December 2017 food & wine pairing

This wine, for that dish

So much wine, so little time. Here are some standout wines to try this December, paired with delicious recipes from our magazine.

L’Ormarins Brut Rosé, R185

The perfect bubbly to pop as the hot summer day gently cools off into evening. The bright entry of lime and lemon will wake you right up and shake off the doldrums of a lazy afternoon. This leads to a palate abundant with red berry fruit such as pomegranate and cranberry, some lees complexity offers a creamy, but dry finish.

Pair with: Spinach and ricotta Christmas tree

WIN: See the world through L’Ormarins Brut Rosé coloured glasses this summer and enter to win a three-pack of this elegant MCC. Prize valued at R555. To enter, simply complete the entry form below. Terms and conditions apply. Competition ends 2 January 2017.

Hartenberg Chardonnay 2016, R115

Grapes for the wine were handpicked early in the morning in order to capture the flavours of this varietal, and it shows in the white blossoms that lead the nose into the more classic lemon and lime aromatics. The core offers pure fruit neatly held up by creamy vanilla notes of oak. Nicely balanced with crisp acidity

Pair with: Snoek and sundried tomato pâté with chargrilled ciabatta toast

Fleur Du Cap Pinot Noir 2016, R85

Enjoy this pinot noir just slightly chilled to relish the delicacy of the red fruit flavours such as fresh red cherries and just-picked strawberries. While light-bodied, the palate is surprisingly rich with hints of earth and mushroom coming in the background. It’s smooth, elegant and very sippable.

Pair with: Cherry and blue cheese pies

Reyneke Biodynamic Syrah 2015, R175

With a mantra of “organic and biodynamic wine farming is the route to coax the best wines from the earth, while remaining in environmental integrity,” Reyneke shows once again that the proof is in the sipping. Just the thing for the Christmas lamb, this luscious, perfumed syrah offers up cinnamon, clove and white pepper spice tinged with fynbos scrub and notes of black cherries. The palate is fresh, with a mélange of red and black fruits and barely-there tannins, for a smooth, juicy finish.

Pair with: Roast leg of lamb with garlic and herbs

Le Riche Cabernet Reserve 2014, R580

Your table needs this cult cabernet for the main festive event.  Made by the lauded family-run farm Le Riche—for 21 years, the Le Riche family have made it their business to produce the definitive expression of a Stellenbosch cabernet sauvignon, to great acclaim—this is the flagship of the farm’s legacy. The Reserve spends 22 months in 225-litre French oak and is a classic cabernet a nose displaying blackcurrant, cassis and cedar aromas leading onto a rich and textured palate with layers of blackcurrant. It’s power and elegance all at the same time. How does that saying go again? Oh yes, an iron fist in a velvet glove.

Pair with: Roast rib of beef with baked citrus butternut and melted Gorgonzola

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Writen by Malu Lambert, food and wine writer