Adelaide has been very fortunate to avoid any sort of lockdown, however the hospitality industry is still struggling with on and off restrictions. Tonight, Sammy’s on the Marina have teamed up with Wicks Estate to give guests a delicious five course degustation.

We started the night off with Coffin Bay Oysters with finger lime, ikura, fermented pepper and scallions. There’s nothing like the fresh flavours of the ocean when you taste a freshly shucked oyster. The tartness of the lime and spiciness of the pepper balanced each other well. This was paired with the Wicks Estate Riesling which had lovely floral aromas and a citrus intensity on the palate.

Next was the SA Scallops with braised brassica, chive labneh and fresh fig. The scallops were so juicy and succulent. The figs were firm and full of sweetness. This was paired with the Wicks Estate Sauvignon Blanc which had aromas of green apple and tropical fruits, and had an elegant clean finish on the palate.

The star of the show was the Kangroo Island Lobster with butter, sea parsley, tobiko and lobster bisque. Australians are fortunate enough to have affordable access to quality local lobster. Synonomous with luxury and fine dining, we enjoyed every single of bite of this dish. Paired with the CJ Wicks Chardonnay, there is a subtle hint of French oak while being a bit nutty on the palate.

We were then greeted with the Adelaide Hills Lamb with caramelised carrot, burnt allium, sourdough pangrattato and salsa verde. We liked the fact a non-seafood item was included in the degustation. Not only is Sammy’s a quality seafood restaurant, but they can do other things well too. The lamb was tender and juicy and was well complemented by the natural sweetness of the carrot and savouriness of the salsa verde. The main was paired with the CJ Wicks Pinot Noir and CJ Wicks Shiraz. The CJ Wicks Pinot Noir has a lovely fruity aroma with soft tanins on the palate, while the CJ Wicks Shiraz has more of a dark cherry and black fruit flavour, and comes across as a bit moreish.

To end the night, we had the Deconstructed Hazelnut Mousse with cardamom sugar shards, vanilla bean gel, macaron, hazelnut mousse and blood orange jus. We love how all the elements in this dessert come together to create something so rich and decadent. This was paired with the ‘Pamela’ Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir which had a lovely fruity aroma and was nice and nice savoury flavours on the palate.

Sammy’s on the Marina are continually moving from strength to strength. We experienced five amazing courses matched with equally good Wicks Estate Wines. Adelaide Food Central would like to thank Pervez Alam and all the staff at Sammy’s on the Marina for their kind hospitality, and of course, Wicks Estate for their great matching wines.

WHERE: 12 Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg