The Restaurant at Delaire Graff

One of my favourite areas of the Stellenbosch wine route is Helshoogte Pass. Some of the best wines I have ever tasted come from the estates high up on this mountain road. On our way back from Franschhoek we decided to take this route home, visit some of the tasting rooms and have lunch at Delaire Graff. I have been looking forward to trying it for some time now and I was blown away.

Elegant tasting lounge

The first thing to mention is their elegant and well run tasting room/lounge. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and encouraged us to really think about the different flavours we were picking up in the wines. Their 'Coastal Cuvee" Sauvignon Blanc is definitely one I recommend you try!

The Coastal Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc was delicious!

After going through all of the wines we headed off to the restaurant. The first thing you will notice are the incredible views down the back end of the pass. It was a misty day and it literally felt as if we were sitting above the clouds.

Entrance to the kitchen

The staff were incredibly helpful and attentive. The service overall could not be faulted. They busied themselves explaining the various dishes, recommending wine pairings and telling us their own personal recommendations.

Here are some of the dishes we tried:

Crayfish, cured oysters, oyster cream, seafood broth and tapioca pearls.

I enjoyed the crayfish with the Coastal Cuvee Sauvignon blanc-  Its rich in tropical fruit flavours. Its still crisp and green with gooseberry and nettle aromas. This paired perfectly with the delicate seafood flavours.

Pork belly, slow cooked egg yolk, potato gnocchi,bacon and cheese

I thought I would be different and try this pork belly dish with the Delaire Chenin blanc - It had lovely notes of citrus and tropical fruit with aromas of honey and almonds to finish it. Similar to many Chenins in this high lying area, it had a delicate minerality. The richness of the pork balanced well with the honey and almond elements of the wine. The crisp minerality offset the heaviness of the dish. Perfect!

sticky short rib, prunes, cauliflower, hot potato mousse and horseradish

This final dish called for a red wine, The Delaire Shiraz. This wine has a spicy pepper undertone with with juicy dark red fruit elements. It has a smooth and soft palate and a savoury finish. My favourite element of this dish was the hot potato mousse- what an experience!

We are looking forward to visiting Delaire again soon, hopefully in summer so that we can take advantage of the spacious balcony outside with views that are just as magical as the food.