A Perfect Pairing | The îdp Wine List
What are the key qualities we seek in every wine on our list?
Being a daytime venue, we look for wines that are interesting and flexible enough, with good flavour profiles to combine with Chef Liezie’s fresh and balanced cooking style. We go out of our way to source wines that are not usually found on the Garden Route and that deliver well in quality and value. Many patrons are astounded that we are licensed, having always thought of us as a coffee and tea venue. We find them happily returning for lunch to enjoy a summer cocktail or a glass of fizz!
Creative & Personal Choice
Choice of beverage is such a personal, in the moment experience. We arrive at our venue and take a seat, sensing the surrounds, feeling the anticipation of good company and a deliciously languid afternoon under the dappled sunlight of trees or in the cozy, pastry perfume of a rainy day.
At île de païn we offer a vast array of choice and there’s always something unique to try, from savoury dishes to breads and pastries; fine coffees and teas to zingy house juices and house-made iced refreshments… and so it is with our wine list. We chose to break away from the formulaic recipe of representation of each cultivar and simply focus on the tastes we love and that suit Chef Liezie’s seasonal creations.
How we select our wines
Our selection process is fun and, like everything else we do, a bit different. Every once in a while we gather with friends to present an assortment of wines wrapped in unmarked bags. We then have a jolly time working out what we like (and love), noting our personal preferences on paper. At the end, there is a grand reveal and the overall winners make it onto our list.
Blind tasting via a variety of palates is a great way to take wine snobbery out of the equation. We are all prone to recognizing the labels of past loves and perhaps to favouring a personal pick that we’d like to see on the list, so this kind of approach really levels the playing field and delivers a democratic and neutral approach to selection.
Our current favourites
This past summer season we’ve been drenched in the pink with three very different Rosés by the glass. This trio offers astonishingly different styles from bone dry and light to layered and complex richness and of course the hard to come by Ambeloui Rosanne MCC that we have an annual crush on!
When a guest requests a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, we can offer a quartet of distinct styles from four very different regions. This spectrum allows us to recommend the right choice for the dish and the day.
Our favourite pairing at the moment is the heavenly Domaine des Dieux Chardonnay from the Hemel en Aarde valley, enjoyed with our earthy Farro Risotto. The dish and the wine are beautifully balanced between rich creaminess and tangy zesty acidity. The salsa verde tang meets the high lime notes of the wine and they sing together above the baritones of creamy parmesan barley and spelt. Dreamy and so nourishing.
A cool question: Ice cubes in wine….our thoughts?
There was a time that this was severely frowned upon. That being said, we love to break the rules and the norms! If you enjoy ice in your wine, go for it! We wholeheartedly support that you “do what you love and love what you do” and never be concerned what others think!
Drop by for lunch and we will find your dish its perfect partner. You may just fall in love.
Got a taste for a tipple? You can view our wine list here.
