In my opinion, enjoying delicious food and wine brings people together – creating special moments and memories! Pairing food and wine may feel daunting at first, but it can be so much fun and help turn an ordinary meal into a gourmet experience. Below you can find out how to pair food and wine to impress your friends and family.
How To Pair Food and Wine
Below are three of my most recent food and wine pairings, created with wines from Deetlefs Wine Estate. If you are unsure about how to pair food and wine, my advice is to keep it simple when you are starting out. One key piece of advice is not to allow the food to overpower the flavour of the wine but rather enhance it. The most important part, however, is to have fun with it!
Deetlefs Familie Red Blend, with a Bacon, Chilli and Tomato Tagliatelle:
The wine: 2017 Deetlefs Familie is a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage & Petit Verdot. Dark, deep red colour. You can expect a complex nose with blackberry, black current, prune, liquorice, cedar, cloves and hints of coffee bean. It is an elegant wine with ripe, refined tannins and a lingering finish—an excellent balance between fruit and oak.
The Pairing: One of my favourite winter warmers is a spicy tomato-based pasta paired with a full-bodied red wine! I paired the Deetlefs Familie Red Blend with a bacon, chilli and tomato tagliatelle. Being a full-bodied red wine, the Deetlefs Familie can easily withstand a bit of chilli heat without being overpowered by the more intense flavour. It was a marriage made in heaven!
Price and Availability: The 2017 Familie Red Blend sells for R390/bottle and is available direct from the winery, selected retail outlets or online.
2018 Voyage Cape White Blend with a Cheese Platter:
The wine: The 2018 Voyage is a unique Viognier, Chenin & Sèmillon Cape White Blend, which has a rich lemon-yellow colour. There is an explosion of stone fruit, with a hint of Muscat on the nose. The palate is complex and rich, with a slightly buttery texture. Flavours include apricot, honey, almonds, nutmeg and orange marmalade flavours. The finish is elegant and dry, with a wonderful freshness and lively acidity.
The Pairing: I paired the Deetlefs Voyage with a delicious cheese platter. For me, the best combination was with the Winelands Blue Cheese. My platter also included salami, olives, apricots and a selection of crudites.
Price & availability: The Voyage sells for R205.00/bottle and is available from the winery, selected boutique wine stores and online.
De Hageveld Red 2017 with Oven-roasted Pork Fillet:
The Wine: De Hageveld Red is a blend of 45% Shiraz, 28% Merlot, 22% Pinotage and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. A deep ruby red colour gives you a hint of the juicy berry flavours that await. The aromas are layered and well-balanced, with dark berries, oak spice with subtle lavender and rosemary undertones on the nose. There is a good depth of flavour, with cherries, raspberries, blackcurrants, and a balance of oak influence on the palate. The finish is dry but smooth, with juicy tannins on the mid-palate.
The Pairing: I paired De Hageveld Red with oven-roasted pork fillet, seasonal vegetables and a mushroom sauce. Because the pork is quite a delicate meat, I chose this elegant, well-balanced wine knowing that it would not overpower the dish. I cooked the pork fillet similarly to a beef pepper-crusted fillet – first pan-searing then finishing in the oven. The mushroom sauce is earthy and mellow, enhancing the flavour of the meat beautifully. I served the dish with sautéed shallots and green beans, as well as roasted vegetables. The Pairing was super delicious – earthy flavours of the meal did not overpower the wine, and the well-balanced fruit and oak of the wine perfectly complemented the dish!
Price and Availability: The 2017 De Hageveld Red sells for R195/bottle and is available direct from the winery, selected retail outlets or online.
WIN WITH DEETLEFS WINE ESTATE & INSPIRED LIVING SA
If you would like to try these wines, you can head over to Instagram and enter my giveaway. You can stand a chance to win all three of these fabulous Deetlefs Wines and try your own food and wine pairings.
You can check out a few of my recipes if you are looking for more dinner party inspiration.
Images
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Disclosure & Disclaimer
Deetlefs Wine Estate supplied me with three bottles of wine for review purposes. All information and rates are deemed accurate at the time of publication.
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