In South Africa’s first Michelin Star food and wine pairing competition held at Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel, Hermanuspietersfontein’s Swartskaap walked away with the honour as the best wine match to any of the 6 courses entered.
The Mount Nelson team, Executive Chef Rudi Liebenberg and Sommelier Carl Habel, caused quite a stir with their Impala loin, roasted onion and cauliflower puree, truffle dauphinoise and baby vegetables, perfectly paired with two wines, the South African Hermanuspietersfontein Swartskaap Cabernet Franc 2008 and the Salentein Numina Gran Corte 2007 from Argentina which made them the winners of the groundbreaking food and wine pairing competition, the Great Grapes Cape Cuisine Cook-Off.
Only two of the twelve wines in the competition were South African – the rest were wines from all over the wine world. Swartskaap's achievement proofs that South African wine does not have to take a back seat when compared with international wines and that local winemakers produce exceptional food wines.
“We are truly blessed with great terroir on our cool climate BWI Champion conservation farm,” says an elated Bartho Eksteen, “The energy that goes into our farm philosophy, Good Earth makes Better Wine, is becoming evident in all our wine styles.” The event was organised by Marita de Beer, managing partner of Great Grapes Wine, South Africa - who is an importer and distributor of a select portfolio of international wines.
