Gabriëlskloof, a prominent wine and olive estate in the heart of the Overberg, offers mouthfuls of pure pleasure with its Food & Wine Pairing Menu, which marries a tantalising array of mini gourmet taste sensations with estate wines in its tasting lounge on the ‘koppie’ outside Bot River.
At R65 per head, guests can opt for the White Wines Pairing Pleasure, which includes a choice of four wines, each paired with a mouthwatering morsel.
The off-dry Rosebud – a Shiraz/Viognier Rosé – is expertly paired with a piece of olive oil poached trout, topped with a grape fruit segment and candied fennel. Next is a gooseberry and lemongrass marinated grilled prawn to go with the crisp and tropical Sauvignon Blanc, followed by a smoked gruyère and leek “puff” to complement the lightly wooded Magdalena, the estate’s Reserve Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend.
Then a rice paper roll filled with “coronation” chicken and celery marries the aromatic Viognier. Last but not least the Semillon/Viognier Noble Late Harvest, which recently scooped a ‘Sommelier’s Choice’ award for its 2013 vintage in the Stickys Category of the inaugural Sommeliers Selection Awards, is served with orange and almond polenta cake to end the tasting experience on a decadent high.
For R75 per person, red wine lovers can revel in a Red Wines Pairing Pleasure of four cellar gems with matching bites. The smooth Bordeaux blend, The Blend, works its magic with a pulled pork mini burger; while the more intense, flagship Bordeaux blend, the Five Arches, shares the spotlight with a slow cooked oxtail croquette.
The perfumed Shiraz is served with an earthy butternut and gorgonzola quiche and the richly intense, flagship Swartrivier Shiraz makes a royal impression with mushroom and truffle risotto.
Or why not go all out and enjoy the Complete Gabriëlskloof Pairing, which encompasses a choice of nine wines and matching morsels at R140 per person.
Another tasting experience to enjoy while soaking up the sweeping views of the farm and valley below is the Wine and Honest Chocolate Menu.
Honest Chocolate uses raw, organic cacao sourced from Ecuador to produce their pure dark chocolate which is high in antioxidants and contains no dairy, sugar or emulsifiers.
“These are the only chocolates that should be paired with our wines,” says Nicolene Finlayson, tasting room manager.
“Because the chocs are dairy-free and contain no emulsifiers, one gets a clean ‘chocolate’ flavour that creates magic in your mouth, when paired with our wines! We have even paired one of our white wines, the Viognier, with an orange flavoured chocolate and WOW what a combination that is.”
At R65 per person for a set of five exotic chocolates paired with five estate wines, chocoholics are in for a cloud nine indulgence.
The Gabriëlskloof Tasting Room is open from Mondays to Saturdays for wine tastings and pairing pleasures and the restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch from Wednesdays to Mondays (closed on Tuesdays).
For more information regarding the various pairing experiences at Gabriëlskloof, contact the estate at Tel: +27 (0)28 284 9865 or send an email to info@gabrielskloof.co.za.
