Wines with heart, food with soul

When an invite to a Hartenberg Shiraz lunch-cum-tasting landed in my inbox I was naturally excited. As far as I am concerned this Stellenbosch-based wine farm makes some of the best Shiraz in the country (its Hartenberg 2006 receiving 4 Stars in WINE magazine's August issue). Pairing these big, bold and very serious wines could easily have been daunting for a chef. So surely the easiest solution is to pair Shiraz with meat, meat and, well, more red meat? But Stefan Marais of Societi Bistro was anything but intimidated, instead offering a menu that had the usually critical food and wine writers swooning.

Kicking off proceedings was the Hartenberg Shiraz 2004, which according to winemaker Carl Schultz is "what Hartenberg thinks Shiraz could become." It displayed a New World richness that was beautifully paired with seared tuna Bordelaise (Bordelaise being a sauce made from red wine, shallots and, most importantly, marrow - and is normally served with red meat) creamy hasselback potatoes, buttered spinach and slow-roasted tomatoes.

Carl Schultz, Hartenberg winemaker.

 

With the first course being an absolute knock-out, a pairing with The Stork Shiraz 2003, a new addition to the Hartenberg range, was Stefan's next challenge. The wine, big and bold, displays dark fruit as well as hints of spice and chocolate, so the crispy leg of duck was an unusual choice – its delicate flavours risked being overpowered by this serious wine – but with peas a la Français (interestingly, made with The Stork Shiraz) the combination was delectable.

Up next was the Gravel Hill Shiraz 2000, the first single-vineyard Shiraz ever produced in South Africa in 1995. It was initially crafted exclusively for the Cape Winemaker's Guild auction and has since become the longest running wine in the history of the Guild. This Shiraz, Stefan admitted, stumped him; it seemed that none of his dishes could stand up to the wine crafted in a style suited to "intellectual" drinking. It scored 4½ Stars in WINE magazine in 2003, and seven years later (retailing for R375, and still drinking beautifully), it's clear that the wine was made to stand the test of time. Choosing not to pair it with a dish was a bold, honest move that earned Stefan the admiration of the small group of wine and food journalists.

By this point Stefan could have served us bangers and mash and we would still have been impressed, but continued to wow with a dish of crispy pork belly and liquorice back lacquer served on top of mashed potato with braised fennel and orange segments. It was perfect winter food - gourmet, yet wholesome and comforting. The 2005 vintage of Gravel Hill was the wine choice for this dish. At R675 a bottle, it is far from being an everyday quaffer, but "it's all about linear tannins, wonderful length and proven ability to age," says Carl.

The tasting closed with a glass of Hartenberg Shiraz 2006, the farm's most recent Shiraz release, paired with Stefan's chocolate nemesis cake and Chai-spiced crème anglaise. Hartenberg has adopted the strategy of only releasing its Shiraz after four years from vintage, and it's a strategy that's proving to be hugely successful. WINE magazine's tasting panel's notes on the 2006 vintage (in the August 2010 issue) described it as having "spice and pepper and a pleasing hint of development on the nose and palate" which also underscores the fact that Hartenberg's wines are made to be aged. Superb balance and silky tannins make this a must-buy for Shiraz lovers (and the good news is that it's a bit easier on the pocket that the other offerings; R130 ex cellar).

Societi Bistro tel: 021 418 9483
Hartenberg tel: 021 865 2541