Winemakers often speak of “terroir” as the chief influencer in the quality of a wine. “Terroir” refers to the range of environmental factors that can influence the quality of the harvest, and holds that a wine reflects the land in which the grapes have been grown.
The team at KWV, believes that the “best wines are made in the vineyard” – an approach that places nature first and ultimately seeks to extract only the best juice from the best grapes, and only from select vineyard pockets.
KWV in Paarl has dedicated its flagship range, KWV The Mentors, to pay homage to this intricate relationship between winemaker and nature. “At KWV we see nature as our greatest mentor, which is why we honour her with wines made from the best grapes of a particular harvest,” explains Izele van Blerk, winemaker at KWV.
Not unlike the bee that extracts honey from nectar, the winemaking team at KWV works tirelessly to extract only the highest quality “nectar” from the allotment granted to them by Mother Nature.
“From the grapes we extract wine that is of a distinct calibre,” says van Blerk. “it is a fascinating journey: one which starts with rigorous selection criteria at the hands of Head Viticulturist, Marco Ventrella, and his team in the vines, and is carried on throughout the grapes’ journey from vine to final bottling.”
It is team effort that requires hard work and dedication, but the final result is always rewarding, says van Blerk. “Similar to the honeybees’ nectar, which is distilled down to 20% of the content in order to achieve the precious liquid known as honey, at the end of the winemaking journey we also only end up with small quantities of KWV The Mentors’ wines.”
“Honey, similar to wine, reflects a sense of place,” says van Blerk. “Honey made in the Karoo will taste distinctly different from honey produced by bees in Franschhoek. Bees, like winemakers, work in dedicated and efficient teams to produce the best possible product. The bees do it for their queen, and in the case of KWV, we do it for the consumer.”
She quips that while KWV The Mentors’ wines don’t have the eternal shelf life of honey, wines in the series are produced with the ability to mature elegantly for years. “Wines in the KWV The Mentors range are definitely worth cellaring, as they will always reward the patient wine enthusiast,” says van Blerk.
In order to celebrate this intricate relationship between nature and man, KWV, together with Ambassador Chef, Mynhardt Joubert, devised a menu to showcase the complementary aspects of nature – represented by honey – and those of KWV’s premium wine and spirit offerings.
Chef Mynhardt says he felt quite captivated by the idea of a honey-and-wine paired menu. “Both honey and wine are regarded as food of the gods, devising a menu which combined the two allowed for a beautiful journey of the senses.”
The menu, which combines a feast of flavours from various corners of the world, sees honey as a hero ingredient, while a selection of KWV The Mentors wines and KWV’s 12-year-old Brandy, offer complementary support to allow for a duo of the senses that is simply delicious.
Fancy whipping up one of Chef Mynhardt’s honey-inspired dishes at home? Here is a great recipe for you to try:
Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Honey Glazed Macadamia Nuts Matched With KWV The Mentors Chenin Blanc
This salad is packed with delicious smoky autumn flavours. The ground nuts add an interesting sweet and crunchy texture to this dish and the crème fraiche gives it a lovely tangy taste.
- Cooking time: 45 minutes
- Serves: 6 to 8 guests
- Oven: 200°C
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of diced pumpkin
- 200 g of butter
- 200 g of macadamia nuts
- Two tablespoons of Champagne Honey
- 200 g crème fraiche
- 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons of Champagne Honey
- Rind of half an orange
- Coloured baby heirloom carrots sliced in half lengthways
- 50 g of butter
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fennel
- Salt and pepper
- Micro herbs for garnish
Method:
Roast the pumpkin in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Place into a jug blender and blend until a smooth purée has formed before allowing to cool.
In a hot saucepan, roast the nuts and honey until caramelised for about 5 to 6 minutes. Throw out onto a baking tray and allow to cool. When cooled, place in a plastic bag and knock with a rolling pin until broken and crunchy. Mix the crème fraiche, honey, orange rind and thyme together and keep to the side.
In a hot sauce, pan roast the carrots with the butter and fennel until al dente, remove and let it cool down before seasoning with salt and pepper.
Plate the salad by smearing the purée onto a plate, add the carrots, a teaspoon full of crème fraiche, dust with the macadamia nuts and garnish with micro herbs.
KWV Cruxland Gin Board: “The Lawrence of Arabia”
The beautiful textures and flavours combined in this aperitif are both nostalgic and spicy and the gentle flavour of honey and cinnamon add a mysterious depth to the drink. Plate each of your guests gin boards for an added element of entertainment.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 shots of KWV Cruxland Gin
- Ice
- Soft dates
- Cinnamon sticks
- Sliced raw ginger
- Champagne Honey
Method:
Plate all the ingredients on an interesting platter or board for each guest. Add the Gin and ice to the glass just before serving.
To replicate this menu, visit Chef Mynhardt Joubert’s inspiring website for all the recipes, and kwvempyrean.co.za to order the suggested wine partners.
