Oysters with bubbly, a perfect match

SOME things are just born to go together – Johnny Cash and June Carter, pearls and cashmere, oysters and bubbly…

A new addition to The Tasting Room at Grande Provence in Franschhoek, fresh oysters are served daily from the live oyster tank for the ultimate indulgence with your choice of Grande Provence white wines.

If you want to step it up a notch, enjoy the oysters with its vibrant Méthode Cap Classique, available exclusively on the estate.

The fresh oysters are served on a bed of ice and rock salt with a red onion and ginger sambal; the simpler the better, in my opinion.

However, these deliciously slippery molluscs are not everyone’s taste, in which case guests can opt for the artisanal charcuterie board which goes so well with the elegant range of Grande Provence red wines.

Its new Zinfandel, with its ori- gins in the heel of Italy, is tailormade for these country-style cured meats.

Ideal for sharing, the Grande Provence charcuterie board is a feast of the finest local and imported ingredients.

The generous swirls of coppa, prosciutto di Parma, smoked bresaola and Tuscan salami come with home-baked estate seed loaf and bread sticks, wheat biscuits, smoked snoek pâté, estate butter, olives, assorted nuts, fresh grapes and strawberries.

Executive chef Darren Badenhorst adds his distinctive creative touch to everything that comes out the kitchen.

And I happen to know that if you give advance notice, he can make a gluten-free bread that is not like a brick, which is something of a minor miracle.

Served daily from 10am till 6pm, at R180 for five or six oysters depending on their size, or R340 for the charcuterie board, these new additions are perfect for a light lunch or after-work sundowners.

The Tasting Room also offers a local cheese board at R120 for a more traditional cheese and wine experience.

Grande Provence is on the Main Road as you head towards the village. For more information, visit www.grandeprovence.co.za or call 021 876 8600.