THE L I T T L E

O F C H EN I N B L ANC

S E CRET BOOK

www.spier.co.za | www.spiersecretfestival.co.za | Twitter: @SpierSecret | Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSpierSecretFestival | Tickets: reservations@spier.co.za | Contact: hannerie@spiersecretfestival.co.za

I N TRODUCT I O N

istorians believe Chenin Blanc was first grown in France’s Anjou region in the ninth

century – back then it was known as Chenere. In the 15th century the grape was renamed Chenin Blanc – after Mont Chenin – soon after being introduced into Touraine, a part of the Loire Valley.

Jan van Riebeeck took his mandate to establish a refreshment station at the Cape quite literally when in 1655 he planted the region’s first vines. Historical records show that three varietals were used during this early period: Groendruif (which we know today as Semillon), Fransdruif and Steen (which we now know as Chenin Blanc).

Research in the 1920s determined that Fransdruif is the grape known as Palomino (Spain) or Listan (France). Figuring out what

Steen was took a bit longer. Initially it was believed that Steen might be from the German Stein grape, but investigations in Germany proved fruitless. Prof CJ Orffer, former head of viticulture at Maties, finally solved the puzzle when in 1963 he matched Steen leaves with Chenin Blanc ones and determined that Steen was most certainly Chenin Blanc.

Steen was often used in early 20th Century as the key grape for South African brandies. Liberstein, a Steen and Clairette Blanc blend, became popular in the 1960s, and was, for a time, the world’s bestselling wine brand.

Today Chenin Blanc is experiencing a renaissance as talented South African winemakers embrace the grape’s diversity and versatility with richly varying, exciting wines.

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Copy: Alexander Matthews Design: Gera Smuts Published by: Studio HV

3S ERVE ME UPSP I E R ’ S C H EN I N B L ANC

SignaTURE ChEnin BlanC 2012• Fresh and fruity• Green apple• White-fleshed nectarine• Sliced pear• Undertow of honey• Lime-squirt ending

Drink with smokey pork and apple burger (recipe on page 6 & 7).

21 gaBlES ChEnin BlanC 2011• Rich and ripe• Soft, dried apricots• Oak and vanilla undertow• White-fleshed peaches• Almond paste• Windfall oranges

Drink with spicy roast chicken (recipe on page 8).

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resh and fruity Chenin Blanc wines can be enjoyed immediately; fruit salad flavours

(think apple, melon, pineapple) is supported by the wine’s crisp acidity.

Rich and ripe Chenin Blanc wines, particularly wooded ones, are well suited to patient drinkers. Oak increases the wine’s complexity and gives a richer mouth feel. Leave these wines for long enough, and you’ll be rewarded with a colour that deepens towards straw-gold and an emergence of nut and honey flavours.

PaiRingEnjoy dry styles with curries and other kinds of Asian cuisine; they also work well with bold-flavoured fish, chicken, and vegetarian meals such as aubergine bakes and stuffed marrows.

Sweeter, richer styles go well with tarts and warm fruit desserts.

A good bottle-matured Chenin Blanc matches up beautifully with ripe Brie or Camembert cheese. Or you can simply enjoy it on its own.

A lot of confusion surrounds Chenin Blanc – many wine drinkers mistakenly believe that the grape produces only sweet wines. The truth is a lot more complex: this is an extremely versatile grape, producing wines of complex and differing character. The two main styles of Chenin Blanc are fresh & fruity (unwooded) and rich & ripe (usually wooded).

SPiER SignaTURE ChEnin BlanC

SPiER 21 gaBlESChEnin BlanC

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gRanaDilla JElly WITH dRIEd PINEAPPLE SHARdS

inSPiRED By ThE SignaTURE ChEnin BlanC 2012• Makes enough for 12 tasters

INGREdIENTS:4 or 5 granadillas | 2 tablespoons sugar | 125ml hot water (not boiling) | 15g gelatine/5 sheets of leaf gelatine | 375ml cold water | 1 pineapple

METHOd:Preheat the oven to 140°C.Halve the granadillas and scoop out the pips, juice and any flesh into a small pot. Add the hot water and the sugar to the granadilla pulp

and heat over moderate heat to infuse, not boil. Allow to infuse until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and strain the liquid through a sieve to separate the black pips from the yellow liquid. discard the pips. Place granadilla liquid back into the pot and heat gently. do not allow to boil. Once heated, sprinkle the gelatine over and whisk to dissolve any lumps. Once the gelatine has been dissolved, remove the pot from the heat, mix in the cold water and carefully pour the mixture into a small square mould (a Tupperware will do fine) allowing a depth of about 3cm. Carefully place a sheet of cling film over the surface of the jelly, to avoid a skin from forming, and refrigerate until set (this takes about 4 hours). While the jelly is setting, peel and clean the pineapple, keeping it whole.

