This wine, for that dish
So much wine, so little time. Here are some standout wines to try this May, paired with delicious recipes from our magazine.
The First Lady Dry Rosé 2017, R80
This pinotage-based rosé from Warwick Wine Estate is just the thing to pour at Mother’s Day lunch. Its abundant fruit and zippy acidity make it enticingly food-friendly. It opens with fresh aromas of watermelon, cranberries and hints of rose petal leading to a palate of wild strawberries. It’s a wine as elegant as the woman it’s named for: Norma Ratcliffe. Norma is the estate’s matriarch as well as its first winemaker; she is often referred to as ‘The First Lady’ as she was one of the first women to make wine in South Africa.
Pair with: Cauliflower vichyssoise with smoked trout and caviar
WIN: The motherload of wines from Warwick Wine Estate! The Stellenbosch estate has crowned The First Lady Dry Rosé 2017 as the official wine of Mother’s Day. We’re giving away a case (6 bottles) of the rosé along with a case each of the Warwick’s First Lady Wines, including:
The First Lady Chardonnay (6 bottles)
The First Lady Sauvignon Blanc (6 bottles)
The First Lady Cabernet Sauvignon (6 bottles)
That’s 24 bottles of wine valued at R2280.00! To enter, simply complete the entry form below. Terms and conditions apply. Competition ends 31 May 2018.
Vondeling Monsonia 2015, R215
Forget flowers this Mother’s Day; rather bring mom a wine grown on the soils of some of the most rare flora in the world. Vondeling Wines, situated in Voor Paardeberg, is celebrating a new species of Paardeberg fynbos with a change in name for its signature red blend from ‘Erica’ to ‘Monsonia’. Monsonia pays tribute to one of the highly endangered flowers of the ward and is a blend of 85% shiraz, 6% mourvédre, 5% grenache noir and 4% carignan. Only large format French oak barrels were used for maturation period of 16 months before the final barrel selection, blending and bottling takes place. This Rhône-style blend will give you pause so complex is its make-up. Layers of spice and dark fruit peel off from the glass trailed by the fragrance of violets. The palate is inky and luxurious with black cherries and blackberries, underscored by the richness and earthiness of dark chocolate.
Pair with: Roast rib of beef with baked citrus butternut and melted Gorgonzola
Groot Phesantekraal Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, R100
Historic farm (dating back over 300 years) Groot Phesantekraal has just been restored and offers a new wine tasting space as well as restaurant in the rural heart of the Durbanville winelands. Their wines are starting to garner some attention too, with their 2015 cab being awarded a 2017 Michelangelo Gold Medal. Made by celebrated winemaker Thys Louw, this wine is classic cab with an herbaceous nose, red and black fruit on the palate supported by vanilla and cigarbox from the barrel maturation. Decant an hour before serving.
Pair with: LBLT(lamb, bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwiches
Lozärn Carménère Rosé 2017, R130
This intriguing wine comes from the Bonnievale region and makes up part of a new wine range from Lozärn Wines. The farm’s maiden range includes 100% single vineyard Carménère as well as Carménère Rosé. The Carménère grape was originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux before it was wiped out due to phylloxera. It has since found great success in New World regions, such as of Chile, and is now starting to in South Africa too. Hibiscus, fresh cherries, strawberries; with a subtle, stony minerality.
Pair with: Camembert, poached and fresh figs, macadamia-nut brittle and fynbos honey
Lourensford The Dome Pinot Noir 2016, R135
Lourensford has just added a pinot noir to their portfolio. The Dome Pinot Noir takes its name from The Dome, the highest peak on the Helderberg Mountains, which creates a natural amphitheatre around the estate (there’s a Dome Chardonnay too). The wine spent nine months in oak barrels and is all silk and cherries. Expect a luscious mouthfeel and plenty of juicy red fruit, seasoned with some spice from the oak contact.
Pair with: Anchovy, garlic and chilli linguine with Parmesan
Written by Malu Lambert, food & wine writer
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Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
