Food & wine pairing – October 2018

October 1, 2018 (Last Updated: August 14, 2019)
Guava BBQ-marinated chicken salad recipe

This wine, for that dish

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

Windfall Barrel 41 2015, R149.99

A blend of shiraz, mourvèdre and grenache, this wine opens up with heady fruitcake aromas laced with cinnamon spice. Brambleberries and red and black cherries evolve on the palate underscored with a coffee-chocolate earthiness.

Pair with: Rib-eye steak with tomato salsa

Win a hamper from Windfall Wines

Nestled in the Agterkliphoogte Valley lies Windfall, a small boutique wine and olive farm in the Robertson Valley. Windfall took its name from South African cricketing legend, Eddie Barlow, who noticed the mist cascading down the surrounding mountains of Robertson. This hamper includes the Windfall Barrel 41 2015 and the Windfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (R100) as well as a bottle of the estate’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (R120). The prize is valued at R370.

To enter, simply complete the entry form below. Terms and conditions apply. Competition ends 31 October 2018.

Tokara Sauvignon Blanc 2018, R90

This is the first wine debuted by Tokara’s new winemaker, Stuart Botha. A bright wine, it’s a blend of sauvignon blanc from Tokara vineyards in both Stellenbosch and Elgin. Granny Smith aromatic coolness opens the wine up, drenched in lemony citrus, the wine gets fruitier on the palate calling up winter melon, guava and granadilla. Super crisp, the acidity and structure are both purposefully defined.

Pair with: Guava BBQ-marinated chicken salad

De Toren Délicate NV, R121

Perfect to pop into the fridge, this light-bodied red is a blend of malbec, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Smooth, with fine, gentle tannins this luscious wine offers flavours of summer strawberries and red cherries, with hints of white pepper. Fresh and silky, this wine is oh-so-drinkable.

Pair with: Sweet melon, feta and crunchy prosciutto salad

Delheim Chenin Blanc Wild Ferment 2017, R125

The chenin blanc for this wine comes from two vineyard blocks: Bobbejaan (15-years-old), named for the baboons that used to regularly raid these vines; and 30-year-old Ou Jong Steen. After spontaneous fermentation by indigenous yeast, the wine is matured in 500 litres French oak barrels. It’s a riot of characterful stone fruit: peaches both dessert and white, apricots both fresh and dried, dried orange peel and some white blossom open things up. The stone fruits continue to evolve on the palate, with a fine-grain creamy texture on the palate.

Pair with: Butter chicken with chargrilled naan bread

Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2017, R101

Ethereal aromas of lemon and lime zest with yellow apples and pears lead to a buttered palate of roasted nuts and yellow fruit. Supple, with an edge of garrigue character, fresh acidity wraps it all up.

Pair with: Egg yolk ravioli with pan-roasted duck, fresh peas, mint and lemon

Written by Malu Lambert, wine writer

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