*Please note, Kunjani winery hosted me to attend the dinner, however, all views are my own*
I recently attended the very first wine and food pairing dinner at Kunjani wine estate in Stellenbosch. You may recall I was at their label launch earlier this year. The dinner consists of six courses and will be a regular occurrence at the boutique winery which will feature a fresh, seasonal menu with every dinner hosted by co-owner Pia Watermeyer.
The first course was a beetroot goat’s cheese salad, pistachio goat’s cheese balls, fig compote, grapefruit perfectly paired with the Kunjani Stolen Chicken Rosé 2018. It was quite a warm evening so this went down quite a treat! The second course, line fish, grilled artichoke, cauliflower puree, broccoli, pak choy, white wine chive sauce paired with an equally delicious Kunjani Chenin Blanc 2018.
The third course, was a refreshing palate cleanser of lemon sorbet to prepare us for the next course which was North-West Kudu carpaccio, quail eggs, horseradish, parmesan shavings, radish, pickled vegetables paired with my personal favourite, Kunjani Shiraz 2015. Next was an incredibly delicious biltong-spiced sirloin, king oyster mushrooms, carrot & cauliflower quenelles, asparagus, broccoli paired superbly with the Kunjani Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Dessert always being my favourite course, was a chocolate-mint nougat mousse, pistachio crumbs, frozen yoghurt, and a brandy snap paired with the Kunjani Merlot 2017.
The dinner costs R550 per person, including wine and gratuity.
Bookings essential, prepayment secures your seat. Limited to 30 guests.
Note: bookings are subject to availability. Cancellations 7 days or less prior to the date of the dinner are non-refundable. T&Cs apply. This is a special event and due to space restrictions long/mixed tables are allocated and not individual tables. To book your spot for the next dinner call: +27 87 630 0409, or email: info@kunjaniwines.co.za For more information visit their Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/Kunjaniwines/
Thank you Kunjani for graciously hosting my husband and me, we can’t wait to be back again soon!
** This review was made possible thanks to FOXCROFT for hosting me**
It’s been three years since Foxcroft in Constantia burst onto the Cape Town restaurant scene and since then it has become a regular favourite with locals as well as international guests visiting the picturesque Constantia Valley to sample the best in food and wine. Head chef Glen Williams believes in a carefully structured farm to table approach, utilizing the freshest seasonal ingredients and showcasing them on the plate to deliver a finessed flavourful experience. I was honoured to be invited to review their spring menu which runs until the 15 December, the special runs from Monday to Sunday (R345 for four courses or R595 with wine pairing). You can also treat yourself to an exceptional lunch experience by booking the tasting menu at lunch at a reduced price of R595 or R920 with wine pairing, also until 15 December 2019.
My dear friend Megan from Authentic Blog and I chose to sample the wine pairing menu. Every dish was thoughtfully constructed with each wine to complement each other perfectly. Their love of wine is certainly reflected in the successful winemaker’s dinner series collaborations, where diners enjoy a five-course chef’s menu paired with a first-class cellar’s hand-picked wines. The wine list is fresh and exciting, with a few Swartland gems in the mix.
They import as little as possible and use small-scale, sustainable, ethical and traceable suppliers wherever possible. The menu starts with the bread course, which was a pillowy light focaccia with pesto in the center. If there wasn’t all four courses that followed I would happily stuff my face with more of that! Starters followed with an utterly delicious Yellowfin tuna dish, that consisted of salsa macha, whipped avocado, jalapeno, and a crispy tostada for texture or in my case to make your own little taco! This was all paired with Silvervis’ Smiley Chenin Blanc from the marvelous Swartland region. We were treated by chef Glen, to a taster of the chicken ballotine, also on the menu as a first course. The chicken ballotine was beautifully plated with liver parfait, nectarine segments, mushroom and chunks of toasted brioche croutons for texture.
My incessant need for all things shellfish ensured I chose the west-coast mussels for the second course. Neatly gathered together in a bowl, the mussels together with a few slivers of pickled squid, succotash and mayu oil. I stood and filmed with bated breath as our amazing server Lindsay, poured the mussel chowder into the bowl to make a delicious and beautiful meal. Paired with a light and fruity 2018 Arendsig Chardonnay.
Oak Valley Pork, a beautifully plated meal of Kimchi, charred cabbage with spicy peanuts and bite-sized cubes of pork crackling. Every morsel on the plate I would eat a thousand times over! Incredibly tasty and paired with an equally delicious and well-rounded 2018 Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot.