Developed by Cara Brink, these snacks beautifully illustrate the contrasting flavour profiles that Chenin Blanc has to offer.

4F L AVOUR I N S P I R AT I O N : F R E SH & F RU I T Y

Once clean, cut paper-thin disks of pineapple, cutting through, not along, the pineapple – ideally with a mandolin (it is tricky to do this with a knife). Place your pineapple slivers on some paper towel, drying either side before placing on a drying rack that can fit into your oven.Place the slices in a single layer, adding a few extra slices as they tend to break easily. Place the drying rack in the preheated oven and keep the door ajar, allowing any moisture to escape. Check on the pineapple every 30 minutes: after an hour the slices should be dry, but allow for more time if there is a lot of moisture in the air.

To assemble, gently remove the jelly from the mould onto a cutting board and cut into neat 5cm x 3cm blocks. Place the jelly blocks onto your serving platter and top each block with a dried sliver of pineapple.

PLEASE NOTE: Pineapple contains enzymes that break down jelly but the drying-out process eliminates most of these enzymes. Still, do not plate too far in advance as your jelly might be affected or your pineapple crisp might become soggy.

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6CH EN I N C O LOUR C HART

lighT BODiEDFRESH ANd FRUITy:SPiER SignaTURE

ChEnin BlanCgingERED almOnDS

inSPiRED By ThE SPiER 21 gaBlES ChEnin BlanC 2011• Makes two cups

INGREdIENTS:2 tablespoons unsalted butter | 3 heaped tablespoons brown sugar | 2 tablespoons water1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger | 1 ¼ teaspoons Maldon salt | ¼ teaspoon ground ginger | ¼ teaspoon cayenne | 2 cups whole almonds, skins on

METHOd:Preheat the oven to 150°C. Melt the butter, water and brown sugar in a heavy based pan over a moderate heat until the sugar has dissolved.Add the fresh ginger, salt, ground ginger and cayenne and carefully stir with a wooden spoon.Remove pan from heat and stir in the almonds.Make sure all the almonds are coated with the sticky brown mixture before transferring to a shallow, lined, baking tray. Flatten the almonds out so that the pan is covered with a uniform layer of almonds. Place pan in oven, remove and stir every 10 minutes and remove after 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

5F L AVOUR I N S P I R AT I O N : R I C H & R I P E

FUll BODiEDRICH ANd RIPE:SPiER 21 gaBlESChEnin BlanC

8CH EN I N C H E F

Lorianne Heyns, executive chef at Spier, shares two fabulous recipes for dishes that pair beautifully with Chenin Blanc.

SmOKEy PORK & aPPlE BURgERWITH SHREddEd SPINACH, FETA CHEESE ANd APPLE CHUTNEy

EnJOy wiTh SPiER SignaTURE ChEnin BlanC• Serves: 6

Pork and aPPle PattiesINGREdIENTS: 1.2kg free-range pork mince | 200g pork cheek or streaky bacon finely diced | 3 Granny Smith apples grated with skin on | 1 large red onion, finely chopped | 2 cloves of garlic, minced | 80g flat leaf parsley chopped | 15g smoked salt | 10g freshly ground black pepper

Lorianne recommends: Free-range pork from Happy Hog in Ashton, www.happyhog.co.za

METHOd:On a medium heat, sauté the onions, garlic and bacon till golden and sticky. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature. In the same pan cook the grated apple for 1 minute and remove from heat. Mix all the ingredients together to form patty mix and refrigerate for a couple of hours for all the flavours to come together. Form 230g patties and grill on a high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reads 70°C.

recipe continues on next page

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7CH EN I N F L AVOUR NOT E S

BOTRyTIS & MICROBIOLOGICAL

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Burger BunsINGREdIENTS:475 ml warm milk (45°C) | 55g butter, melted 100ml warm water | 20g white sugar | 14g instant yeast | 8 g salt | 750g bread flour

METHOd:In a large bowl, stir together the milk, butter, warm water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutesMix in the salt and gradually stir in the flour till you have soft dough. Roll out balls of 100g and prove for 20 minutes, brush and dust with toasted white sesame seeds. Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes

aPPle chutneyINGREdIENTS:30ml olive oil | 20ml Maldon salt | 10ml freshly ground black pepper | 1 large onion, finely sliced1 garlic clove, crushed | 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced | 250ml Apple cider vinegar | 100g sultanas | 1 knob fresh ginger, grated | 10ml white mustard seeds | 10ml coriander seeds | 2 bay leaves

