Woolworths TASTE

Wine: 13 things we learnt at home

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After months of watching every drop, our glasses are full once more. And now, says Michelle Coburn, we can restock our wine racks with confidence, thanks to the Woolies’ WCellar virtual tastings, where chefs, somms and winemakers shared their advice for lockdown and beyond

1 Cheese and red wine are a match made in heaven

“If you do it correctly, you will create a big

‘wow’ moment at the table. To match a cheese soufflé, for example, I would go for the Signature Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon (R169.99). Stellenbos­ch is known for making good Cabs, and this one has blackcurra­nt, dark fruit, eucalyptus and mint. The tannins are subtle and there is good oak integratio­n, so the wine won’t overpower the cheese.” – Joseph Dhafana, Mosi winemaker and head sommelier, La Colombe

2 Swartland Cinsault is one to watch

“Marras The Trickster Piekeniers­kloof Cinsault (R99.99) is what I call a lunchtime red.

It’s an exquisite wine from the Swartland and features lots of strawberri­es and pomegranat­es. It’s one of those bottles you don’t have to think about. You just chill it, whack it into a glass, drink it, and before you know it you’ve moved on to the next bottle. It’s a helluva good drinking wine.”

– Rob Gower, Woolies wine buyer

3 You don’t have to pour a big red with lamb potjie

“To match a hearty, warming potjie, my instincts lean towards something with bright red fruit and lovely acidity to cut through the fattiness. The Haute

Cabrière Pinot Noir Reserve (R249.99) is a standout. It’s fresh, it’s crunchy. With a potjie, you want to eat helping after helping, so it’s a good palate cleanser, too.”

– Tinashe Nyamudoka, Kumusha winemaker

4 You don’t have to pay a lot for good wine

“The La Motte Grand Rouge (R69.99) is a great-value wine. It’s a juicy, spicy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that’s always been consistent and a total winner since it was first made in 1990.”

– Allan Mullins, Cape Wine Master

5 Everyone should try Semillon

“Semillon has a diesel quality that reminds me of filling up my car with petrol! It’s also the backbone of most good white blends. If you were to drink a glass while sitting on a rock staring at the sunset, it might seem slightly abrasive. But if you were to pair that same wine with anything from a beautiful piece of fish to a fatty piece of pork belly, it would take on a whole new dynamic.” – Giles Edwards, chef patron La Tête

6 Quality counts when you’re cooking with wine

“Keith Floyd nailed it many years ago when he said if a wine isn’t good enough to drink, it isn’t good enough to cook with. I always drink

and cook with the same wine because I really value what I cook. For a something like a casserole I’ll use red wine and, because they cook for a long time, I go for a big South African red with 14–15 percent alcohol. They make exceptiona­l casseroles.” – David Higgs, executive chef and co-owner Marble and Saint restaurant­s

7 Riesling is underrated

“Not many people understand the cultivar but it’s a grape I love and we are really lucky to have some very good ones in SA, especially those from cool-climate areas, such as the Paul Cluver Ferricrete Riesling (R89.99) from Elgin. It can be made in various styles, from dry to off-dry, and the aromatics are amazing. It’s worth getting to know for its amazing mouthfeel and fruitiness. – Moses Magwaza, head sommelier Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient

8 An open bottle must go in the fridge

“If you aren’t pouring the whole bottle immediatel­y, close it tightly with the cork or screw cap to prevent more oxygen from getting in and place in the fridge. Some wines might last a week or longer, some might last three days. Wine is a living thing. It changes with oxygen. I tend to stretch it as far as I can. That gives me a spectrum of what varietal lasts and what falls apart quickly. – Wikus Human, head sommelier Marble and Saint restaurant­s

9 Bubbles are great with burgers!

“It’s great to have something crisp, refreshing and biscuity – the Villiera MCC Brut (R134.99) is my go-to. A slightly chilled bottle of Beyerskloo­f Pinotage (R94.99) is also excellent as it cuts through the mayo and the fat in the meat. I’m a fan of Oom Beyers. He’s an amazing human being and the king of SA Pinotage.” – Bertus Basson, chef and owner of De Vrije Burger

10 Pinot Noir goes with everything

“A lot of the chefs I know like to work with Pinot Noir for food pairing because it has a lot of acidity. When they plate food, they look at acidity as the scaffoldin­g and build around that. I’ve used that concept to bring my Pinot Noir together in the bottle. Pinot naturally has beautiful bright, fresh, crunchy acidity and it goes with pretty much anything.” – Catherine Marshall, Catherine Marshall Wines

11 De-alcoholise­d wine is not just grape juice

“For Lautus wines and the Woolies de-alcoholise­d range, we make a wine, within specific parameters, and then remove the alcohol using spinning cone technology. We first remove the essence – the flavour components – and then remove the alcohol. We take it down to 0.1 percent and then add the essence back so the final product is at 0.5 percent, which is deemed de-alcoholise­d. It’s not categorise­d as alcohol free.” – Reg Holder, Holder Vineyards

12 You don’t have to drink sweet wine with dessert

“I always love the creaminess of a beautiful bubbly. For me it’s about cleaning the sweetness away, and not matching sugar with sugar. Shortbread with a beautiful rich, yeasty Cap Classique is my latest discovery.

Try it with the Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs (R299.99).” – Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, chef patron Restaurant Jan

13 Don’t store bubbly on its side

“An unopened bottle should stand upright because the cork has a V-shape at the bottom – if you lie the bottle on its side, the cork stays wet and that V shrinks, allowing oxidation.” – Pieter Ferreira, chairman of the Cap Classique Producers Associatio­n

If a wine isn’t good enough to drink, it isn’t good enough to cook with”

– David Higgs

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