And now for my favourite course, dessert! Simply titled, yoghurt. My dessert was certainly inspiring of spring and how fresh and flowery the season is. Cradled in the centre of an egg-shaped bowl, was green apple jelly spheres, litchi granita, beautifully decorated with elderflowers and geranium. Paired with a glass of 2019 “The Freshman” Sauvignon Blanc.
The food, the service, and the wine were absolutely spectacular. For the price of R595, the experience was such a real treat! Chef Glen and team show such a real passion for fine food and attention to detail, its easy to see and taste why they are ranked as an Eat Out eatery and You really don’t want to miss out on this fantastic Spring special. Make your booking before the 15th of December: https://www.foxcroft.co.za/book-online
Massive thanks to the amazing FOXCROFT Team for graciously hosting us and treating us like such royalty! We cannot wait to be back again.
Disclaimer: I was invited by Balducci’s as a guest, and thus no expense was spared on my part.
It’s no secret that vegan and vegetarian fare get a lot of flack for what most think is rather bland and unimaginative cuisine. Balducci’s is here to change your mind. Last Friday I was invited to try out the new menu and what would also fall on international champagne day proved to be such a refreshing treat.
Delicious new offerings include Vegan Butter-Chicken-Style Pasta, Roasted Tofu and Vegan Satay Sauce Pizza, Chickpea and Potato Curry, Roasted Chilli Paste and Cashew Nut Yellow Noodles, Sunshine Plate including Lebanese-style Falafel, Bhajis Plate including Corn Kernels dusted in spices and chickpea flour and lightly fried, Vegan Peanut-Butter Blondies and more…
The vegan butter chicken, falafel and Bhajis plate was so incredibly tasty! I could go back just for those meals. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the lack of choices for vegan and vegetarians but Balducci’s has certainly proved they care about all of their diners by providing variety and sustainability. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian like me, but want to experiment with different tastes and flavours, then you need to visit Balducci’s and try their new menu out! Who knows you might walk away wanting to convert 🙂
Balducci’s plant-based menu reflects their commitment to supporting sustainable organic agriculture in the long term and respect for the planet.
For more information on the vegan menu please visit: https://balduccis.co.za/balducci-vegan-menu/
Balducci: Shop 6162, Victoria Wharf, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Tel: (021) 421 6002/3
Last week I had the privilege of attending the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 at the tallest skyscraper in Cape Town, the FNB Portside Building. 2019 being the first year I am attending my very first wine awards gala, excitement leading up to the day was palpable. I was invited to attend as media and brought my husband along as my plus 1, he ended up striking up new connections with a few winemakers, whilst I mingled and caught up with a few of the industry’s best. The evening was glamorous with lots of the participants Sauvignon Blanc flowing from table to table.
The Top 10 were drawn from a broad collection of entries this year, with 107 producers submitting 183 wines. The country’s diverse wine growing regions were well represented with five out of the six regions in the Western Cape delivering at least one wine in the top 20. A total of 12 of the top 20 wines were from the 2019 vintage, confirming the overall industry consensus that this year was an outstanding year for Sauvignon Blanc.
In alphabetical order, this year’s top 10:
. Cederberg Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc 2019
· De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (Wooded)
· Diemersdal Winter Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2019
· Du Toitskloof Land’s End Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Wooded)
· Groote Post Seasalter Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (Wooded)
Wine lovers will be able to acquire the 2019 FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 collection via Wine of the Month Club. For more information, email admin@sauvignonblanc.com.
A technical seminar based on this year’s performance will take place on Wednesday 20 November in Franschhoek. For more information or to become a member, visit www.sauvignonblanc.com or call 021 975 4440.
I am ashamed to say it was my very first time visiting Steenberg Wine Estate. I wish I had been sooner, alas there is no time like the present, right? Steenberg Wine Estate is situated roughly 25 minutes from Cape Town in the luscious green neighbourhood of Steenberg, Tokai. Tryn, a vibrant new signature restaurant has opened at Steenberg with renowned Constantia chef, Kerry Kilpin, at the helm of this opulent well oiled machine.
Dedicated to Steenberg’s 17th century founder, Catharina Ras, or Tryn as she was known to her nearest and dearest, the new restaurant is contemporary in spirit with fabulous food, bold accents and modern textures. Today, Steenberg Farm continues to honour her name with the opening of Tryn and dedicating two signature wines to her: the flagship red blend, Catharina, and the prestige cuvée, Lady R Méthode Cap Classique.
Chef Kerry takes her culinary skills to the next level, featuring an abundance of fresh, seasonal ingredients, honest flavours and intuitive service. Known for adding a touch of Asian and Middle Eastern flair to her classically prepared food, Chef Kerry enlivens the familiar with exciting twists and flavour combinations to delight all palates.
