In celebration of KWV’s centenary, KWV recently challenged a group of respected Cape Town gourmands to develop a gourmet-style canapé to pair to the KWV-15-Year-Old, voted the World’s Best Brandy at the International Wine and Spirits awards.

Peter-Goffe Wood presenting his canape

For their efforts, the chef whose canapé received the highest score from the judging panel, comprised of critical sommeliers, was rewarded with a rare bottle of KWV Nexus – worth R24 000!

These creative chefs effectively released brandy from the confines of cheese and chocolate pairings with canapés that showed KWV Brandy’s ability to partner with dishes of real complexity:

The winning combination: KWV 15 paired with Sunchoke Mille Feuille

Timothy Pick of Foxcroft developed an intricate ‘foraging canapé’: a sunchoke Mille Feuille served in a glass case with a forest floor inspiration, complete with mushroom cocoa dust, and pickled mushrooms. His delicate brick pastry bite layered with sunchoke and chocolate mousse and offset by dried apricot and hibiscus purée perfectly complemented the KWV Brandy’s fruit notes. This impressive flavour combination won the esteemed panel’s favour, and Pick was announced as the overall winner, and the ultimate ‘KWV Brandy Futurist’. 

Timothy Pick with his winning 'foraging canapé'

A humble pairing: KWV 15 with ‘Potato Island’ 

Zenildo Leite of SMAK deli, a fairly newcomer to the chef scene, transformed the humble baby potato into a delicious partner for KWV 15 – using blue cheese crème, pancetta, deep fried leeks topped with berry compote to complement the drink’s smoky and sweet aftertaste. This was served on top of a ramekin (the island) with KWV Brandy at the base. The savoury and sweet combination proved a perfect fit, and Leite was awarded runner-up for his efforts, walking away with a KWV 20-Year-Old Brandy.

Zenildo Leite with his canape

“KWV Brandy doesn’t just have one flavour note,” said Clement Pedro of Afternoon Express. He added much flair to his presentation with a ‘smoke dome’ to illustrate the smokiness of the KWV 15, ceramic bowls made by ceramic artist Mervyn Gers to complement the KWV 15’s vivid blue label, and a canapé made with short ribs, beetroot cream and pickled beet gems set on bacon soil to match the “true smokiness and sweetness” of the KWV 15-year-old. 

Clement Pedro

Inspired by the “great balance of fruit, floral and oak aromas” of KWV’s award-winning brandy, Gustaaf Boshoff of STIR Food opted to balance these with enough umami, fruit, and spice in his canapé, which incorporated elements of calf sweetbreads, smoked linefish, spice and sultanas.   

Consultant and celebrity chef, Chef Pete Goffe-Wood provided a delicious duck and orange-inspired bite made from a tempura fried courgette flower stuffed with confit duck leg served with hazelnut and orange zest – a partner which aptly illustrated KWV’s winning brandy’s more refined qualities. 

Peter-Goffe Wood

Judges in this competition were esteemed sommeliers, qualified in identifying and presenting food pairings at some of South Africa’s most exclusive establishments: Juliet Urquhart from Silo Hotel, Mercy Mwai from One & Only, Marlvin Gwese from Cape Grace, Spencer Foundaumiere from Burrata and Elton Damon from La Colombe.

“One should never underestimate brandy as a food partner,” said Gwese, “brandy, especially if as complex as the KWV 15, can provide a truly unexpected match that is especially appropriate and rewarding when enjoying it as a sundowner, as an aperitif or complementing an amuse bouche." 

The winning combination: KWV 15 paired with Sunchoke Mille Feuille

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