METHOd:In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toast the mustard and coriander seeds till they starts to pop and add the onion and bay leaves; sauté over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown (this takes about 6 minutes). Add apples, sauté for 4 more minutes. Add vinegar, raisins, ginger and garlic and stir well to combine, before covering. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until apples are very tender but still hold their shape (about 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

PREPARE:Halve the burger buns, spread with butter and toast face down in a hot pan till crispy and golden.Top pork patty with crumbled danish feta cheese and gratinate under grill. Layer the bun with baby spinach, apple chutney and pork patty, before topping with the second half of the bun. Serve with ice-cold Spier Signature Chenin Blanc.

SPiCED whOlE ROaST ChiCKEnWITH TABBOULEH qUINOA SALAd

EnJOy wiTh SPiER 21 gaBlES ChEnin BlanC• Serves: 6

Marinated chickenINGREdIENTS:1 whole free-range Chicken | 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger | 3 chillis (personal choice of heat) chopped | 3 cloves garlic finely chopped1 teaspoon cumin toasted | 1 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon coriander spice toasted | Large handful fresh coriander | 60ml olive oil | Juice and zest of 1 lemon

METHOd & PREPARATION:Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen towel. Blend together all the ingredients and rub the chicken inside and out with the

marinade ensuring it is covered completely. Let it marinade overnight in the fridge. When ready to cook, simply place in a roasting dish, cover with foil and bake at 180° for 30 minutes.Remove the foil and roast till golden. There must be no blood visible when pricking with a fork. Carve and serve warm with quinoa salad and fresh coriander yoghurt.

coriander yoghurtINGREdIENTS:500ml yoghurt | Handful freshly chopped coriander | Handful freshly chopped mint | Juice and zest of one lemon | Salt and pepper to taste

METHOd:Mix the chopped herbs, lemon and yoghurt together and season to taste.

recipe continues on next page

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QuinoaINGREdIENTS:1 cup dry quinoa | ½ red onion | 2 medium tomatoes | 2 cloves garlic | 1 bunch parsley 1 bunch mint | 200g feta | 4 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons lemon juice | Salt and pepper to taste

METHOd:Rinse the quinoa under cool water. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the quinoa and ½ teaspoon of salt. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the quinoa is fluffy and chewy (about 20 minutes).Chop the red onion and put it in a bowl covered with water and a pinch of sugar to soak. Cut the

tomatoes in quarters and squeeze out the seeds. dice the remaining tomato flesh into small pieces. Finely chop the garlic, parsley, and mint. When the quinoa is ready, empty it into a large bowl and allow it to cool almost to room temperature. Once it has cooled, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and a healthy pinch of salt. Pour it over the quinoa and stir until the grains are evenly coated.Add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and mint, and stir to combine. Crumble the feta over the top and gently stir it in as well. Taste the salad and add more lemon juice or salt if needed. Serve with warm roast chicken and coriander yoghurt.

Lorianne recommends: A nice addition is fresh pomegranate pearls.

9THE S P I E R S E CRET F E ST I VA L

xploring the latest in food and wine trends, ethics, and biodynamic farming, the Spier

Secret Festival takes place at Spier wine farm on the weekend of 25 – 26 October 2013. Secrets of all kind will be revealed – from secret ingredients and family recipes to South Africa’s best-kept wine secret, Chenin Blanc.

Local and international experts on food and wine will present talks, visual presentations, workshops, tastings and various dinner events. There will also be a Saturday food and wine market showcasing the Western Cape’s best producers (free entry) and a Chenin Blanc expo.

ThE COnFEREnCETaking place on on Friday 25 October, the conference’s line-up includes eating designer

Marije Vogelzang (The Netherlands), baker Lily Vanilli (Uk) and Robert Sayre (USA), the creative director of Conflict kitchen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Spier’s winemaking team will present a unique interactive wine-blending workshop. On Saturday 26 October, Nicolas Joly, a pioneer of the biodynamic wine movement in France, will talk on the ancient art of farming – biodynamie.

BOOKingFriday’s conference tickets cost R900; Nicolas Joly’s talk costs R900 per person. Spier Hotel accommodation is available at a special rate of R900 per room per night for ticket holders. Book tickets and accommodation via 021 809 1100 or reservations@spier.co.za.