EARTHY NOTES

M ushroom hunting has become a passion for many wine farmers, including the Sperling family of Stellenbosch wine farm Delheim. “It is all about the mystique and excitement of the season, the timing, the search, and then the ultimate satisfaction: to create a delicious meal from something you have foraged yourself,” says Nora Sperling-Thiel, daughter of Delheim owner Michael “Spatz” Sperling.

While most fungi fans are secretive about their favourite hunting spots, the Sperlings recently invited the public into the forest on their farm for two foraging expeditions (under expert guidance, needless to say), while their popular restaurant declared June 17 to 23 to be Mushroom Week and served a number of dishes featuring wild as well as exotic mushrooms.

Given that a slightly earthy pinot noir is often recommended as a good match for mushrooms, I was intrigued to see that Delheim’s Pinotage 2011 (RRP R98) was recommended with all three main course choices, namely boletus mushroom risotto, exotic mushroom and chicken tagliatelle, and springbok and pine ring mushroom stew.

A taste confirmed that this is not a big, bold wine, but was made in a relatively fresh and light style (reminiscent of pinotage’s pinot parent) with fine, food-friendly tannins, abundant black cherry and red berry flavours, and a hint of cinnamon thanks to subtle oaking (12 months in French barrels, of which only 22% were new).

Winemaker Reg Holder predicts that it will mature well for five years after vintage, acquiring some more mushroom-friendly savoury flavours along the way.

“I quite like the 2011 with mushroom risotto, but for me it works best with mushrooms added to venison in a sweet berry jus or in a stew with plums,” he says. “The mushrooms accentuate the sweet berry and savoury flavours of the dish as well as of the wine.”

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