Orlo Collingwood’s Venue Manager and Wine Buyer Lauren Cassar is the reason the wine list is one you’ll be talking about long after you’ve dined at this gorgeous neighbourhood newcomer.
There’s around 100 wines on the list with a generous nod to the female winemakers who makes wines you’ll be hunting down to purchase after you dine here.
Lauren Cassar talks to The Write Drop about her favourite bars, wines she’s enjoyed at many Melbourne food institutions, and the dishes she long remembers. We love that she pays no attention to Google reviews when in Dijon, France and gives us plenty of reasons to smile when ordering a wine by the glass at this neigbourhood gem Orlo Collingwood.
After 12 years at La Luna, she brings her charming industry experience to this next chapter in her hospitality career.
MY CITY
Melbourne – the best city. Anything you want at any time of the day or night – coffee Preston Market and City Wine Shop, art, culture, parks and the people.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Melbourne is full of these experiences. The mussels and nduja at Marion, lobster rolls at Supernormal, beef tartare at France Soir and the beautifully braised capretto here at Orlo. But, the tortelloni at Trattoria Emilia, I’m obsessed -the parmesan sauce with the balsamic is heaven. I’ve been pretty lucky to have some amazing meals at some super fantastic restaurants around the world, but if there was one dish that if someone asked me to eat at any time of the day or night, any season, any mood, that would be it.
FAVOURITE BAR
City Wine Shop. It’s quintessentially Melbourne. We’d be out on Spring St sipping Clos Cibbone Rose in the 40 degrees or the 16 degrees, it doesn’t matter. I love taking my junior staff members here to experience a ‘wine education’. We’d go and pick a bottle off the wine wall or fridge, drink and discuss -over cod roe blinis, of course. But also, some of my favourite memories are rooted in that place. Tables for two become tables for 12 when you unexpectedly run into all the hospitality kids on a Monday afternoon. All the conversations over bottles of wine, Aperol Spritz or Negroni’s, lunches with mum and dad when they come to visit, birthdays, farewells, intermission coffees when I see a show at the Princess Theatre. We are always picking a wine, usually white, most likely an oaky Chardonnay from somewhere in Vic (Beechworth if it’s my turn to choose).
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
An espresso with a shot of Campari – at first you aren’t sure, but then you realise what a delight it is.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
At my age hangovers need careful planning. Trips to the pharmacy and supermarket so I don’t have to leave my house for 3-5 business days after a big night. Then it’s 2 Panadol, 2 Nurofen, Berocca or Hydralyte, vegemite toast and a cold shower if I have somewhere to be will usually give me a reprieve from the symptoms.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Most of my interstate trips these days are to pop up to QLD and spend time with my family, so I would say the exclusive bar at my parents’ house on the Sunshine Coast. I’ve taught dad how to make a great Aperol spritz and I can drink it out of a glass while floating in the pool and it usually comes with a free cheese board courtesy of mum! Also, Noosa Beach House Bar for people watching and a coconut margarita.
OVERSEAS BAR TIP
Don’t know if this is a hot tip or the worst kept secret in wine bars but Bruno Bar a Vins in Dijon is simply the greatest wine bar I’ve ever visited. It has heaps of 1 star Google reviews from pissed off American tourists because the bar is tiny and Bruno doesn’t suffer fools, but I had the best time after being recommended to go by a long time favourite person of mine. Bruno is fantastic and generous, the handwritten wine list is insane and the vibe; second to none.
FAVOURITE WINE
Impossible to choose, but I have been lucky enough to have been gifted several bottles of Giaconda Chardonnay in my life and every time I drink a bottle I think about how lucky I am and of all the beautiful and generous people in my life
FAVOURITE WINERY
I took a weekend up to Beechworth last year and was so happy to spend time with Chris Catlow at his winery, Sentio. Chris was awesome. We tasted for two hours, opening bottles and tasting straight from barrel. It was one of those insider hospo experiences that make you pinch yourself.
NEXT DESTINATION
Noosa for my Dad’s 65th birthday. Bali in June for a wedding, but the trip I’m most excited for is Sicily in August to celebrate my 40th birthday. I’m longing for the Sicilian sun, long days swimming in the Med and a million Aperol Spritz.
TELL US ABOUT THE WINE LIST AT ORLO?
