


A glass of red wine on the double.
We are so close to Christmas one can almost smell it! Or is it coming from this glass of wine in front of me? I guess a bit of both! Often torn about which wines to serve at Christmas time (as we celebrate the holidays smack in the middle of a scorching African summer), a versatile red wine is always welcome. However, South Africans also love to socialise outdoors, in which case a red wine can quickly become too warm. So be mindful about serving a style of red that will show well at a cooler temperature.
Alas, known for their ingenuity in the Paarl wine region, Nederburg recently launched their Double Barrel Reserve pre-festive season for consumers to get acquainted with this exciting new red before the holidays commence. It is available from their cellar door, where, by the way, you will find beautiful picnic spots to enjoy a lovely day out!
Loved by local and international visitors, Nederburg features on Drinks International’s World’s Most Admired Wine Brands Top 50 list of 2021, the fifth time it achieved this incredible feat.
Nederburg’s story started in 1791 when German immigrant Philippus Wolvaart acquired 49 hectares of land in the Paarl Valley. He named it in honour of the VOC commissioner, Sebastiaan Cornelis Nederburgh.
Apart from enjoying award-winning wines with several ranges to choose from, their unique cellar door wine pairings and picnics in these beautiful surroundings are hugely popular every summer season.
“Never underestimate the power of simple detail. It can transform even the excellent into the exceptional,” says Niël Groenewald, MD of Nederburg. “Ask anyone who treasures their craft, which works fully with their hands, heart and mind, and they will tell you the same.”
The Recipe
Chip and dip
The fun thing about French fries and dipping sauces is to play with what you have in the fridge. We made our basil pesto but used a good, bought peanut sauce. The sriracha we mixed with homemade mayonnaise. But the favourite for sure was the poutine (pronounced poo-tin) – crispy fries generously covered with gravy.
We made this from scratch
Gravy
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all flour
- 2 cups good beef broth
- 1 cup good chicken broth
- Few drops of truffle oil
- Pepper, to taste
Fries and toppings
- You can make the fries from scratch or call on Woolies if you want to save some time.
- ½ cup of mozzarella cheese chunks
To make the gravy, dissolve the corn starch in water and set it aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter, add flour, and cook, stirring regularly. After 5 minutes, the mixture will turn a golden brown. Add the broth and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Slowly stir in half the cornflour mixture and simmer for a minute. Add cornflour bit by bit until the gravy reaches the consistency of preference. Season to taste and add a bit of truffle oil.
Assuming your fries are done, add them to medium-sized bowls and sprinkle with truffle salt (optional) to enhance the wine’s red fruit. Next, warm up the gravy if need be and add a spoon over each portion. Finally, scatter the mozzarella chunks, ground some pepper and voila!

MATCHMAKING THE NEDERBERG DOUBLE BARREL RESERVE 2020 WITH CURRIED VETKOEK AND POUTINE, PESTO AND PEANUT SAUCE
- Dare to be adventurous with wine pairing, even with something as simple as a chip and dip. Gravy and fries (poutine) offer a scrumptious, meaty experience, almost like roast potatoes and gravy on a Sunday. Only now, it’s a trendy Saturday snack with a mushroom flavour adding brightness to the fruit in the wine.
- Adding a sweet peanut sauce to the mix will satisfy those who prefer a less fruity wine. This will make the wine appear more earthy and lean.
- The pesto mayo meats the herbaceous character of the wine, and your senses will indulge in a medley of red and black fruit coming alive in the wine.
- Over to a spicier note, a siracha dip is probably the quirkiest of all, adding a velvety feel to the palate with just enough warmth trailing behind.
- For pure comfort and nostalgia, you cannot go wrong with vetkoek and curried venison mince, be it watching a rugby match or strolling down the allies of a night market. Having a glass of this wine in hand will complete the experience.
Our Experience
We share fond memories at Nederburg – if not judging the annual Veritas wine competition or joining in the fun for a harvest festival, it is to lie back on their lush lawns listening to a sunset symphony. Of course, none of this was possible last year, but this gives us more reason to support this loved estate in what is sure to be a memorable celebratory season.
As much as we support small brands that focus on a handful of wines, the philosophy of Nederburg is to craft wines for all of South Africa and do it exceptionally well. As a result, the estate has become a one-stop destination with a firm understanding of its variable (and valuable) customers.
The new Nederburg Double Barrel Reserve joining their stable is a Bordeaux-style blend bringing together the winery’s hallmark Cabernet Sauvignon in a classic combination with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. But, according to their red winemaker, Zinaschke Steyn, what makes this proportioned blend stand apart lies in the detail of the maturation of its components.
“Each of the five varieties was individually vinified, and that included their ageing in contact with French oak for 12 months,” “However, the Merlot portion was taken from the barrel after nine months, then blended and returned to barrel for a further three months of maturation. All components were then combined to achieve what we believe is a beautifully balanced whole. Call this double-barrel process a small detail, but it delivers a significant impact. It has turned a juicy wine into one with a silky texture and a thrilling richness.”
Given this artistic freedom turned out to be a very versatile wine for South Africans this summer. At R115 a bottle, you don’t need to be too precious about the perfect temperature and instead serve it slightly chilled to counter the warm days ahead. Still, the wine will deliver on flavour and great concentration to pack a punch at the Christmas table, leaving your guests salivating for more.
We loved the wine’s upfront deliciousness, packed with red fruit like cherry and ripe red plums. It also has an attractive fruit pastille character with top notes of maraschino cherries, which adds a slight sweetness to the aroma. Although one cannot smell sweetness per se, the perfume adds to its deeper oak nuances of warm spice, sandalwood, and shaved chocolate notes – enough to entice you to take that first sip. Tasting the wine, it wins you over with incredible richness, stirring memories of trifle or black forest cake without distracting from the balance of the wine. Everything comes together and over-delivers on fruit, elegant tannins, and fresh acidity to counter the richness.
Playing on the classical and whimsical nature of this wine, we pictured a summer with delicious and colourful street food that invites wine lovers to be creative with side dishes.
Poutine is a French-Canadian favourite, with French fries doused in a glossy gravy or cheese sauce, a snack we often indulge in when visiting family in Canada. We included various dipping sauces to experiment with the wine, and its versatility exceeded our expectations. Then, bringing it home, we were gifted with a minced piece of wildebeest silverside that we fried with onion and curry spices to make mini curry vetkoek. Absolutely delicious with this wine!

See it for yourself
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