Waterford Estate | Indulge in a 3-Course Ultimate Winter Pairing with SALT

3 months ago Leave a Comment by Sharese Hunt Waterford Estate

Situated in the beautiful Blaauwklippen Valley, with the Helderberg Mountain standing sentinel in the distance, Waterford Estate is a destination that engages the senses from the moment you arrive.

The estate feels like a scene pulled from a timeless Italian movie. Think ducks drifting across a quiet pond, green lawns and rows of citrus trees greeting you with a stately Tuscan-inspired architecture. Built from sandstone, sourced from Table Mountain and timber grown on the estate, the buildings carry a sense of place and timelessness. The elegant portico-style entrance leads into a serene courtyard, anchored by a distinctive water feature that is also an iconic element that graces the Waterford label.

Established in 1998 and proudly owned by the Ord family. The name “Waterford” is derived from both the family’s surname and the waterfalls found in the surrounding Helderberg mountains.

At Waterford, food and wine are more than just enjoyment, it’s part of an experience. When perfectly paired, they become art. And when infused with something as elemental yet transformative as salt, the flavours are taken to new heights. Salt doesn’t just season. It sharpens, balances, preserves and reveals depth, enhancing both sweet and savoury notes in unexpected ways.

Savour the Flavours of Winter at SALT at Waterford – Wine & Food Experience

SALT at Waterford Estate is just that. Known for its elegant use of curated salts from across the world, SALT brings together local South African ingredients and salting techniques to create dishes that are layered, thoughtful and delicious. Each plate is not only a celebration of seasonal produce, but also a sensory exploration where flavour is heightened through precise and considered salting.

Their Winter Warmer Food & Wine Experience invites you to explore this harmony where food, wine and salt come together in a seasonal three-course pairing. It’s a celebration of winter’s bounty, elevated by storytelling, finesse and flavour. Available from Tuesday to Sunday, between 12:00 and 14:30, this seasonal experience runs until 19 August 2025.

Mushroom & Butternut Raviolo

Paired with Waterford Antigo 2020

A delicious raviolo is filled with a silky blend of earthy mushrooms and sweet butternut, offering a balance of savoury depth and seasonal warmth. It’s served with a rich Parmesan and miso cream that brings umami complexity and a velvety texture to the dish, while shards of salame piccante add a bold, spicy contrast and a touch of smokiness.

Salt Note: Salame piccante is a spicy Italian sausage made from pork and spices, dried for between four and eight weeks. This intensifies both its heat and savoury character, enhancing the overall depth of flavour in the dish.

Waterford Antigo 2020 is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend, rounded out with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot. Aromas of vibrant red berries, delicate tobacco leaf and subtle oak sweetness echo gracefully on the palate. Its structured acidity and fine tannins provide just the right counterpoint to the creaminess of the sauce, while harmonising with the earthy mushroom notes and spicy lift from the salame.

Appetiser

Between courses, guests are treated to a warm welcome from the Head Chef at SALT, who personally presents a thoughtful appetiser to set the tone. A golden butternut arancini, crisp on the outside and creamy within, is served alongside a spoonful of their version of caponata, a Sicilian-style vegetable dish reminiscent of ratatouille.

Lamb Rump

Paired with Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

A standout main course built on layers of depth and texture. The lamb rump, cooked sous vide to preserve its tenderness and natural flavour, is beautifully pink and melt-in-the-mouth. It’s accompanied by a golden mac and cheese croquette, and crisped to perfection. Roasted cauliflower brings a subtle nuttiness and caramelised edge, while a glossy jus ties all the elements together with savoury depth and balance.

Salt Note: The lamb is brined for two days in a saline solution, which enhances flavour and preserves the meat. This not only enhances its natural flavour but also tenderises the meat, locking in juiciness and ensuring that each bite carries a deep, well-developed savoury profile.

Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is structured yet refined. It opens with aromas of dark fruits and subtle fynbos herbaceousness. On the palate it shows vibrant acidity and well-integrated tannins, creating a beautiful interplay with the richness of the lamb. The fat content in the meat softens the wine’s tannins, allowing the fruit purity and oak nuances to shine through, while also making the wine feel rounder and more elegant.

As a surprise addition to the experience, we were treated to a rare pour of The Jem 2010, Waterford’s flagship blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon. With its complex nose of dark and red fruits, fynbos and hints of vanilla oak, it offered a velvety, lingering palate. Natural acidity lifted the wine with grace, delivering a luxurious yet balanced finish.

Pear and White Chocolate

Paired with Waterford Heatherleigh

The final course is a delicate yet flavour-packed celebration of texture and aroma. A rooibos and ginger poached pear takes centre stage. It’s fragrant, tender and gently spiced, offering a nod to South African heritage with a refined twist. It rests beside a silky white chocolate mousse, paired with a buttery hazelnut streusel for crunch and shards of golden honeycomb that melt on the tongue.

Salt Note: Hawaiian black lava salt, formed in volcanic rock pools, is used as a finishing salt to enhance and elevate the medley of flavours. This striking salt not only adds visual contrast but lifts the sweetness of the dish, enhancing the complexity and bringing out subtle layers in the mousse and pear.

The dessert was paired with Waterford Heatherleigh, a late harvest-style dessert wine made predominantly from Muscat de Alexandrie, supported by Chardonnay, Viognier and a touch of Chenin Blanc. Perfumed aromas of apricot, peach and orange blossom lead into a palate that is rich and vibrant, yet never cloying. It finishes with finesse, complementing the dessert’s warm spice, soft fruit and caramelised notes. It’s a wine with soul and sentiment, Heatherleigh is named in honour of the estate’s two matriarchs, Heather and Leigh.

Each dish is more than a pairing. It’s a conversation between kitchen and cellar, where seasonal produce and salting techniques come together with intent and finesse. At the heart of it all is Waterford Estate, where the setting, the wines and the philosophy behind each dish work in harmony to create a dining experience that is as grounded as it is refined.

As the seasons shift and the days draw in, we find ourselves leaning into warmth, comfort and connection. Winter slows us down, but food, fine wine, and the experience at SALT at Waterford Estate create a soothing space for anyone to enjoy.