Spot on food and wine pairing
Infusions finds the mark at show
Food-and-wine pairings can sometimes be a hit-or-miss affair, falling short of expectations, especially when the partnership between chef and winemaker fails to produce fireworks. Yet, when the two do hit it off, the experience is truly heightened.
It took the collaboration between chef extraordinaire David Higgs, co-owner of Marble Restaurant, and one of South Africa’s oldest wine estates, Alto, to create a similar experience.
For his part, Higgs lives his dream by translating his avowed love for taste and texture of food at Marble Restaurant for the hordes of diners captivated by his inimitable dishes. His open-plan eatery takes its cue from similar live-fire establishments in New York and Australia.
On the other hand, Alto is a household wine traditionally enjoyed with red meat, game and duck dishes for more than a century.
Alto winemaker Bertho van der Westhuizen is happy showcasing seven Alto Rouge vintages of their wines – from the 2009 to 2015.
At R85 a bottle, Alto Rouge has been produced as a blend of four or more grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz – sometimes comprising a smattering of Petit Verdot.
“As a team, we are also very aware of our custodial responsibility in the making of this wine. If you cut your teeth on Alto Rouge 30 years ago, you should still have faith in its quality today,” Van der Westhuizen said.
Meanwhile, some wine lovers – especially those who enjoy white wine – tend to shy away from Sauvignon Blanc, complaining about its acutely dry palate.
To make Sauvignon Blanc more palatable to new wine drinkers, Stellenbosch Vineyards has hit on the idea of exploiting the grape’s primary flavours to create a wine-infused sweet drink for beginners.
Packed with low alcohol of only 5.5%, Infusions is a light sparkling, flavoured wine to be enjoyed as a cocktail and lunchtime drink.
This style of cocktail wine proved to be highly popular at the Tops at Spar Wine Show held at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg, recently.
The peach, mango and passion fruit varieties – packed in colourful bottles – are in vogue among young imbibers.