On 28 February 2021, savour the South African terroir through exceptional wines from Raats Family Wines, paired with appetisers and four exquisite courses of contemporary Italian fare curated by Zafferano’s Head Chef Andrea De Paola. At the heart of Raats Family Wines lies a steadfast expertise in just two wines – Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. Highly regarded in South Africa, the boutique family-run winery was founded in 2000 and has since established a position as a leader of these wines in the New World.
An array of appetisers is paired with the Original Chenin Blanc 2019, a dry white brimming with fresh fruity flavours of yellow apple, kiwi, and pineapple; a refreshing start to a lovely evening ahead. Bluefin tuna belly carpaccio accentuated with orange ponzu, petals of daikon, and crowned with Kaluga caviar forms a vibrant starter, accompanied by Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2018. Delicate and fine textured on the palate, the wine lingers pleasantly with notes of ripe nectarine and apricot.
Served alongside an Italian classic of cannelloni with braised wagyu beef short ribs, truffle pecorino, and green peas is a fruity and spicy Dolomite Cabernet Franc 2018 offering wet-stone minerality that leads into a velvet soft finish.
Tender New Zealand Te Mana lamb loin with charcoal baked beetroot and Sambuca jus is savoured with a complex Family Cabernet Franc 2017. The nose displays rosemary, lavender, and thyme in chorus with spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves and star anise, as well as intense brooding blackberry fruit and graphite.
Relish dessert with an exceptional Jasper Red Blend 2017. This union of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdo grapes is complex, structured, and offers hints of forest floor, dark chocolate, aniseed, and spicy tobacco. Finishing on a perfectly balanced, fine-grained palate, the wine is complemented with the luscious Valrhona Caraibe 66% dark chocolate tart with raspberry and tonka bean.