Opening up a bottle of wine with a meal always makes one feel as though something is being celebrated — the end of a long work day, a birthday or holiday, a catch-up with old friends or just a quiet night at home with delicious food. No matter what the occasion, pairing wine with lunch or dinner always offers us a moment to stop and pause as we take our first sip and enjoy our first bite.

Wines of Unique Provenance

What makes Durbanville Hills Winery unique is its positioning; located just 20-minutes from the city centre and perched on a hill, it takes in sweeping vistas of Table Bay, with Table Mountain as a backdrop and Robben Island in the distance.

The vineyards’ close proximity to the Atlantic and Indian oceans allows for swirling mists and sea breezes to cool the fruit on hot summer afternoons. The grapes ripen slowly and the result is a range of cool climate wines with intense fruit appeal, finesse and complexity that reflect their unique provenance.

With their personalities firmly rooted in the terroir of the Durbanville area, the wines are contemporary in style and offer a piece of Cape Town in every sip.

Pairing with Durbanville Hills Wines

Durbanville Hills boasts a range of wines that will elevate any meal. With wines for every occasion and every season, Durbanville Hills offers you the opportunity to play and experiment with different wine pairings and flavour combinations.

To get you inspired, we’ve created these four recipes, each pairing perfectly with a wine from the Durbanville Hill’s range.

Cucumber Ribbon Salad with Caramelised Feta & Green Yoghurt Dressing

This simple, light salad is exactly what you’re going to be craving on a long, hot summer’s day. The cucumbers and sugar snap peas add crunch, while the caramelised feta adds saltiness.

Caramelising feta simply means roasting or pan-frying the feta in a bit of olive oil. Doing this causes the moisture in the feta to be cooked out, which concentrates its saltiness. This is a great way to add seasoning and interesting texture to your salad.

We’ve paired this light, tasty salad with  Durbanville Hills Chenin Blanc Light. The wine has lower alcohol and calories than their regular Chenin, so is ideal for those wanting to be mindful of consumption. Its sweet fruit and floral notes pair well with the saltiness of the feta, resulting in a wonderfully balanced meal.

NOSE: Vibrant tropical fruit, ripe pear, lime, pineapple, paw-paw, and floral notes.
TASTE: Refreshing with a perfect balance between fresh fruit flavours and a crisp acidity.

RSP: R80 BUY IT NOWRecipe for Cucumber Ribbon Salad with Caramelised Feta & Green Yoghurt Dressing

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Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Honey-Soy Marinade

These kebabs are sticky and deliciously moreish – caramelised pineapple adds a sweet tropical element, alongside red onion for flavour and perfectly cooked, juicy chicken. The kebabs are brushed with a honey, soy and sesame marinade, which makes for an explosion of flavour — you’ll definitely be wanting seconds, thirds and possibly fourths!

Make these for your next Sunday braai, they’re the perfect summertime party food.

To pair with this fabulous summer dish, we’ve selected Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc. With hints of citrus and tropical fruit, it complements the charred pineapple in these kebabs. This crisp white wine cuts through the rich, savoury flavours of the chicken, cleansing the palate, allowing you to enjoy each bite and burst of flavour as if it’s the first.

NOSE: Delightful combination of ripe citrus, passion fruit, winter melon, mango, gooseberries, pineapple and hints of green grassy notes.
TASTE: Full-bodied wine with a refreshing crisp acidity ending with a combination of tropical fruit and citrus.

RSP: R80 BUY IT NOWRecipe for Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Honey-Soy Marinade

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Mushroom Ragu on Parmesan Polenta

For the days where you want a dish that is slightly more generous without being too heavy, this tasty mushroom ragu is ideal. The absence of red meat keeps this dish light, while still comforting and delicious. We’ve used Durbanville Hills Merlot to create a silken sauce that is unctuous but doesn’t feel overly rich –perfect for a cooler evening when you want something more robust but not too rich.

Complement these bold flavours with a glass of Durbanville Hills Merlot. This smooth, elegant wine is ideal to balance this heartier-style dish.

NOSE: Blueberries with hints of mint and vanilla followed by a sweet wood spice.
TASTE: A medium-bodied wine with sweet berry fruit on the palate, rounded off with silky tannins and a full, lingering mouth-feel.

RSP: R85 BUY IT NOWRecipe for Mushroom Ragu on Parmesan Polenta

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Berry Cheesecake Bars

These pretty-as-an-Instagram-picture berry cheesecake bars are so easy to make, even though they look like they’ve taken hours. If you’re looking for a special sweet something to make for your special sweet someone, these are it. Pop the cork on a bottle of Durbanville Hills Rose Sparkling Wine and you’ve got yourself the perfect date.

With wonderfully floral notes, balanced by fruity acidty, this wine is ideal for this fabulous dessert. Its pretty packaging makes it a lovely gift idea too.

NOSE: Delightful aromas of fresh strawberries, cherries, Turkish delight, and rose water.
TASTE: Refreshing and well balanced with an abundance of berry and cherry aromas, rose water and citrus.

RSP: R100 BUY IT NOWRecipe for Berry Cheesecake Bars

Explore more of Durbanville Hills diverse wines, like their Cape Portrait range.

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