Wine & Food Pairing with Villiersdorp Cellar & Slowine
- Jan 17, 2018
- 2 min read
During January, I attended a food and wine pairing event with Villiersdorp Cellar & Slowine. The event was hosted by La Pentola in Pretoria on 12 January 2018.
It was a fun evening where laughter could be heard around all the tables. The food was superb, and the wine ever-flowing...
About the cellars:
Villiersdorp Cellar is situated in Villiersdorp in the Theewaterskloof Valley and forms part of the newly established Theewaterskloof wine ward in the Overberg region. The current winemaker is Christo Versfeld.
White varietals planted in the valley include: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Colombar, Hanepoot, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Clairette.
Red varietals planted in the valley include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage, Ruby Cabernet, Pontac and Tinta Barocca.
Slowine is a collection of easy-drinking everyday wines. Slowine is a collaboration between winemakers from around the Groenland Mountain area.
(For more information, visit their website at: www.villiersdorpcellar.co.za)
About the evening:
As the holiday season was over, the theme of the evening was "Island Style".
The first course was an avo & shrimp maki sushi roll paired with the Van der Stel Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon. This was a great combination! I just wish there were more maki rolls to enjoy! The wine is an aromatic white wine with aromas of green peppers and clean, zesty flavours. (Priced at R40 per bottle).
The second course was bread with smoked salmon, sour cream and sea weed caviar paired with the Slowine Chenin Blanc. With the variety in flavours and textures, this dish was also very well paired. It is a light-medium style wine with aromas of guava, gooseberry and tropical fruits. (Priced at R55 per bottle).
The third course - sweet & sour pulled pork served on lettuce with a spicy pineapple and mango salsa, was paired with the Slowine Shiraz. A surprising combination to which the subtle contrast between spice and sweetness worked very well. The wine is an everyday easy-drinking wine with aromas and flavours of spice, chocolate and red fruit. (Priced at R64 per bottle).
The fourth course was a chicken & beef kebab served with humus, tzatziki and pita bread paired with the Slowine Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a well balanced pairing with this lighter style Cab Sav. Aromas of berries and dark chocolate were evident. (Priced at R64 per bottle).
The fifth and final course was a baklava cigar served with a white chocolate terrine and paired with the Jerepigo Treintjiewyn (Hanepoot). This sweet wine packs a punch with its sweet raisin flavours and complimented the sweetness in the dish. (Priced at R55 per bottle).
All in all, I really enjoyed the evening. I was a bit skeptic at first of the wine glasses used in the pairing (I'm snobbish - I know...), but the food and wine pairing ruled the evening and all was forgiven!
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