Durbanville Wine Valley and celebrity chef Herman Lensing have joined forces to give South Africans a winning food and wine combo to celebrate national heritage in September and October. The brief to the acclaimed foodie was simple: create a recipe that highlights the excellence of Durbanville Pinotage.
National Heritage Day falls on September 24 while the homegrown cultivar Pinotage is celebrated on the second Saturday of October every year. Melding the two in spirit, Herman – famous as amongst others, a TV show host and cookbook author – created what may be the perfect braaibroodjie (the much-loved fire-grilled sandwich) to pair with Durbanville Wine Valley Pinotage.
According to Durbanville Wine Valley manager Natasha de Villiers, the shared braaibroodjie fit wonderfully with Durbanville’s legacy of hospitality. “A fresh-water spring made Durbanville in its early days a rest-stop for explorers, transport riders and local farmers. That tradition continues to this day, with Durbanville – a mere 20 minutes from Cape Town CBD – being the destination of choice for families, wine enthusiasts and lovers of the great outdoors.”
Renowned for its exceptional Sauvignon Blanc wines, the region’s wineries also have a long and proud history of excellence with Pinotage. The Heritage Block at Meerendal comprises Pinotage planted in 1955 and is one of the oldest in the country. Diemersdal’s oldest Pinotage vineyard is 46 years old. Both are certified via the esteemed Old Vine Project.
The reason Pinotage develops to its fullest in this region is thanks to a magical combination of preferred soils, ideal climate and thoughtful viticulture and winemaking.
For Herman Lensing, a long-time resident of the area, the only partner that might match Pinotage in heritage, flavour and popularity was the South African braaibroodjie.
“Just like a braaibroodjie, Pinotage is truly South African. The wine is also the ideal match for grilled goods,” he says. “The braaibroodjie is the crown of any braai. With Heritage Day, it’s also about our shared heritage and that we should ‘break bread’ with fellow South Africans. This is where my inspiration came from.”