Her menu is accessible and easy to navigate with ample choice of deliciously prepared dishes. Meat lovers will find all their favourite cuts, while vegetarians can savour Kerry’s signature brand of delectable tastes and textures. Her profound passion for ethically sourced fish also shines through on the Tryn menu. With that said, you will find a wood carved fish with an Abalobi barcode to scan to learn more about the sustainable catch of the day.
Each meal is paired to perfection with an award-winning Steenberg wine to compliment the meal and create an unforgettable sensory experience. I certainly cannot wait to be back to discover more of what Steenberg has to offer. The food and experience at Tryn is nothing short of an incredible opulent experience, perfect for a fancy yet relaxed date night or an intimate birthday dinner.
Tryn is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For bookings contact +27 (0)21 7137178 or email info@tryn.co.za
Special thanks to the talented team at Tryn and to GC Communications for hosting me.
Being a new-found wine geek, I’ve only recently discovered that Walker Bay/Hemel-en-Aarde is renowned for South Africa’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay during my recent WSET courses. This left me with a curious palate and a sense of adventure to travel to the wine region. Not knowing the area very well, I opted to stay in an AirBnB close-by to the glorious valley and the sea-side town of Hermanus. This is the second instalment of my three part wine-trip honeymoon series. I wish we had more time to explore all of the regions and wineries in each region but alas reality was calling.
Hemel-en-Aarde is a top cool climate for winemaking in South Africa situated towards Hermanus along the scenic and picturesque R320. There is beauty in abundance in the valley, it definitely feels as though you are between Heaven and Earth.
The most southerly situated wine farm in the region was purchased in 1975 by founder Tim Hamilton Russell. Mr Hamilton Russell is said to have founded the Hemel-en-Aarde region. With his fascination of Pinot Noir as inspiration to bring this soft and delicate gem of a varietal to South Africa. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over in 1991 and then buying the property in 1994, narrowed the winery’s range to Pinot noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir.
We were in a very laidback kind of mood and thus didn’t make any bookings for wine tastings, which is encouraged especially with this region having lots of boutique wineries that sometimes insist on bookings. I would imagine this is because of the small number of staff on the farms. We were lucky enough to show up and have the tasting room manager assist us in an impromptu and very insightful tasting experience. ladies and gentelmen, this was the day I fell head over heels in love with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay! Something for the fellow wine geeks – this region’s soil is made up of a stony, clay-rich, shale-like minerality and is optimal for the growth of varietals produced in this area.
The HR 2018 Pinot Noir has elegant balance and structure, elevated length that carries the delicious notes of dark red fruit, alluring spicy and savoury notes on the palate. Reminiscent of a very good burgundy. The Chardonnay entices with lime, crisp green pear on the nose, has bright natural acid and earthy minerality which the terroir lends to this wonderfully elegant wine. The 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault is an unwooded blend of 80% Pinotage and 20% Cinsault and is made from grapes sourced from old vineyards in the Swartland appellation. The richness and depth of the Pinotage is sophistocatedly freshened by the lightness and brightness of the Cinsault. This had me beaming with excitement, as our next wine region stop was the exciting and daring Swartland! With all the wedding gift money we were so lucky to receive ,we left with a few bottles of 2016 Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault, and a few rocks I requested from the tasting room manager that was on display in the charming tasting cottage for reference for my next WSET Level 3 course. This was certainly one of a few highlights of this trip for me. (not the rocks, the wine guys!)
A short drive from Hamilton Russell, is the acclaimed Newton Johnson. Like HR racking up local and international awards with the likes of Decanter and Platters is an easy feat with the quality of their wines and passion of their winemakers. Owned and managed by the Newton Johnson family, the farm is situated in the upper Hemel-en-Aarde valley. Well known for their mastery in producing Pinot Noir at its best, they believe in making wine with purity of flavour and natural expression. They offer three ranges of wines, namely the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Range, The Newton Johnson range, and Felicité by Newton Johnson. The first and second bowled me over. Specifically the Windansea Pinot Noir unfortunately not for tasting and exclusively available only at their winery, originates from a specific block on the Estate, and of course the 2017 Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir which has such bold expressive characteristics and elegant structure.
Home to the 2018 SA Wine Index 100 point award for the elegant Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, the 125-hectare property only has 22 hectares under vine with the rest left wild to conserve the indigenous Fynbos flora. The winery began as collaboration between Paul Bouchard, celebrated Burgundian winemaker, and locally awarded Peter Finlayson. Together, they built what is today world-renowned as Bouchard Finlayson.
