It was with much excitement that Groote Post, the historic West Coast farm owned by the Pentz family, released the much-anticipated 2020 vintage of their Seasalter 2020 – their flagship Sauvignon with a Semillon component and a touch of oak.
There is so much to love about this wine, a West Coast Story in a Bottle: the elegance and purity of fruit, vibrant acidity, oyster shell minerality and saline finish, so typical of Sauvignons from the unique maritime cool-climate Darling Hills terroir; the charming name that captured the essence of the wine; and the refreshing distinctive label that visually portrayed the West Coast soul of the wine.
Debbie McLaughlin, cordon bleu chef patron at Hilda’s Kitchen, the much-loved restaurant at Groote Post, has used her culinary creativity to devise a special seafood dish to perfectly complement the Groote Post Seasalter:
Sustainable Deep-Water Cape Hake with a Mushroom Duxelle topped with a Fresh Herb and Parmesan Crust served with Groote Post Seasalter 2020
THE CRUST
Ingredients:
1 loaf white bread
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh parsley
120 g melted butter
Salt & pepper
Method:
Place bread in magimix and blend until fine breadcrumbs. Add parsley, parmesan, salt, pepper and melted butter and combine. Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper. Place in fridge until needed.
MUSHROOM TOPPING
Ingredients:
700 g mixed mushrooms
2 tbs of cream
Method:
Finely chop the mushrooms and cook until all liquid evaporates. Add the cream and cook for another minute or two. Season.
Heat the oven to 180 ° C. Place hake fillets on a baking tray and season. Divide the mushroom mixture between the hake fillets. Top with the parmesan herb crust. Bake @ 180 ° C for about 6 -8 minutes and finish off under the grill. Serve with crunchy long-stemmed broccoli and asparagus. And enjoy with a bottle of Groote Post Seasalter
GROOTE POST SEASALTER 2020
Groote Post’s 2020 Seasalter Sauvignon Blanc – partially wooded with a Semillon component – is a beautifully composed complex wine with the Sauvignon’s zesty acidity and vibrancy perfectly balanced by the richer notes and fuller mouth feel added by the Semillon component. The Seasalter is wonderfully expressive on the nose exuding fragrant bell pepper nuanced by blackcurrant and granny smith apple with subtle aromas of kelp and passionfruit. This complex and integrated nose follows through onto the palate with captivating flavours of grapefruit and zesty lime acidity with hints of fynbos, sea-breeze and a touch of oak. Rich layered and long, this subtly powerful blend is intense but not weighty: an elegant well-balanced wine showing typical Darling minerality, vibrant acidity and some leesy complexity before a saline finish.
The Groot Post Seasalter 2020 is available from the Groote Post cellar door, online at https://groote-post-wines.myshopify.com and at select fine wine merchants around the country. Approximate retail price: R150