Wine lists are always a work in progress. I love the direction we are heading in and I’m so pleased that we are able to shine the spotlight on some very talented female winemakers. The list isn’t huge, sitting around that hundred bottles but I think it strikes the right balance between your heavy hitting, classic varietals and some more interesting, fun things. I got our senior front of house team involved in the selection so you’ll see a bit of everyone’s wine personality on the list as well as some team favourites (looking at you, Sentio Aligote).
YOU SPOTLIGHT SOME GREAT FEMALE WINEMAKERS. WE LOVE THIS, WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU?
Because they are making bloody delicious wine! I never started out with the thought that I would write a purely female led wine list, but once the document was produced, I realised that a nice big chunk of the list was made by the ladies.
Shining a spotlight on these amazing people is about celebrating the wines they have produced and less about the fact that a female produced the wine. However, I understand that given the male dominated industry we find ourselves in, a female-led wine list is a rare gem to come across. Plus, again and again, I find that women are making really intentional wine – putting so much effort and thought throughout the process. You can taste that they let the wine be who it wants to be and you end up with the most delicious and unique bottles. Though it shouldn’t be a big deal, we have a long way to go in terms of gender equity in food and beverage, and I’m proud to be a part of the change by spotlighting these genuinely brilliant winemaking women. Women in wine deserve to be celebrated.
FAVOURITES INCLUDE:
Nature of the Beast Barbera and Rose (King Valley). Made by Phoebe Grant. Firstly, the packaging is stunning, a small, simple label and wax over cork closure. The bottles speak to a much more premium price point than the wines land at. Secondly the wines are textural, savoury and interesting without being jarring.
Little Francis Chardonnay (Beechworth), Made by Erin Pooley. Chardonnay from Beechworth, in my humble opinion, is the best in Australia and Erin’s example has all the hallmarks of a perfect Beechworth Chardonnay while still maintaining the personality in the wine. A little lo-fi, a lot delicious.
Charlotte Hardy from Charlotte Dalton Wines. I came across her Semillon a few years ago when she won Young Gun Winemaker of the Year and over the years have followed her journey and drank her incredible wines. We just sold out the very last bottles (ever) of the 2018 Erkengle Semillon and currently have her beautiful Adelaide Hills Shiraz listed and are looking forward to adding her Fred Fiano as well. She is just the most amazingly kind, generous and lovely person and a fab winemaker as well.
THREE WINES ON THE LIST WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
Fletcher ‘Cantina della Stazione’ Langhe Favorita from Piedmont in Italy. I’ve been a big fan of Dave’s wines for years, predictably his Chardonnay from Piedmont is one of my death row items, but this wine is a hot contender for wine of the summer. Great with food or as an aperitif (afternoon in the sun), it’s silky, salty and Italian.
Occam’s Razor Shiraz from Heathcote. Made by the endlessly talented Emily
McNally of Jasper Hill fame. Not just another Heathcote shiraz, I love selling this wine to people because it’s just interesting enough to have a point of difference but not so much that it’s too challenging for die-hard Heathcote Shiraz fans.
Crowther Collective ‘Cooper’ Chardonnay, Henty, Vic. Made by Sebastian Crowther and Josh Cooper. I was gifted a bottle for Christmas a couple of years ago and drank that in a black out while eating linguini vongole (perfect pairing) and drank another bottle at lunch at Grossi last year. I couldn’t get it out of my head so it has landed on the list. You can never have enough chardonnays on a wine list.
PAIR THREE DISHES AT ORLO WITH A GLASS OF:
Beef tartare, salted yolk, burnt flour matzo with Cobaw Ridge Il Pinko Rose.
This version of beef tartare is not heavily spiced, more Italian than French, letting the beef become the hero. The Il Pinko is perfectly savoury and has more depth and texture than a typical rose, adding to the enjoyment of the tartare rather than being taken over.
Ink and octopus risotto with Koerner Savagnin. The risotto is super rich and flavourful from the ink so the natural acidity in the savignin cuts some of that and enhances the dish.
Barese sausage, peperonata with Giovanni Viberti Langhe Dolba DOC. I’m a huge fan of a Langhe rosso and I think the spices in the sausage are really complemented by the jammy notes in this wine.
A BOTTLE THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
I was at a crossroads in my life after the longest lockdown ever and went to lunch at Marion with one of my favourite people in the world and he ordered a half bottle of Domaine Armand Rousseau 2017 to go with lunch. I realised then and there that I was not ready to leave Melbourne and it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Maybe it was the wine, the company or Marion but I think of that lunch often.
WHAT CAN’T YOU LIVE WITHOUT
Half bottles. A single girl’s best friend.
