but don't worry, you can still get in on the action with the spectacular F.A.W.C! by 5 deal.
Marketing manager Sophie Fischer said Craggy Range loved being involved with F.A.W.C!
"It's a nice event for the region. Everyone involved has pushed the boundaries and grown their events over the years.
"I love it. We have some fabulous food and wine in our region and this is a great way to show it off."
It was time for us to be seated at our table.
Our excellent waiter bought out the two, yes that's two, wines that are served with the meal.
These reds are pretty special. Craggy Range Pinot Noir Te Muna Road Vineyards Martinborough 2013. I didn't get that wrong - 2013. And Craggy Range Syrah Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Hawke's Bay 2011 - I didn't get that wrong either.
It's not often you get to try vintage wines like these by the glass. Served in beautiful glasses, the wines were incredible.
I love wine but I'm certainly no expert. However, I could smell spice and black currants in the syrah. The colour was dark purple and it was rich and sweet.
The pinot noir was more crimson in colour, smelt more herby. It tasted amazing.
While we were discussing and tasting the wines, our meals arrived.
We were stunned. I was expecting a casserole-type dish but Craggy Range head chef Andrew Saxton had other ideas.
He has taken a classic French dish and put a modern twist on it.
Mr Saxton is a very clever chef.
There were onion petals, pickled mushrooms from Hillcroft mushrooms in Bay view, Wagyu beef with a slice of bacon and beautiful glazed carrot atop it, potatoes mashed with butter and topped with an amazing tuile made from dried potatoes and the off-cuts of the beef and coated with salt.
The beef was without doubt the nicest I have had. It melted in my mouth, the potato was silky smooth - mouthfuls of deliciousness.
The tuile was crisp and salty, the mushrooms were divine and the onion petals were crunchy with intense flavour.
The combination of textures and flavours in the dish is just so clever. We were blown away .
Mr Saxton said he decided he wanted to lighten the meal up this year for F.A.W.C! by 5.
"Last year we had a cassoulet that was only available on a Sunday and was made to share.
"This year the meal is available for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, so I wanted to lighten it up," he said.
He was moving the menu away from classic French and into a lighter form of a NZ/French version. If this dish is anything to go by I can't wait to try more.
As we left, we agreed we were glad it wasn't a sharing dish because we wouldn't have wanted to share one single bite of it.
* Bookings are essential, phone, 873 7126.
