Wine Tasting And Jazz Evening at Akemi, May 2015

Dar es Salaam’s only revolving restaurant, Akemi was the perfect venue for a superb evening of wines, canapés and live jazz.

The evening was a real treat for lovers of fine wine and good food. There were some 40 wines to sample accompanied by a variety of innovative canapés from Bernard Steyn, the new chef at Akemi.

Priya Kanabar and her team at Akemi came up with the idea of regular wine tasting evenings at this unique venue after discovering a growing number of patrons were keen to know more about wine – where it is produced, how it is made, different styles and how to pair it with food.

This first event succeeded in creating a fun, relaxed and intimate wine tasting experience that brought together top experts with enthusiasts whilst giving  Akemi the opportunity to showcase  its highly creative kitchen. Chef Bernard worked hard to create tempting canapés and appetizers that were perfectly matched with various styles of wine.

MMI Tanzania, Mark Techno, Tanzania Distilleries Ltd, Mohans Oysterbay and Jos Hansen & Soehne showcased a variety of great quality bottles that catered for a lot of different palates.

As with all tastings I attend, my preference is to start the evening with Champagne or another sparkling wine. Mark Techno brought two thoroughly enjoyable offerings: Taittinger Brut Reserve and Louis Roederer Brut Rose.

Moving on to the still white wines, Mark Techno brought a fantastic bottle of Chablis: the Pasquier Desvignes La Larme D’or 2013. This was perfectly paired with a seafood cocktail that was tossed with home-made aioli, a classic French garlic-packed mayonnaise.

TDL showcased a full range of Nederburg wines from the Paarl region of South Africa. I especially enjoyed the Nederburg Foundation Rose, a fruity and refreshing semi-sweet  wine which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage.

Mohans Oysterbay brought along Bellingham Ancient Earth wines and my favourite from this South African range has always been the Shiraz. On the evening it was paired with lentil and pumpkin curry with steamed basmati rice. The subtle flavours of the mild curry were enhanced by the black pepper and spice in this wine.

Many guests shared my delight in making some new discoveries during the evening, including:

Brampton OVR, 2010 – Stellenbosch, South Africa. Imported by MMI Tanzania, this is a sophisticated blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage which has flavours of chocolate and spice. A fabulous, new red wine find.

Torres Vina Esmeralda 2012 – Catalunya, Spain. Imported by MMI Tanzania always hits the spot for the majority of wine lovers. It is a blend of Muscatel and Gewürztraminer which gives it incredible perfume and floral aromas. The semi-sweet wine has flavours of melon, pineapple and a burst of citrus fruit. On the evening it was paired with Prawn cakes with sweet and sour sauce.


Simonsig Tiara 2010 – Stellenbosch, South Africa. Imported by Jos, Hansen & Soehne, this is a good example of how a South African vineyard can replicate the Bordeaux-style wines from the south-west of France. It is  typical Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  On the evening it was paired with small servings of the famous French dish of braised fillet of beef served with mashed potatoes and red wine jus. Foodie heaven!

There were plenty of scrumptious canapes expertly prepared by Chef Bernard. The big hits of the evening included: Roast duck and provolone burger with caramelized pearl onion; Seared tuna and tuna tartare; Smoked Norwegian Salmon set on cream and draped with aioli and Asian salad; and Gorgonzola, spinach and pumpkin quiche.

There were also dessert canapes for guests to satisfy their sweet tooth, these included Chocolate tart fudge with berries and baked spiced apple tartlet.

Well done to the Akemi team and also the wine suppliers for hosting a fantastic evening.

The next wine tasting and jazz event at Akemi is penciled for September. Send an email to juliet@swahilicoastfoodie.com if you would like to receive information about this upcoming event.

Photos courtesy of Moments Photography
www.moments.co.tz