This year, we’re marking the occasion with a loaf made a little differently. Our winemakers and the bakers at Vadas Smokehouse and Bakery came together with an idea: if bread and wine have shared centuries at the table, why not a recipe too? The result is our Red Wine Sourdough – a first-of-its-kind that folds Spier’s Seaward Cabernet Sauvignon into every crumb.
The wine behind the loaf
Seaward Cabernet Sauvignon was the natural choice. Shaped by the Atlantic’s cool breezes, this red ripens slowly, developing balance, freshness and structure. After 14 months in French and American oak, the wine shows juicy red and black berries layered with cedar spice – flavours that lend a richness to the loaf without overwhelming it. “Bread and wine belong together – they are an age-old pairing,” says Johan Jordaan, cellarmaster at Spier. “This red wine sourdough brings them even closer, showing that wine isn’t only for the glass – it can inspire creativity in the kitchen too.”
A tale of two fermentations
Both wine and dough are products of fermentation, and in this loaf, they unite. The Cabernet Sauvignon is gently simmered into a fragrant reduction and left to cool. Then, it is gently folded into a sourdough and left to rest overnight. In the oven, the grapes that lingered 14 months in oak lend subtle fruit, spice and a subtle colour to the dough as it rises slowly in its banneton (proofing basket). It comes out deep golden on the outside and light plum-red inside, with swirls of berries and oak in the air. Drooling yet?
A tasty philosophy
Our philosophy has always been rooted in good: good wine from good people, grown in good soil. Collaborations like this bring those elements together in delicious new ways. Grain from the land, grapes from the vineyard and a starter shaped by many bakes all come together in something to be shared.
Our Red Wine Sourdough is about flavour that feels honest. Torn warm from the oven, it is beautiful in its simplicity; paired with cheese, charcuterie and a glass of red, it becomes a meal in itself. It’s comfort and craft, shared around the table, wherever you are.
Recipe: Red Wine Sourdough
We’re sharing the recipe for a 1kg Red Wine Sourdough loaf so that you can raise your bread game at home:
Dough temperature target: 28°C
Hydration: 72%
Ingredients
- 210g bread flour
- 210g cake flour
- 250g water
- 300g Spier Seaward Cabernet Sauvignon (reduced to 50g)
- 240g active sourdough starter (fermented overnight)
- 12g salt
Red wine reduction
Simmer 300g of Seaward Cabernet Sauvignon until reduced to 50g. Allow to cool before using.
Method
- Mix the dough: Combine all ingredients and mix for 10-15 minutes by hand or in a stand mixer until smooth and slightly elastic.
- Bulk fermentation (3 hours): Rest the dough covered at room temperature, folding once an hour.
- Pre-shape and rest (30 min): Shape into a round ball, cover and rest.
- Final shape and cold ferment: Shape again, place into a floured banneton or bowl, cover and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 240°C. Create steam with ice blocks or boiling water. Bake for 20 minutes at 240°C, then again for 10-15 minutes at 220°C until golden brown.
- Cool and enjoy: Allow at least an hour before slicing.