Freshly dived Giant Periwinkle with some of the Sauvignon Blanc we were treated to on our recent Bredasdorp Adventures with Pierre.
Small-scale wines with a big heart and even bigger name. Giant, in fact. Pierre Rabie, wine maker and co-owner of Giant Periwinkle wines, has a great love for Sauvignon Blanc and can regularly be heard expounding on the subject. He especially enjoys how well the cultivar does in the Overberg region, which – of all the spaces in our beautiful country – is the area that holds the softest spot in his heart. And where he keeps his vines!
Pierre regularly has us drooling over his food pairing ideas on Twitter, so we were pleased when he agreed to share three very simple but mouthwatering recipes to pair with three of his Sauvignon Blancs, which – as an appreciator of the cultivar – we recommend you get your hands on, either directly or at the Wine Village in Hermanus.
To whet your appetite before you understandably rush off to buy his wine, we asked if he could do a comparison of his 2017 vs the upcoming 2018 Sauvignon Blanc:
“The 2018 harvest was the very first year that I did not make use of Elim Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The grapes were from our farm in Baardskeerdersbos with some sourced from Lomond nearby, so it is very hard to compare 2017 with 2018. It is also the first year that I made a Blanc Fumé, a stainless steel Sauvignon Blanc called “the Wind Scorpion” (entirely from Baardskeerdersbos grapes) and a white Bordeaux (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon) blend called “South Cape White”.
We’re sure his reply has made you ever more impatient for the release of this year’s vintage. Well, you’ll have to wait, just like the rest of us. But here are those recipes for you to practice in the meantime… (Notice the sneak-peek of his as yet unreleased labels!)
1. Pickled Alikreukel (otherwise known as Giant Periwinkles)
Wine Pairing: Giant Periwinkle’s South Cape White (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Blend)
Directions:
- Boil Alikreukel (a.k.a. Giant Periwinkles) until they are loose in their shells, approx. 15 to 20 minutes.
- Shake them from their shells and rinse in clean water.
- Remove and discard the intestine from the muscular “foot” of the Giant Periwinkle, and thinly slice the meat that’s left.
- Pickle them for two days in the brine from a jar of a very famous pickled onion brand – you know which. I suggest getting the strong one.
- Enjoy with some cheddar cheese and savoury biscuits.
Minced Alikreukel
Wine Pairing: Giant Periwinkle’s Blanc Fumé
Directions:
- Boil Alikreukel (a.k.a. Giant Periwinkles) until they are loose in their shells, approx. 15 to 20 minutes.
- Shake them from their shells and rinse in clean water.
- Remove and discard the intestine from the muscular “foot” of the Alikreukel and mince the meat that’s left.
- Finely chop one medium onion, and fry until soft.
- Add the minced Alikreukel and some freshly chopped garlic and fry for another two minutes.
- Squeeze some fresh lemon over, add salt and pepper to taste, and remove from heat.
- Stir in a dash of cream and serve on a bed of rice.
Sea-Fresh Braaied Yellowtail
Wine Pairing: a note from Pierre “I find that the fresh yellowtail complements and emphasizes the fresh minerality and citrus flavours found in our Wind Scorpion Sauvignon Blanc.”
Directions:
- Skin the yellowtail, and baste it with good quality olive oil.
- Squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon over the upward-facing (fleshy) side of the fish.
- Season with coarsely ground black pepper and sea salt flakes.
- Braai over hot coals. TIP: use alien vegetation, for example Rooikrantz, Wattle or Port Jackson, for best results.
Care must be taken not to overcook the yellowtail, as it can dry out easily. The combination is absolutely sublime – a true match made in our heavenly South Africa!
