Match of the week

Poached langoustines and Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on October 27 2015 at 09:33

Last week I caught up with Hein Koegelenberg of La Motte which I visited a couple of years ago when the winery was nominated Wine Tourism Champion by the Great Wine Capitals of the World (you can find my Decanter article on the experience here).

He was in London to show off his latest releases (and take in Rugby World Cup semi-final which didn't go quite as well) at Mosimann’s in Knightsbridge where we tried the wines with a menu devised by Anton Mosimann.

There were a couple of striking matches but I’m going for the first pairing of a dish of lightly cooked Scottish langoustines with lemon and fresh herbs which included (I think) pea shoots and leeks - elements that chimed in perfectly with his 2014 Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc. Those of you who follow me in the Guardian will know I’m not a massive SB fan but this wine, which as 10% semillon and is sourced from cooler vineyards in Elgin, Bot River, Elim and Napier, was wonderfully fresh and citrussy (grapefruit, mainly) rather than being pungently aromatic.

The downside is that I can’t currently find it in the UK but will add stockists as and when I find them. It’s worth trying SA Wines Online.

The other pairing that was particularly good was the Rhone-like 2013 Pierneef Syrah Viognier with some very rare highland venison and a selection of vegetables that included the normally wine-killing red cabbage. It breezed through the lot.

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