Jozi indulged in sheer winelands opulence when one of the City of Gold’s premier lifestyle events, Stellenbosch at Summer Place, presented by Sanlam Private Wealth, took place in Hyde Park on 26 October.
This stellar, one-night showcase of some of South Africa’s finest wines, food and art offered cognoscenti the exclusive opportunity to mingle with the country’s top winemakers and chefs during an exclusive, star-studded Stellenbosch affair.
The City Of Oak’s fame as a centre of epicurean distinction went on display when more than 100 of Stellenbosch’s best wines from a variety of vintages were offered for tasting by an illustrious line-up of winemakers and estate owners.
Alongside them were exquisite culinary creations prepared by five renowned chefs and their most outstanding protégés who demonstrated why Stellenbosch is considered by many as the gourmet capital of South Africa.
This year’s mouth-watering kitchen superstars where Michael Deg of Delaire Graff Restaurant; Bistro 13’s Nic van Wyk, who made his debut at the event;
Gregory Czarnecki of Waterkloof Estate’s hillside-perched restaurant; Michael Broughton of Terroir Restaurant, and the celebrated George Jardine who opened his new signature fine dining eatery in the heart of Stellenbosch, Jardine Restaurant, earlier this year.
What sprinkled even more razzle-dazzle to this year’s stylish Stellenbosch at Summer Place showcase was the fact that Czarnecki, Broughton and Jardine also just made the enviable top 20 nominations for the prestigious 2016 Eat Out Top Ten Restaurant Awards.
On the evening chef Czarnecki demonstrated the exquisite compatibility of Stellenbosch’s fine Méthode Cap Classique bubblies and Sauvignon Blanc with his dish of cured salmon, crème fraîche crémeux and tuile de pain.
Chef Broughton sat up a palate extravaganza, pairing a dish of kale and miso potstickers, teriyaki squid, grilled tender stem broccoli and ponzu dipping sauce, with some of Stellenbosch’s stellar Chenin Blancs, Chardonnays and other white wines.
Showcasing the excellence of fine dining with red wines in particular, Chef Deg perfectly aligned Cabernet Sauvignon and red blends with a creation of deliciously braised beef short rib and pickled tongue served with parsnip purée, rainbow carrot and spiced nut crumb.
Chef Van Wyk underlined the inimitable quality of these same wines and paid homage to them and South African cuisine with his very own slow braised Cape Malay lamb shoulder spring roll, turmeric potatoes and young spinach, red plum chutney and curry infused coconut emulsion.
Chef Jardine’s culinary creation of braised Usana brisket croquette, salsa verde and anchovy butter was paired to perfection with Stellenbosch Shiraz, Merlot and Pinotage.
The evening’s festivities to satisfy artistic urges included a special music performance by the talented Nomfundo Xaluva, while art enthusiasts also got the privileged chance to view rare and intellectually challenging pieces from the Sanlam Art Collection – one of South Africa’s finest and most extensive of its kind.
This was the 7th year that Stellenbosch Wine Routes has partnered with Sanlam Private Wealth to host the event. Every year, Summer Place is transformed into a stylish winelands rendezvous that allows lovers of the high-life to indulge every sense at this luxurious cocktail-style affair and it also provides the chance for wine-lovers to stock up on rare vintages in the run-up to the festive season and support a charitable cause – the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Education Fund.
Stellenbosch, South Africa’s first and foremost wine route, has long been regarded as one of the country’s most beautiful and cultured destinations thanks to amongst others its distinguished heritage, entrancing landscapes and collection of world-class restaurants and iconic wine estates.
For more information on the Stellenbosch Wine Routes contact Tel: +27.21 886 8275, send an email to marketing@wineroute.co.za or follow @StellWineRoute on Twitter.