Thanks to culinary trends and Hollywood, chef's tables have grown tremendously and are pulling in more audiences who want their own fine dining experience.
Southern Sun Sandton launched its newest offering with wine pairings by Miguel Chan, one of South Africa's leading sommeliers. With their collection for the chef's table taking on established and emerging wine brands, the wines on offer are leaders in the pack putting sustainability forward.
We chatted to Chan about local wines.
What is your favourite pairing people can enjoy when dining at the restaurant?
Definitely our extensive range of Cap Classique, especially our Blanc de Blancs Vintage Chardonnay, paired with our famous crispy chicken wings.
South Africans are showing interest in red wines. Do you have a favourite made this year that should be on everyone’s lips?
Absolutely. Red wines, especially red blends, from grapes originally made famous in Bordeaux, such as Vilafonte Series C, or Series M from Stellenbosch.
Champagne has also become a favourite dominating global interests. What do you believe has led to this, or is it just hype?
Champagne is the de facto celebratory drink of choice anywhere, though I must add our Cap Classique offers more bang for your buck. South Africans love their bubbles and we should be buying, sharing and drinking more Cap Classique than champagne from an ecological and sustainability point of view.
What examples of great craftsmanship can be seen in the wines on offer at the chef’s table?
In our chef’s table experience, we showcase great South African wines which display incredible craftsmanship in world-class styles and quality from local estates such as Alheit Vineyards, Rall, Lukas van Loggerenberg, Saurwein, Klein Constantia Estate, Jordan Estate, Cederberg and Vilafonte.
There has been a steady decline in sales of wines. Is this a good time for a connoisseur to start buying?
It’s a buyers market, as wine consumption has been declining not only in South Africa but globally. Some incredible bargains can be found as long as one follows the right wine expert with a deep knowledge of the wine industry.
What are three things everyone should consider before buying a wine?
- Quality inside a bottle versus the brand perception the wine farm’s marketing team want you to believe. Wine is about emotion and has nothing to do with fancy labels or heavy bottles.
- Consider producers who work in symbiosis with nature, practise ethical and sustainable ways of growing grapes and produce less manipulated wines in the cellar.
- Seek producers, especially emerging ones, who have a story behind their wines. The storytelling aspects of wine appreciation far outweigh a commercial wine brand with trumpeter stories about their provenance.
What can wine lovers expect in the coming year for locally produced vino?
We are all fortunate to live during a time of South African wine greatness never seen before, largely driven by a young generation of winemakers pushing the boundaries of excellence and crafting some of the finest wines in the world, which will continue for many years to come. Wine lovers are spoilt for choice.
