We associate certain dishes with certain times of the year and although we do enjoy global inspirations for special occasions, South Africa also has some unique local flavour combinations and recipes.
We enjoy adding a sweet element to savoury dishes – sometimes in the form of fruit or sometimes as a sweet spice. We also enjoy adding acidity with a pickle or vinegar dressing. These sweet and sour elements are quite prominent in some of our Easter food traditions too and they inspired us to come up with a food and wine menu of note!
This April, join us at our SA Table for a special Easter-inspired lunch, try some of our recipes at home, and find the ultimate wine combination for these often-challenging flavours.
You're invited
Chef Christiaan Visser invites those who enjoy food, food stories and culinary traditions to join him at the Leopard's Leap South African Table during April as he shares a delicious wine-paired lunch influenced by typical local Easter flavours.
Expect those familiar sweet spices such as cinnamon and vanilla in his Easter buns, koe'sister dessert and even a delightful little fizzy after-dinner cocktail, while a Cape Malay-inspired line fish comes with curried pickled onions, sauces and condiments for acidity and his Karoo lamb with a fragrant rub of pimento and garlic.
Wine pairings from the versatile selection of Leopard's Leap wines include the 2021 Culinaria Grand Vin and 2024 Culinaria Chenin Blanc.
The South African Table is in the middle of the Leopard's Leap kitchen and serves a maximum of 20 people per seating. It is available from Wednesday to Saturday at 13:00 and costs R570 per person for the complete meal with wine pairings.
Reservations are essential and can be made by clicking HERE.
Seasonal favourites
Enjoying curried or pickled fish is a very important culinary tradition during Easter in the Cape. The combination of spices gives the fish its characteristic yellow colour and the curry adds a beautiful flavour. Serve with seasonal Easter buns and a glass of the award-winning 2024 Culinaria Chenin Blanc.
Perfect partners
Such a popular choice this time of year, the classic combination of lamb and rosemary is elevated in this moreish pot pie with its beautiful buttery pastry. The perfect partner to the Bordeaux-inspired 2021 Culinaria Grand Vin.
Click HERE for the recipe.
Best of show
Not only are our Culinaria Chenin Blanc and Grand Vin versatile partners on the table, they’ve performed exceptionally well at the MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2025 in Germany!
Both the Leopard's Leap Culinaria Grand Vin 2021 and the Culinaria Chenin Blanc 2024 received Grand Gold Medals. Grand Gold is only awarded when the international judging panel scores a wine with at least 95 points. Further to this, the 2024 Culinaria Chenin Blanc was also appointed as the Best of Show South African White Wine!
Click HERE to read more.
