Guinea Fowl with Bruwer Raats' 2004 Cabernet Franc

Bruwer Raats' 2004 Cabernet Franc scored 4 Stars in this month's WINE panel tasting. Fiona McDonald reports on the dish matched to it by Craig Backhouse of Stellenbosch's 96 Winery Road. Craig Backhouse, t he chef at the helm of one of the winelands' favourite restaurants, 96 Winery Road, is always up for a challenge. After all, here's a man who has catered for 350 diplomats at a ritzy gala dinner in Moscow, and worked at Boulders Lodge at Singita Private Game Reserve as well as at the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg.

"Obviously the first thing I did was taste the wine," he said. "Even before its richness and chocolatey spiciness made an impression I was thinking about the Guinea Fowl."

Backhouse is loyal to his South African roots, no matter where he's cooking, and likes to describe his style as "Cape country with an earthy sophistication".

Even though 96 Winery Road is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, testament to the faith diners have in its continuing quality and ever varying menu, Guinea Fowl isn't necessarily everyone's first choice when eating out.

"There was a Guinea Fowl dish on the menu when I arrived, but I changed it to this one." Evidently patrons have given it the thumbs up as it's become a popular item. "People are talking about it - and coming in to order it again."

He admits the Guinea Fowl dish is rich but says the range of flavours added by the balsamic vinegar, red wine and then the earthiness of the beetroot and prunes, make for a sublime match.

"You cook it in the balsamic and although you'd expect it to be tart, it isn't. It reduces and becomes wonderfully sweet 'n sour, caramelly - and then the flavours of the prunes and beetroot really match the fruitiness of the Cab Franc. It goes so well. I was really excited by the match," he said.

GUINEA FOWL SIMMERED IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND RED WINE (Serves 6)

3 whole birds cut into quarters, removed from the carcass bone 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium-size onions, sliced 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 250ml red wine 250ml balsamic vinegar 250g brown sugar Salt and pepper, sprinkled 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 250g pitted prunes 3 beetroot, peeled cut into cubes 250ml chicken stock

Place guinea fowl into a deep oven tray and place the rest of the ingredients over the meat - make sure the meat is completely covered.

Then cover with tin foil and bake for 1½ hours at 200°C. While the bird is roasting you can make your fluffy mashed potato, to serve with your guinea fowl. When the dish is cooked remove the meat and reduce your sauce by almost half so that it is not too runny and coats your meat almost as if it's been glazed.

96 Winery Road, off the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West. Tel 021 842 2020.