Hosted in the Wine Gallery at Curate, Ellerman House, this experience will be guided by Idiom proprietors Alberto and Roberto Bottega. It brings together outstanding South African wines and a thoughtfully curated multi-course menu, paired with special vintages from the Idiom vinoteque. The evening celebrates the heritage and terroir that define one of the Cape’s most distinctive wine estates.
The Curate Terroir Dinner Series explores the relationship between wine, appellation and cuisine, bringing together leading South African wineries to showcase how the distinctive geography, soils and climate of each region shape its wines. Each dinner explores these regional expressions through a menu that complements the wines and reflects the character of the Cape.
Set against the dramatic slopes of the Helderberg mountain range in Somerset West, the Idiom vineyards rise between 200 and 350 metres above sea level, overlooking the expanse of False Bay. Here, the mountain landscape meets the maritime influence of the Atlantic, where cooling ocean breezes, decomposed granite soils and a diversity of north-, west- and south-facing slopes create a remarkable range of growing conditions. Each aspect and elevation brings its own character to the fruit, shaping wines that express both the complexity of the terrain and the distinctive identity of the southernmost vineyard in the Stellenbosch appellation.
The wines selected for the evening offer an opportunity to experience the diversity of this unique vineyard that has 20 different varieties planted, not to mention numerous clones, firsthand. Highlights include the Idiom Viognier 2024, awarded Double Platinum and named among the Top 100 in the National Wine Challenge 2026, and the Idiom Cape Blend 2015, winner of the 2017 Perold ABSA Cape Blend Competition. These will be presented alongside rare batch releases from the Idiom vinoteque, including Idiom Viognier 2009 and Idiom Sauvignon Blanc 2016, offering a perspective on how the wines develop with time.
The Curate menu also takes guests on a culinary journey through South African ingredients, from KwaZulu-Natal langoustine with spring peas and the aromatic lift of Malay curry to kingklip from Saldanha with mussels, baby fennel and coastal herbs, before moving to Queenstown springbok with umngqusho, makataan and spring greens. Rooted in South African ingredients yet interpreted with a contemporary sensibility, each course is paired with an Idiom wine chosen to draw out the character of both the dish and the vintage.
The evening will offer the opportunity to look beyond the familiar expressions of the Cape and discover the breadth of what its vineyards can produce. Through the distinctive Idiom Collection, the dinner invites a more nuanced appreciation of this Stellenbosch wine icon and its place in South Africa’s evolving wine identity.
Event details
Event: Curate Terroir Series Dinner with Idiom Wines
Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026
Venue: Wine Gallery, Curate at Ellerman House, Bantry Bay, Cape Town
Hosts: Alberto and Roberto Bottega
Reservations: Dineplan or curate@ellerman.co.za
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended.