WINE & DINE—WHAT’S NEW IN FOOD AND DRINK

There’s a New sommelier iN TowN

Meet Marlvin Gwese—the newly appointed sommelier at GreeNhouse aT The CellarshoheNorT in Cape Town. Zimbabwean-born Gwese began his career as a wine steward at The Table Bay and also graduated with a Cape Wine Academy Diploma in 2013. In 2015, Marlvin gained his Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 qualification and passed his Cape Wine Masters tasting. After a ten-year stint as head sommelier at the Cape Grace Hotel, Gwese decided it was time to take on a new challenge and join the talented Greenhouse team. We look forward to seeing you in action, Gwese! www.greenhouserestaurant.co.za

Wine & Dine

What’s New in Food and Wine

uNpluG aT spier

With a fireplace in every hotel room, plus spa, restaurants, art exhibitions, and a whole lot of fun things to do (not to mention wine tastings and pairings) spier invites you to switch off with their new winter promo. They have a package designed for those who are all Zoom’ed out and need to take a break from it all. To help you disconnect and reconnect, you will receive a ‘switch off’ kit to unplug and unwind. The kit includes a bottle of Spier Signature Wine, film camera (wait, they still make those?) to capture your offline moments, and a journal to jot down your thoughts. Plus, your kit doubles up as a phone safe to store your devices away for maximum memory making. Select any online package or rate and use the promo code, ‘ Reconnect’ to receive your special switch off kit on arrival. Valid until 30 September 2021. www.spier.co.za

Break Away to DWV

Looking for a quick escape that’s just a 20-minute drive from Cape Town’s CBD? Head to the revitalised

DurbaNville wiNe valley (DWV) for a day (or weekend) of fun and exploring. The rolling hills and wide-open spaces make the Durbanville landscape a treat for fans of the great outdoors. Among its many attractions are over 170km of MTB routes that run through vineyards and wilderness areas. Prefer to sit somewhere warm and toasty while sipping some wine? We hear you, and for those that don’t wish to get muddy while mountain biking, DWV has plenty of delicious wines and dining excursions on offer too. Meet you there? www.durbanvillewine.co.za

A Site for Sore Eyes

Chardonnay lovers, have we got juicy news for you. Delheim has just released its much anticipated 2020 vintage of its Sur Lie Chardonnay. The popularity of this wine stems from a single vineyard high against the Simonsberg Mountain, the estate’s most consistently good block of Chardonnay. Over the decades this specific site has delivered award-winning Chardonnays, and the 2007 vintage from this same block won the trophy for Best Chardonnay in the World. The name Sur Lie refers to the months (nine in fact) the wine spent on the lees before blending and bottling. “The fruit the block delivers is evidence that if you plant the right cultivar at the right site in the right soil you can make wines that are layered, complex and elegant,” says Delheim winemaker Roelof Lotriet. The wine retails at around R250 per bottle.

THE PERFECT PAIRING

GREAT WINE goes with GREAT FOOD. Learn WHAT TO SERVE with a few of our FAVOURITE WINES from SAXENBURG WINE ESTATE

One of the greatest dining pleasures is to nd a wine that enhances the delights of both the drink and the dish. It is an elegant experience and appreciation of the four primary senses involved in the tasting. While the nal sense, audition, may not lead, the sound of a popping cork and clinking glass in ‘cheers’ is always pleasing to the ear.

Both wine and food are thoroughly enjoyable on their own, but in unison, the right match can take things to a di erent level. It brings out the subtle avours of each item and opens up your taste buds to a whole world of discovery.

Winemaker, Dirk van Zyl, approaches pairings from a few di erent angles. e rst option is to balance each other out, like pairing a high acid wine with a fatty dish, to cut through the fat and balance both the wine and the food. e second option is matching or mirroring the wine and dish, like pairing a rich, barrel-aged Chardonnay with a creamy, rich dish. Or, you can also match aromas and avours - such as a beautifully roasted beetroot matching the more earthy side of the Saxenburg Private Collection Syrah. e secret is to match the food elements with sweetness, saltiness, acidity, tannin or bitter factors in a given wine.

SAXENBURG ESTATE PAIRING EXPERIENCE

Saxenburg Wine Estate produces award-winning wines in the heart of the Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, a region of rolling vineyards, deep valleys and mountain backdrops.

Saxenburg’s unique approach to winemaking has seen it win numerous awards, especially for its Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc wines. e intimate cellar door o ers an insight into the passion and love that goes into making wine at the Saxenburg. At the same time, you enjoy ne wine and chocolate and biltong delicacies at the cellar door curated by proprietors, Vincent and Fiona Bührer; which include the option of four chocolates or four biltong pairings with red and white wines. e world’s most celebrated wine lovers agree that when it comes to pairing wine and food, the most important thing is to enjoy the experience and share in

#SaxenburgMoments.

To nd out more about Saxenburg or to purchase their range call 021 903 6113 or email info@saxenburg.co.za

THREE WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS TO TRY PRIVATE COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2019 (Sells for R230) Pairs with most sh dishes or lighter meat dishes and creamy pasta. PRIVATE COLLECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 (Sells for R125) Pairs well with salads, lighter summer dishes and seafood. PRIVATE COLLECTION SYRAH 2017 (Sells for R265) Pairs with game or full- avoured meat dishes.