A TIMELESS classic never goes out of style. This fundamental truth is inherent in the KWV Classic Collection of accessible, quality wines just released in an elegant new look.
While the exterior has been revitalised and refreshed in step with the ever-changing times, you will find the same classic wine in your glass to reconnect with life’s more simple pleasures.
Crafted for everyday enjoyment, the quality and value of these uncomplicated, fruit-forward wines foster the unrivalled KWV legacy spanning over 100 years. Tempering bold exuberance with elegant restraint sets the Classic Collection of 11 single varietal wines apart as an expression of the diversity of the Cape Winelands.
The reds in the range – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage and Petit Verdot – are rich and flavourful. Elegant and vibrant is the golden thread running through the white wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Moscato. Capturing the best qualities of both, the Rosé is the perfect summer quaffer.
There is nothing to beat a classic summer picnic with all the trimmings for treasured get-togethers. Sam Linsell of @drizzleanddip fame has created two enticing picnic recipes to get you started. Her delicious caramelised onion and goats’ cheese tart melds beautifully with the easy drinking KWV Classic Collection Sauvignon Blanc. It is elegant and refreshing with passion fruit, lime and guava bursting from your glass supported by hints of asparagus on the palate.
To complement the ripe plums, blueberries and hints of cigar box, mint and herbs of the vibrant KWV Classic Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, Sam has chosen a juicy Mediterranean steak flatbread.
RED WINE CARAMELISED ONIONS & GOATS’ CHEESE TARTLETS
- 3 onions thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (250ml) red wine
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 – 4 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed and a few extra for garnishing each tart
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 sheets of puff pastry 23c x 23cm
- 100 – 200g goats’ cheese (depending on what size tarts you make)
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions over a low heat until softened but not browned for about 15 minutes. Add ½ the red wine and deglaze the pan, allowing all the liquid to cook off. Add the sugar, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the remainder of the red wine and once again continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has cooked off.
Place your puff pastry sheets on a floured surface and cut out the circles to the desired size. You could also leave the pastry whole or cut into 4 x squares. This way you better optimise the pastry sheet with no wastage through offcuts.
Score the inside of the pastry with a small cookie cutter or a knife ¾ of the way through, but don’t cut all the way through, to make a small rim and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and press down on the inner circle/square piece so that it drops down, it should come away where you have scored it, and fill each pastry case with the caramelised onion.
Top with the goats’ cheese (you can either crumble this or cut into discs), scatter over fresh thyme leaves and return to the oven to bake for a further 20 minutes until golden.
Serve warm or cold on their own or with a salad.
CRISPY FLATBREAD WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES, STEAK & ROCKET
Serves 2 – 4 at a picnic
Roasted vegetables
- 400g zucchini thickly sliced
- 1 large red or yellow pepper cut into rough chunks
- 1 large red onion cut into 8ths and broken up into thick florets
- 2 fresh thyme stalks
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and pepper
Crispy flatbread
- 150g self-raising flour
- 110ml cold water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame seeds – optional
- ½ tsp dried oregano – optional
Herb crème fraîche
- ½ tub (125g) crème fraîche
- Zest from ¼ lemon
- 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- 1½ Tbsps of finely chopped chives or parsley
- Sea salt and pepper
Steak
- 250g steak of your choice
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Shaved parmesan to garnish
- Rocket leaves to garnish
To roast the vegetables, preheat the oven to 200°C and toss the washed and cut vegetables into a large oven tray. Sprinkle lightly with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Add the thyme stalks if applicable and toss the vegetables to coat lightly with the oil. Roast for 30 minutes until starting to brown on the edges and cooked through. Remove and bring to room temperature.
To make the flatbread, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl using a fork. Once a ball is formed, remove from the bowl, and give it a short knead using extra flour as required. Set the dough aside to rest.
To make the herb crème fraîche, mix all the ingredients together, season to taste and then cover in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Brush the steak with olive oil and season very well with salt and black pepper. Fry in a very hot pan until caramelised and browned on the outside but pink on the inside (or to your preference). Set it aside to rest for 10 minutes. When cool, thinly slice against the grain and give the meat a spritz of lemon juice.
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface until it is as thin as it will go without breaking. It will be around 30cm in diameter. Heat a non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan to very hot and then drop the flat bread straight into the pan. Once bubbles start forming on the surface and the underside is starting to brown, flip it over and cook the other side.
To assemble, spread the herb crème fraîche over the bottom of the flat bread, top with the roasted vegetables and the thinly sliced steak. Garnish with parmesan shavings and fresh rocket. Season with more salt and pepper and serve.
