Such is the intriguing depth and complexity of the world of wine, there is always something new to tempt you and this was an invitation like none that had come before: Pieter ‘bubbles’ Ferreira, master of Cap Classique and chief operating officer of Graham Beck, and Daniel Pi, an Argentinian legend, now chief winemaker at Bemberg Estate Wines, were requesting the company of selected members of the media to a pop-in popcorn and wine pairing, matching cuvées from each producer with half a dozen bespoke flavours.
Banish thoughts of Butterkist, because this was no ordinary popcorn: hand-crafted by the head honcho at Gaucho’s Charlotte Street outpost, Marco Ruggio, a seasoned steak chef more familiar with fine fillet than corn kernels.
The world is your oyster with popcorn, because it is just a transporter, really neutral: Gaucho's head chef Marco Ruggio
Challenged to create popcorn that could complement the different wines, Ruggio opted for a broad selection of seriously savoury flavours, ranging from simple cheddar, or truffle oil with Parmesan, to Japanese miso with added Ajo Molido (garlic seasoning), then crunchy Jamón Ibérico, or, even meatier, Picaña, a cut of beef from top rump, renowned for its rich flavour and thick layer of fat. For those with a sweeter tooth, there was also toffee or apple and cinnamon caramel.
“We tasted the wines and then went away to come up with some flavours to add to the popcorn, which carries flavours, so we needed something that would attach itself to the corn … it was actually quite fun, something new and a little bit outside our comfort zone,” Ruggio told me.
Pieter Ferreira currently uses popcorn in tastings at the cellar door
Ferreira offered five cuvées for pairing purposes: Graham Beck Ultra Brut 2017, a deliciously crisp, lithe, zero dosage fizz from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (33%); Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2018 (with 2019 also on offer), showcasing the bright, sunny elegance of Cape fruit; Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2018, a sophisticated, full-bodied blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, produced only in exceptional vintages and in extremely limited quantities; Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2018, a relatively delicate, dry, berry-charged sparkling pink from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; and – new to the portfolio, much to Ferreira’s excitement – Graham Beck Pinot Meunier 2022, South Africa’s first 100% Pinot Meunier fermented under cork, unmistakably Meunier, rich in fleshy red apple and blanched hazelnut.
“It has been amazing how the chef has embraced this challenge, he is so excited,” said Pieter Ferreira, who explained that Graham Beck already uses flavoured popcorn in its tasting room.“The world is your oyster with popcorn, because it is just a transporter, really neutral, and it reminds me of biting into a bubble … I think we have to forget the idea that sparkling wine is like a Gucci bag only for special occasions, it’s really a lifestyle thing, like heading to the movies.”
Pi also offered five wines: La Linterna El Tomillo Estate Parcela 1 Chardonnay 2019, a generously plump, textured Chardonnay that showcases the variety’s adaptation to altitude conditions; La Linterna Las Piedras Estate Parcela 12 Pinot Noir 2017, a seductively perfumed Pinot with a rich savoury seam of forest floor character; La Linterna La Yesca Estate Parcela 13 Malbec 2015, a dark and silky, fig-fruited Malbec, the depth and structure suggesting it has years ahead of it; La Linterna Las Mercedes Estate Parcela 19 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, an absolutely stunning crunchy-fruited Cab combining intensity and a sense of levity, with a distinctive graphite undertow; and Pionero 2015, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec offering rich forest fruits, cedar spice and some earthy character from the Cab Franc.
Daniel Pi admitted that pairing popcorn and fine wine was an entirely new concept for him: “I was surprised because I never expected this, usually in Buenos Aires it is more about salted popcorn and in Mendoza we have usually have it sweet, but Ibérico, miso, or truffle, these flavours actually work very well, so I shall try this at home.”
A new experience: Daniel Pi from Bemberg Estate Wines
So which was the perfect pairing? For me, the truffled popcorn was a big hit when teamed up with the Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique 2018, the elegant Chardonnay softening the in-your-face potency of the truffle oil, but my standout favourite was the Picaña paired with the Las Mercedes Estate Parcela 19 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, the fatty, meaty flavours from the tiny, but intense, flecks of beef being enhanced by the graphite and elegantly enrobed by the velvety tannins.
As for chef Ruggio’s favourite combination? “Either the Pinot Noir with the Jamón Ibérico, or the Malbec with the Picaña,” he told me. Renowned as a haven for carnivores, with its high quality steaks, Gaucho’s menu doesn’t usually feature popcorn, but the Charlotte Street restaurant does feature a basement cinema screen on certain nights, so perhaps it soon will be. You heard it here first.
