A good leftover from Covid? There aren’t many but the Pick n Pay Virtual Winemaker’s Table event is one

I remember it as if it were yesterday. Pots of “tea” on restaurant tables. Smuggling of questionable spirits in dog food bags on the way home from the “vet”. The struggle of ordering wine online between fluctuating levels of booze bans during lockdown.

But I also remember the sweet taste of a glass of the good stuff when we were finally allowed to buy alcohol again, and the keen interest in virtual wine tastings. It seemed bizarre at the time, but if you’re based in Joburg like I am, they’re a delight in between protracted visits to the Cape winelands. It was true then and remains true now.

During these dark times, I enjoyed two such events through the Pick n Pay Virtual Winemakers Table events which were held to connect wine lovers with local estates and, in the process, assist the struggling wine industry.

The events were first offered in Johannesburg and Cape Town at the end of 2020 as a virtual alternative to their Winemakers Table which was previously hosted in person in Johannesburg. It’s become so popular even beyond the pandemic that the virtual wine tastings have been extended beyond Cape Town and Johannesburg to include Durban, with the possibility of extending it further into other parts of the country. 

The principle is simple: order your tasting online, get sent the goods and Zoom link and settle in for a wine and canapé pairing in conjunction with PnP and a different estate each time.

For May, PnP collaborated with Steenberg Vineyards from the Constantia region. Known for their sauvignon blanc and given that May is sauvignon blanc Month, it was a perfect choice.

Included in my delivery was three Steenberg wines and ingredients to prepare a canapé pairing for each, as well as a welcome letter outlining what I’ll need at home, preparation guidelines for the canapés, a PnP Fresh magazine and a number of discounts on wine purchases at PnP.

For this event, we enjoyed a Steenberg sauvignon blanc, served with a whipped Camembert and toasted walnut puff pastry straw with gooseberry chutney and fresh lemon zest; Steenberg sparkling sauvignon blanc, served with a lemon and herb whipped feta, bresaola and sun-dried tomato aubergine roll with balsamic reduction and toasted almonds; and Steenberg 1682 pinot noir Cap Classique NV served with a vanilla sponge cake with a tart raspberry coulis centre, vanilla buttercream icing and strawberry chips and a poppy seed sprinkle.

The preparation for the canapés doesn’t take long; I only had to slice a few ingredients, fry the aubergine and assemble. The pace at which the canapés are prepared is reasonable, meaning you can follow as they are prepared on screen or, as I did, get creative with the assembly.

The rest of the hour goes past sampling the wines and enjoying the morsels. The first glass of Steenberg sauvignon blanc paired particularly well with the zestiness of the gooseberry chutney and fresh lemon zest of the puff pastry straw.

The inclusion of the two bottles of bubbles was a treat — the Steenberg sparking sauvignon blanc being a fresh, fun version of the standard sauvignon blanc, and the berry forward pinot noir Cap Classique NV paired with the vanilla sponge was a light yet sumptuous end to the evening.

As Steenberg cellarmaster Elunda Basson said, we don’t need special occasions to celebrate with bubbles: surviving the pandemic and taking each day as it comes is celebration enough. Cheers to that.

If a wine tasting in the Cape is too far for you to enjoy over a weekend, keep an eye out for the next PnP Virtual Winemakers Table on Webtickets, the PnP website or sign up to the PnP Wine Club to receive newsletters. Events takes place monthly. This event cost R800 for two people but Pick n Pay Wine Club members paid R600. Prices may vary depending on the participating wine estates. Tickets include wine, canapé ingredients, delivery and participation in the event. It’s the perfect way to get to know local wine estates without even leaving your home.