WINE NEWS: Collectable Cuisine From Vergelegen Wine Estate
It’s not every day that you can order a meal that has been prepared in one of the country’s leading restaurants, and enjoy it in the comfort of your home. From this week, however, Somerset West residents ‒ and others keen to pre-order and collect ‒ can live well despite the lockdown, thanks to innovative food and wine offerings from Vergelegen.
This 320-year-old wine estate, judged the best on the continent in 2019, has just introduced a delectable multi-course meal prepared in its award-winning Camphors restaurant. Wine may be ordered with the meal (Mondays to Thursdays) and, if your cellar has taken a knock during lockdown, you can top up your wine stocks too. Whether you order wine with the meal, or in larger quantities from the wine tasting centre, you can take advantage of a current 15% wine discount.
Virtual guests can also select mouth-watering family food such as pizzas and burgers from the estate’s other popular restaurant, Stables.
Camphors Cuisine
The Camphors menu offer for the first week of June is pork belly and polenta, Malay pickled yellowtail, and grilled cauliflower with dukkha, tahini and raisins. This yummy collection is accompanied by sourdough bread with smoked butter, basil and peanut pesto. A persimmon meringue tart rounds off the feast.
The cost of this entire delectable meal for two is R595 including VAT.
See the Camphors menu here and wine order form here, call 021 8472131 or email camphors@vergelegen.co.za.
Camphors restaurant has (among numerous other awards) resided on the Eat Out top 10 restaurants list from 2016 to 2019. It has also twice won the Eat Out Woolworths Sustainability Award (the first top 10 restaurant to hold both awards).
“Camphors orders close daily at 15h00, for collection the following day between 11h00 and 18h00. We will ensure that your meal is freshly prepared just before you receive it,” says Hospitality Manager Sharon Hosking.
Family Specials From Stables
Stables restaurant is offering its renowned sirloin, chicken or vegetarian burgers with chips, wood-fired pizzas, and a selection of soup and bread for pre-order and collection. Check out the Stables menu here, wine list here, call 021-847 2156, or email stables@vergelegen.co.za.
“We will take Stables orders daily between 09h00 and 17h00. Collection times are between 11h00 and 18h00, at an agreed time to ensure that your food is freshly prepared,” says Hosking.
Cuisine Collection
Vergelegen has set up three drive-through collection points, so that food and wine can be pre-ordered and collected without having to leave your car. Only card facilities are available for payment, no cash transactions.
“In due course we will arrange for online orders via the Dineplan app,” says Hosking.
In line with current lockdown rules, wine may not be included with meals for collection Friday-Sunday; and guests may not explore the heritage area or gardens when they collect their orders.
Wine Deliveries
If your cellar needs replenishing, wine can be bought at the estate (or pre-ordered and collected later) between Monday and Thursday (09h00-16h45) from the wine tasting centre. Wine orders can also be delivered locally (minimum 12 bottles/order, at a cost of R60 in the Somerset West area) plus delivery options elsewhere – please enquire about pricing. To place your wine order or make an enquiry, click here, call 021 8472122, or email winetasting@vergelegen.co.za
“It’s common knowledge that wineries and restaurants have been hard hit by COVID-19 regulations, so we are delighted that we can now offer superb food and wine at level three of the lockdown,” says Vergelegen CEO Wayne Coetzer. “Our teams have been working hard behind the scenes and we have already received many messages of support from friends of Vergelegen.
“The pandemic has brought many challenges, but together we can get through this. Thanks in advance for your support, take care, and bon appetit.”
About Vergelegen Estate:
Top winery: In the prestigious World’s Best Vineyard 2019 competition, a voting panel from around the globe analysed 1500 wineries from 17 countries. Vergelegen was named the best winery in Africa, and number 34 overall.
COVID-19 community food programme: Vergelegen joined a community outreach food programme in mid-May. Estate chefs prepare 200 delicious and nourishing meals daily, seven days a week, for distribution to needy Helderberg communities. This outreach programme will continue until around October 2020.
Restaurant awards: In addition to the prestigious Eat Out Mercedes Benz Restaurant Awards, Camphors was awarded three star status (the highest award) in the annual independent Rossouw’s Restaurant Guide. In the JHP Gourmet Guide 2016, 2017 and 2018, Camphors was named as one of 21 exceptional restaurants in the country. Camphors won a platinum award in the American Express Fine Dining Awards in 2018 and was named one of the top 1000 restaurants in the world.