The wine matchmakers
Sommeliers now help with wineand-food pairings
Up to a decade ago, the word “sommelier” hardly rang a bell among diners who had to settle for advice from illtrained waiters when it came to ordering food with compatible wine at restaurants.
Whatever the result that emanated from the largely thumb-sucked advice given by waiters, who actually doubled up as wine stewards but were ill-trained for the job, is something to ponder.
One can imagine unsuspecting patrons being advised to choose food that followed the rule: red wine with red meat, and white wine with white meat – without offering them other options.
Thanks to the emergence of the sommelier in our culinary circuit, this thumb rule is no longer cast in stone as diners experiment with various food-and-wine combinations with amazing results.
The question is, now that we know the importance of a sommelier in a fine dining establishment, how did we survive without one before?
The sommelier, a highly trained and knowledgeable wine professional mostly hired by top restaurants, has really enhanced the dining experience for adventurous patrons who are picky about their wine-and-food combinations.
Through the formation of the South African Sommelier Association, the job has attained something of a celebrity status on the local revelry scene, with a wine festival featuring top wine selections chosen by sommeliers themselves now part of the annual social calendar.
Last Thursday, the Sommeliers Selection Wine Festival, punted as the platform for wine enthusiasts “to learn about wine that goes well with food”, took place amid a carnival atmosphere at the Tsogo Sun Hyde Park Hotel in Sandton.
If anything, the event showed that sommeliers are expanding their horizons beyond the confines of a restaurant by reaching out to the general public through such festivals. Wines featured were those voted the best by South Africa’s top sommeliers and chosen for both their capacity to pair well with food and their competitive value.
Choosing a wine that suits your palate or one with a sizzling dimension, can be something akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. But, not so with a sommelier around, they stacked their wines according to their creatively named recommendations such as “economically savvy wine to enjoy by the glass”; “elegant and classy whites”; “luscious and aromatic whites” or “voluptuous and classy reds”, etc.
A few hidden gems from the selection that will surely catch the attention of wine enthusiasts include Secret Cellars CCG 808 (Chardonnay); De Wetshof Estate Limestone Hill Chardonnay; Steenberg Vineyards The Black Swan Sauvignon Blanc; Mt Vernon Chardonnay 2013; Strydom Vintners Daniele Chenin Blanc 2016; Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards Culinaria Chenin Blanc; Villiera Wine Jasmine; Wildenhurst Velo Red 2014; and Paul Cluver Pinot Noir 2015.