Review | Wine, dine & stay at Jordan Wine Estate
The intimate dining experience within the estate’s maturation cellar gives a first taste of Chef Marthinus Ferreira’s new restaurant
It really is the perfect way to spend a winter weekend in the winelands. A gorgeous luxury suite surrounded by vineyards with views of the surrounding mountains, a glass of red wine next to a fireplace and a multi-course dinner to boot.
This is what awaits guests who are lucky enough to attend Jordan’s Wine, Dine & Stay weekends. The winter offering aims to introduce guests to Jordan restaurant’s new chef, Marthinus Ferreira, ahead of the fine-dining eatery’s opening later this year.
The evening’s dinner, offering but just a taste of what to expect from the new project, takes place within the estate’s Merlot Room, a grand maturation cellar within their winery was conceptualised as a way to introduce the chef to his new customers
Candle lit and surrounded by wine barrels, the dinner is communal with three tables running the length of the impressive space. As much a showcase of wine as it is food, each course of the sharing-style tasting menu is served with a pair of Jordan wines — ranging from tank samples of sauvignon blanc to critically acclaimed back vintages, served from magnums.
Though somewhat different to what the final product will be when the restaurant opens — given the challenges of cooking in a cellar — the focus on local produce and vegetable driven dishes is clear.
The meal begins with a bread course, the sourdough and seed loaf made using sauvignon blanc yeast is a little nod to our winery venue and served with foraged porcini mayonnaise and a lavender ash butter. These are accompanied by flavourful bites of chicken liver parfait filled choux puffs topped with a stunning craquelin-like addition of chicken skin crumble; a macaron shell with a celery and fennel compote topped with 12-month Kleinrivier Gruberg and shavings of local truffle, and an absolutely moreish carrot velouté.
Next is a starter of grilled Franschhoek trout, the beautifully cooked fish served with a fricassee of corn and potato, completed with a Jordan chenin blanc velouté, is accompanied by a dish of soft polenta — somewhat of a signature of the chef — the creamy side incorporating wintry flavours and textures of rich Gorgonzola, pear, walnuts and cauliflower.