Food & wine pairing – September 2018

This wine, for that dish

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

 

Whalehaven Conservation Coast Chardonnay, R360

Whalehaven’s flagship Conservation Coast range celebrates the stretch of wild Cape South Coast from False Bay to Cape Agulhas. And what better time to celebrate the sea than in spring? Cellared for two years before release, The Conservation Coast Chardonnay has been bottle-aged for two years to ensure its optimal flavour development. It uncorks with aromas of caramelised fruit with an undercurrent of cinnamon and clove. Baked apples and pears evolve on the palate with touches of stone fruit. Lovely breadth and leesy creaminess on the mid-palate is followed by a finish with a touch of that cool-climate salinity.

Pair with: Savoury rosemary scones with chicken liver pâté

 

WIN! Whalehaven’s set of handcrafted Reserve Wines

The prize includes: Conservation Coast Chardonnay 2014 & and the Conservation Coast Pinot Noir 2014, both valued at R360 each. The Conservation Coast range is a relatively recent addition and made its debut with the 2012 vintage. The wines are made using grapes from selected vineyards in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. This year, the 2014 vintages of both wines were included in the Sommeliers Selection, an honour also awarded to the 2013 Pinot Noir last year.

The prize is valued at R720

To enter, simply complete the entry form below. Terms and conditions apply. Competition ends 30 September 2018.

 

Nom Pinot Noir 2017, R365

Nom stands for nombulelo, which means gratitude in Xhosa and Nomkhubulwane; a forgotten African goddess of agriculture. The story of the beautiful label draws you in and the wine continues the tale of the land: redolent of red cherries, there’s orange rind and nutmeg too, the cherries continue on the palate with a subtle earthy note of forest mushrooms.

Pair with: Confit duck

 

Allée Bleue Black Series Old Vine Pinotage 2016, R350

Crafted from Piekenierskloof bush vine pinotage planted in 1976, The Allée Bleue Black Series Old Vine Pinotage 2016 has rightfully been selected as an Absa Pinotage Top 10 wine! Blackberries and plums tinged with spice open up this wine, the palate is juicy and sappy with red and black fruit, there’s some dark chocolate and tobacco, with a tingly edge of roasted fennel. Silky with fine-grain tannins, this is a simply delicious tribute to pinotage.

Pair with: Beef fillet with biltong crust, nasturtium pesto, onion and pumpkin seed salad, and butter-fried maize (pap) squares

 

Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2017, R242

For the fourth time since the award’s inception, the Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc has been recognised as one of SA’s best Chenin Blancs in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge. Says Jacques Erasmus, senior white winemaker: “This wine started out life in a gnarled 40-year-old granddaddy of a vineyard. An old soul with depth, richness and creaminess that’s like a night at the opera. Pale gold, well integrated and hitting all the high notes with its complexity, it plays beautifully on the palate. Our great national treasure – South African Chenin – is alive and well.”  Heady tropical fruit and unmistakable apricot aromas are followed by flavours of white peaches and caramelised nuts on the mid-palate. The wine is rich yet balanced with a punchy acidity.

Pair with: Pan-fried chicken breasts with avo, grapefruit and spring onion salad

 

Vriesenhof Unwooded Chardonnay  2017, R100

Light and refreshing, the fragrance of orange blossom and citrus give way to fig and white pear, with a green apple, slightly smoky, finish.

Pair with: Bacon, ricotta and spring onion polenta-base tart

Written by Malu Lambert, food & wine writer

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