The Husband taking in the view
When visiting, the tasting rooms were abuzz with wine-influenced bubbly chatter and laughter, with a few groups of tourists and one or two locals indulging in some leisurely wine-tasting on a weekday. Having only tasted a select few, like the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir which was an interestingly structured with a hint of jammy red fruit. The highlight for me was the legendary Kaaimansgat-Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay. The Kaaimansgat /Crocodile’s Lair vineyard is hidden away in the Elands Kloof Valley behind the village of Villiersdorp, just 80km from Hermanus. A spot inside a valley nestled amongst majestic mountains. I can certainly see why this winery pulls so many awards! Other cultivars from the farm include Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Chenin Blanc and Riesling as well as some newer varieties: Nebbiolo, Barbera and Mourvèdre.
I adore the architecture of the tasting room building of this invigorating winery, incredibly bold, and at the same time traditional like a majestic old chapel. Greek for “a serene state of mind, free from worry and preoccupation”, Ataraxia certainly lives up to the hype and name. This was our last stop in Hemel-en-Aarde with only so much wine I could consume in one day. Make sure to keep hydrated with lots of water (no, wine doesn’t count) and line your tummies with lots of tasty food to soak up all the wine! Please also make the responsible decision to have a designated driver along with you when wine-tripping, so you can really go all out and have as much fun! 🙂
In 2004, The Skyfields Farm was visioned into the Ataraxia wine label when husband and wife team, Kevin and Hanli Grant and a few friends purchased this 47-hectare prime vineyard property situated on a steep slope in upper hemel-en-aarde, with views that only can only dream of if not seen with your own eyes! Okay, Wine geeks fix your eyes, there are fourteen soil types on Ataraxia derived from the deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone, Cape Granite and Bokkeveld Shale. Collectively, all of these deposits make up the geology of the Hemel-en-Aarde region and can be traced back to more than 1000 million years. Interesting stuff, right?!
The 2017 Ataraxia Chardonnay, is an exquisite example of the varietal and this one commands respect, like our insightful wine consultant enthusiastically mentioned. This Chardonnay has bold crisp flavours of green apple peel, lemon zest and vanilla on the nose. The 2016 Pinot Noir is what I had to leave with. It’s intoxicating earthiness, minerality as well as bruised dark fruit made it such an easy choice, but who could choose between these two elegant wines! I adore the ruby red colour, especially glistening in the autumnal sun.
This legendary eatery is listed on the Top 100 Eat Out list as a unique dining experience not to be missed. They come highly recommended to all I’ve spoken to in the know. Don’t leave without trying their famous Seafood Curry!
Again, on a very lax and lazy buzz, because I mean honeymoon! We decided to pop in without phoning ahead to see if we were lucky enough to snag a spot in the local seaside eatery. Upon Entry the restaurant was packed to the rafters for a Tuesday evening, however the chef himself warmly welcomed us in and insisted he make space for us at the best seats in the house, in a little nook right next to the kitchen. Something I appreciate being that close to all the action and intoxicating aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Starters was a plate of fresh West Coast Oysters, a glass of Gabriëlskloof Rosebud Rosé which would prove to pair perfectly with both the starters and the mains which of course was the incredibly delicious seafood curry, served with freshly made naan. My Husband had “the best fish ever” which was a dish of succulent Snoek with sweet potato that had been roasted then fried to a crisp on the outside. The salty, smokey and sweet combination is what he loved but more over the texture of the fish was spot on!
Plaaskombuis
A farm-stall diner with delicious home-cooked meals and old-school thick milkshakes and family-friendly garden outside with a play area for the kids. Conveniently situated along the R320 between the wineries for those looking for a pitstop to fuel up on wholesome deliciousness. They have a cute little store on site, where you can stock up on your trip snacks.
I can’t stress how much you need to visit the valley between Heaven and Earth and the seaside town of Hermanus! I would suggest going in the off peak seasons to benefit from the fact that accommodation would be more affordable and will be a tad bearable if you’re like me and can’t do crowds.
I would suggest calling ahead and booking if you’re in larger groups of 5 or more. I think in our case, we were really lucky to just pop in, especially with the smaller boutique wineries.
Happy International Chardonnay day! What will you be celebrating with?
Dominique x
**This post is not sponsored. All expenses were personally incurred**
It’s no secret that vegan and vegetarian fare get a lot of flack for what most think is rather bland and unimaginative cuisine. Balducci’s is here to change your mind. Last Friday I was invited to try out the new menu and what would also fall on international champagne day proved to be such a refreshing treat.
The Corkless Mind 